Communications Associate

Organization overview 

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research in the areas of U.S. politics and policy views; media and journalism; internet and technology; science and society; religion and public life; race and ethnicity; global attitudes and U.S. social and demographic trends. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Center’s work is carried out by a staff of more than 160 people. 
 
Position Summary 

The communications associate supports communications managers in promoting the Center’s work to the news media, influential voices in new media spaces, key stakeholders and the engaged public. They are involved in a range of activities that promote, enhance and protect the organization’s “gold-standard” brand reputation. 

The communications associate assists with all aspects of external relations, playing a major supporting role in the promotion and dissemination of research findings through media relations, including legacy news outlets, podcasts, newsletters, and independent creators on social media platforms; stakeholder engagement; and event planning, including briefings, presentations and panel discussions. They are assigned to support the Center’s research teams on a rotating basis, offering broad exposure to the Center’s work and growth opportunities in all aspects of the communications field. 

The ideal candidate is interested in U.S. news and global discourse, gets the details right, thinks strategically and rolls up their sleeves to get the job done. They are excited by new trends shaping news consumption habits and media landscapes around the world. They are skilled project coordinators who demonstrate strategic thinking, an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire for growth. The associate is a member of the 15-person Strategic Communications team, working alongside four other associates, collaborating closely with all members of the team as well as colleagues on the digital and audience teams and various research teams. The associate reports to the Associate Director of Strategic Communications.  

This is a term-limited, grant-funded position expected to extend three years.
 
Primary Responsibilities 

The communications associate: 

• Supports communications managers in outreach efforts for research releases. 

• Assists in developing outreach plans for priority research publications and supports implementation. 

• Serves as an initial point of contact for external inquiries, especially from members of the media, and responds to incoming requests promptly, accurately and efficiently.  

• Coordinates logistics for interviews and presentations for Center experts. 

• Creates, updates and maintains lists of media and other key contacts, expanding and diversifying our potential target audiences. 

• Maintains and updates collaborative platforms used to coordinate outreach activities, such as the editorial calendar. 

• Stays up-to-date with current events and key conversations relevant to the research areas they support. 

• Tracks media coverage and documents the results of outreach activities to demonstrate and summarize audience impact for institutional reporting purposes. 

• Identifies themes and opportunities for follow-on visibility and proactive moments. 

• Participates in special projects and new initiatives in support of the Center’s mission. 

• Upholds the Center’s core values of independence, objectivity, accuracy, rigor, humility, transparency and innovation. 

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

• Demonstrated interest in the Center’s research topics, news, and current events. 

• Experience with traditional media relations as well as the ability to keep up with new trends in a rapidly evolving information ecosystem. 

• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills. 

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and a customer service mindset.  

• Advanced self-organization skills and the ability to balance multiple time-sensitive priorities and deadlines. 

• Ability to work well both independently and in a highly collaborative environment. 

• Attention to detail and precision in communicating about data and numbers. 

• Good judgment, self-awareness and accountability. 

• Must be able to think strategically and execute tactically. 

• Must be entrepreneurial, take the initiative and be proactive. 

Education/Training/Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree required; communications, journalism, social science, or related degree preferred. 

• 3-5 years of relevant experience in external relations, including media relations. 

• Knowledge of U.S. public discourse and the U.S. media landscape. 

• Experience with promoting content through social media and other digital channels. 

• Proficiency with media outreach and tracking tools like Salesforce, Predictive, Meltwater, or similar platforms such as Cision, MuckRack and Mailchimp. 

• Experience managing contact databases such as Salesforce 

• Experience with collaborative project management platforms like Asana, Trello, or Basecamp. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft productivity software (especially Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).