Media Relations Specialist

The Division of University Relations represents an integrated approach to Communications (Brand Communications, News, Media Relations, and Strategic Communications) and Government Relations (Community, State, and Federal). More than 50 University Relations communicators collaborate with and provide support to the colleges, schools, and administrative units within the university.

Cornell’s Media Relations Office is the university’s liaison to local, regional, national and international media organizations. On both breaking news and long-term research efforts, Media Relations works across the university to connect faculty and administration leaders with traditional and new media.

The Opportunity

The Media Relations Specialist (MRS) is a communications specialist who will enhance media coverage of Cornell University through a strategic program of media relations. The MRS services media requests, develops, writes and pitches story ideas to journalists, arranges interviews, organizes and hosts and media events in alignment with university goals; and facilitates contacts between university faculty, administration and students with journalists in the national, international and local/regional news media.

Key Responsibilities

These include, but are not limited to:

• Scouting, pitching and placing stories and commentaries in the appropriate news media to maximize media coverage and public understanding of Cornell University. Designing strategies to connect the mission, goals, priorities and accomplishments of relevant stakeholders in these efforts.

• Servicing media requests for Cornell faculty, administrators and students, arranges media interviews and visits to campus, and facilitates contacts between university faculty, administration and students with journalists. This includes advance planning for interview locations, arranging and coordinating needed assets such as photos and documents, booking television and radio facilities, and working closely with University Relations and college communications colleagues.

• Providing advice on media strategies and conducts media training. This includes meeting with faculty and students involved in news stories, reviewing potential media strategies and preparing them for media interviews with practice sessions.

This is a full-time position located in Ithaca, NY, an active and diverse community in which to work and thrive. This is an on-campus position, and the selected candidate will be expected to reside in or relocate to the area; there is no relocation assistance provided.  Remote work out of the state or the region is not an option for this role.

Compensation: The position will be offered at between $74,000 - $78,000/annual and will be based on the final candidate’s skills and experience.

What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree and at least three to five years’ full time work experience in journalism/communications and speaking with media, or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Excellent writing, editing and verbal skills.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment; can plan, organize, anticipate needs, and manage projects; and foster positive working relationships with a diverse population within the university and externally.

• Must have demonstrated understanding of 24-hour news cycle and media markets.

• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is situated in picturesque Ithaca, New York, the heart of the Finger Lakes. Ithaca is home to two academic institutions, several state parks, waterfalls, and gorges, and a wide range of art galleries, theaters, eateries, wineries, and breweries. Ithaca has something to suit all ages and interests.

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, well-being, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, vacation and paid holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.

• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

No visa sponsorship is available for this position.

University Job Title:

Communication Spec III

Job Family:

Communications/Marketing

Level:

F

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$74,026.00 - $86,030.00

Remote Option Availability:

Onsite

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Brenda Joly

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].

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EEEO Statement:

Cornell University's history of diversity and inclusion encourages all students, faculty and staff to support a diverse and inclusive university in which to work, study, teach, research and serve. No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified disabled individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act have rights in the application process and in employment under federal law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2025-04-07