Media Relations Officer Job at Yale University in New Haven

Salary Range

$68,000.00 - $120,500.00

Position Focus

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Communications, the Media Relations Officer in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications is responsible for proactively pursuing positive media coverage for the university in local, national and international news media outlets. This position helps to support the goal of raising the profile of Yale University by highlighting the university’s priorities and differentiators from peer institutions.

This position identifies opportunities for pitching the media; and effectively responds to media inquiries. The position helps to monitor and report on Yale’s performance in the media and prepares and trains faculty for media engagements. The position works collaboratively with other units within OPAC to help ensure alignment of work around both owned and earned media. The position also works with other campus communicators to help disseminate press releases and coordinate relevant media events. The successful incumbent will exemplify Yale’s mission and its President’s vision for the university.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Metrics-driven/results-oriented
• Excellent grasp of all primary media channels, including broadcast, digital, social, and print.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, meet deadlines and manage multiple projects under time pressure to produce outstanding results on deadline.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Experience with digital communications and social media.
• Ability to work effectively with media representatives and stakeholders at all levels of the organization, and build relationships externally and internally.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience in media relations, print and broadcast journalism.
• Experience in higher education, nonprofit organizations, or state agencies.
• Experience managing crisis issues.

Principal Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with local, national, and international media outlets and individual journalists poised to tell various aspects of Yale’s story.
• Facilitate the connection between key Yale faculty and relevant journalists.
• Write compelling pitches and prepare Yale experts for broadcast, print, and radio interviews, including through on-camera media training.
• Coordinate press conferences for major announcements, e.g., Nobel Prizes.
• Coordinate with documentary and media film crews wishing to film on campus.
• Coordinate with writers to execute communications plans for campus initiatives and academic work.
• Work closely with multimedia content creators to present multimedia stories to media representatives across all channels.
• Provide communications support for special programs or projects as assigned, such as commencement, reunions, fundraising, symposia, and official campus visits.
• Coordinate with campus communicators around the university.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field and five years of media/public relations experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

Job Posting Date

10/06/2025

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Manager; Program Leader (P5)

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Location

2 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It’s Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran. Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Additional Notes

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.