Job Description

Media Relations / External Communications Specialist [JRP-11102]

Established in 1972 by The University of Texas System Board of Regents, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) is Houston’s Health University and Texas’ resource for health care education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. The most comprehensive academic health center in the UT System and the U.S. Gulf Coast region, UTHealth Houston is home to schools of biomedical informatics, biomedical sciences, dentistry, nursing and public health and the John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School. UTHealth Houston includes The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center, as well as the growing clinical practices UT Physicians, UT Dentists and UT Health Services. The university’s primary teaching hospitals are Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital.

UTHealth Houston is seeking to hire a multifaceted external communication, media relations pro, or public relations expert to join our team as a Media Relations/External Communications Specialist. In this role, you will pitch compelling stories of medical and science innovations, write articles using SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and create videos. In addition, you will promote our university’s strategic priorities and protect our university’s brand by developing and executing media, public relations, and social media strategies to inform and engage external and internal audiences. You will play a vital role in the support of our university’s three-part mission of education, research, and patient care. Your role will require strong communication, collaboration, writing, news judgment, and creative idea skills. You will excel at doing multiple things, including managing content, as they approach public and media relations at many levels. The ideal candidate will have a proven public relations background, video skills, and can hit quick deadlines.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with key experts on beats to identify media opportunities
• Create and pitch story ideas and respond to breaking news media requests on a tight deadline
• Arrange interviews with subject matter experts and media
• Escort media contacts on campus
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, partners at teaching hospitals, and other constituents to communicate strategic news
• Attend key meetings and events related to beats
• Assist with social media strategy and execution for main university platforms
• Write social media short stories and introductory copy
• Schedule content for social media as needed
• Assist in creating and supplying photos and video content related to specific beats for social media, YouTube, and media requests; writes scripts as needed
• Write news releases and pitches about medical, scientific discovery, clinical trials, dental, 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
• Post news content using the content management system to UTHealth Houston’s website
• Post news hits on the website; correct broken links on website news pages
• Track, clips, and tag media relations activities using online news monitoring service and news archive; provides results to content experts
• Write content for Media Relations media hits newsletter to leadership and staff
• Appropriately guard UTHealth Houston’s interests/reputation and patient confidentiality while respecting the public’s right to know
• Staff the media hotline
• Serve as a first responder on UTHealth Houston’s emergency communications team
• Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS:

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or allied field
• At least Two (2) years of experience in public relations, communications, writing/editing, or related field
• Excellent written communication skills, including writing on deadline.
• Excellent verbal communication skills, including interviewing skills.
• Knowledge of AP Style
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook
• Knowledge of Content Management System
• Knowledge of social media writing and posting
• Ability to identify news
• Experience with online news media monitoring service is preferred
• Ability to multitask and prioritize deadlines
• Photography and video skills is preferred
• Reside in the Houston area, and be willing to work a hybrid schedule

Special Note to Applicants: When applying for this role, you will need to provide writing samples, which can be attached with your cover letter and resume. Submissions without writing samples will not be able to be considered for the role.

UTHealth Houston is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment-related activities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, gender identity or expression, veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law or university policy. Reasonable accommodation, based on disability or religious observances, will be considered in accordance with applicable law and UTHealth Houston policy. The University maintains affirmative action programs with respect to women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and eligible veterans in accordance with applicable law.

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