Media Relations Officer

Description

The Media Relations Officer serves to inform key external and internal audiences about science and research news of UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine. Reporting to the Director of Media Relations, the position works with UCLA Health faculty and other subject-matter-experts to identify newsworthy story ideas and vet research development across basic and translational science fields with an emphasis on priority service lines and research themes.

The Media Relations Officer is responsible for prioritizing and creating promotional strategies using press releases, research alerts, editorials, essays, blog posts, and other forms of content. The position requires staying abreast of the research landscape at UCLA Health, building connections with researchers, developing story ideas, researching existing and emerging scientific literature and trends to identify newsworthy angles, and writing content to bring those topics to life in a compelling manner.

The Media Relations Officer must have a strong understanding of science and its impact, and the ability to translate complex studies into lay-friendly language. They must be able to engage researchers and clinicians, conduct interviews and follow-up as necessary, and maintain relationships to create and build trust and credibility as a foundational aspect of supportive promotion. They also must understand how to engage the media and general public, identifying the elements most likely to resonate with a broad audience while also effectively communicating advances and relevance.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to self-manage to execute multiple projects on a deadline are a must.

The position will work closely with a team of media specialists, communications leaders and strategists, and Marketing colleagues to develop strategies for projects, initiatives, and research developments to increase awareness among the public and news media.

The Media Relations Officer will be available to assist with crises, incidents and Command Center activities.

Note:

This position is full-time in the Communications Office.

Salary Range: $78,500 -$163,600/annually

We're seeking a dynamic individual with:

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing or related field
• 5-7 years of progressively responsible and directly related experience in media relations, and external and internal content development preferably in an academic or healthcare setting
• Ability to manage multiple, complex assignments, work independently and make decisions amid multiple deadlines and shifting circumstances in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to develop and implement communications materials to achieve identifiable objectives
• Ability to work with stakeholders and collaborators at all levels and adjust approaches accordingly; knowledgeable of integrated roles of department units and how to leverage each to achieve objectives
• Willingness to be on call and work non-business hours if necessary

Preferred:

• Academic, health care, research and/or science experience