Media Relations Specialist in Public Affairs

UTHealth Houston is looking for a multifaceted external communications, media relations pro, and public relations expert who can pitch compelling stories of medical and science innovations, write articles using SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and stay on top of breaking health care news. This person is responsible for promoting the university’s strategic priorities and protecting the university’s brand by developing and executing media and public relations to inform and engage external and internal audiences.

This role is vital to supporting the university’s three-part mission of education, research, and patient care. The role requires strong communication, collaboration, writing, news judgment, and creative idea skills. It also requires someone who can do multiple things, including managing content, as they approach public and media relations at various levels. We prefer candidates with public relations backgrounds and video skills who can meet tight deadlines.

All candidates must provide writing samples, which can be uploaded via the File Attachments section. Submissions without writing samples will not be considered for the role. You must be a good writer first and foremost. A background in health care or broadcast journalism is preferred.

This hybrid role will be based out of our University Center Tower.

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’s resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Once you join us, you won't want to leave. We reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full‑time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equate to around 37‑38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!
• We take care of our employees! As a world‑renowned institution, we take our employees’ well‑being seriously. We offer work/life services such as free financial and legal counseling, free mental health counseling services, gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs, and other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus, many more!

• Works with key experts on beats to identify media opportunities; creates and pitches story ideas; and responds to breaking news media requests on a tight deadline; arranges interviews with subject matter experts and media; escorts media on campus. Collaborates with faculty, staff, students, partners at teaching hospitals, and other constituents to communicate strategic news. Attends key meetings and events related to beats.
• Assists in creating and supplying photos and video content related to specific beats for social media, You Tube, and media requests; writes scripts as needed.
• Writes news releases and pitches about medical, scientific discovery, clinical trials, nursing, public health, and bioinformatics news as applicable to beats, including new and published research, innovation, education, and clinical care; generates feature story ideas related to specific beats.
• Posts news content using the content management system to UTHealth Houston's website; posts news hits on the website; corrects broken links on website news pages.
• Tracks, clips, and tags media relations activities through the use of an online news monitoring service and news archive; provides results to content experts.
• Writes content for Media Relations media hits newsletter to leadership and staff.
• Appropriately guards UTHealth Houston's interests/reputation and patient confidentiality while respecting the public's right to know.
• Staff the media hotline.
• Serves as a first responder on UTHealth Houston's emergency communications team.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Excellent written communication skills,…