Associate Director, Media Relations

About the Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives. These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute's events and programmatic activities, involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event, Global Conference, bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event.  

About the Position

The Milken Institute is seeking an Associate Director, Media Relations to support the Institute's strategic media relations efforts to highlight the Institute and its research, programs, and events and amplify the Milken Institute's reputation as a leading source of expertise and analysis across health, finance, and philanthropy, as well as a powerful convener of public and private sector leaders.   

The ideal candidate will have a strong background and proven track record of developing and successfully landing high-impact stories, particularly in health and/or philanthropy spaces. The candidate will have strong relationships with media and be able to develop new relationships. The candidate must be a team player, take initiative, and be willing to run projects from start to finish independently. Excellent writing and communications skills, attention to detail, and the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines are critical for success in this position.  

This position reports to the Senior Director of Communications and is part of an integrated marketing and communications department that includes talented and creative colleagues leading efforts in social media, web, digital, publications, and marketing.  

Requirements

• Demonstrate tactical proficiency in media relations specifically related to health and philanthropy, including creating and driving strategic traditional/earned, outreach plans.  
• Read and analyze research and reports from Milken Institute experts to develop eye-catching pitches that will resonate with media and their audiences.  
• Proactively draft and pitch compelling stories to new/consumer audiences. 
• Respond to inbound media requests and manage appropriately throughout the organization. 
• Lead and support the development of strategic media materials, including high-quality press releases, op-eds, key messages, media lists and targeted pitches.  
• Collaborate with internal teams to mine for innovative story ideas that will elevate the Milken Institute, its experts and the research.    
• Support press operations/media efforts for Milken Institute events, including the Milken Institute Global Conference.  
• Provide strategic insight to key workstreams to enhance visibility and reputation.  
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and creators at key media outlets, serving as a primary point of contact for media inquiries and requests.  
• Stay up to date on the fast-changing earned media landscape and lead the media team's efforts in staying educated on these updates.  
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

• 7-10 years of experience in media relations, corporate communications, or public relations, with an emphasis on work in the health and/or philanthropy sectors; agency experience a plus.  
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.

Preferred qualifications:  

This section should be used as a guide, not a checklist. We encourage you to apply and tell us about yourself even if you don't meet each bullet on the list.

• Strong background supporting media relations efforts in health and/or philanthropy.  
• Ability to work with principal stakeholders. Experience working with researchers is a plus.  
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media outlets.   
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.   
• A proactive, results-oriented approach with a deep understanding of the media landscape.   
• Must demonstrate a drive to be "always on" when it comes to seeking fresh story angles and opportunities to tell the Milken Institute stories.  
• Have successful track record of securing impactful media from top-tier outlets within print, online, broadcast and other formats such as podcasts, video, and social content.  

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position will work in a professional office environment on a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to the Washington, DC office location (Tuesday – Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. Please understand, this schedule is subject to change at the Institute's sole discretion. 

This person will also be required to travel occasionally to other offices and/or venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. Domestic travel is possible. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world. 

Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer. 

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Our Culture

The Milken Institute is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran. 

Every person at the Milken Institute is treated with respect, supported with resources and training, and exposed to a broad range of experiences. We foster a space for growth with opportunities to share knowledge and passion with both clients and colleagues. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our leadership is actively involved in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and fostering a culture that creates opportunities for everyone. 

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5% match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Fertility Support
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability 
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Pet Insurance Discount
• Training & Development:
• LinkedIn Learning – over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Annual Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources:
• Employee Assistance Program
• CALM app membership