Sr Media Relations Specialist

About the role

Northeastern University is looking for a talented individual with a solid track record of landing great press hits in top-tier news organizations in the US and international press. As Senior Media Relations Specialist, this person must excel at building and cultivating relationships with reporters and editors and leveraging those relationships to secure media coverage about Northeastern University's unique story, including its research enterprise, global experiential learning programs, and newsworthy examples of leadership and innovation in the higher education space and beyond. Reporting to the Media Relations Manager, the Senior Media Relations Specialist will work with Northeastern faculty and staff colleagues across the global university system to identify newsworthy ideas, gather facts, and work with members of the press to secure coverage in top‑tier news outlets in strategic locations and media markets within and outside of the U.S., including regions where Northeastern has a presence. The Senior Media Relations Specialist has established a track record of delivering measurable results and building relationships with members of the local, national, and international press, and managing incoming press inquiries. The Specialist must stay up to date on what the media is focused on and be able to bridge those topics with Northeastern experts to identify opportunities and ultimately land positive media coverage. The Senior Media Relations Specialist is able to write well‑researched, factually accurate, and succinct talking points and statements/responses as needed. The position is part of Northeastern's award‑winning Communications team, which also includes enterprise social media, a daily news organization (Northeastern Global News), digital strategy and execution, photography, and video. The Senior Media Relations Specialist should be familiar with using AI tools for to enhance all media relations efforts including media monitoring, idea generation, trend analysis, content development, and media outreach-while applying strong editorial judgment and ethical oversight. The position is based on the Boston campus and is fully on site, five days a week. The news industry runs 24/7. Crisis and opportunity often present themselves outside of normal business hours. The Senior Media Relations Specialist is expected to be responsive and reliable when action needs to be taken. As is the case for every member of the Communications team, after-hours work, including weekends and holidays, is routinely required.