Media Relations Officer

Food & Water Watch is seeking a Media Relations Officer to join our Media and Public Relations team to help implement creative, ambitious media relations plans that support our policy, research, legal and organizing initiatives to protect our food, water and climate.

This position is based in New York City.

Food & Water Watch is working to create a healthy future for all people and generations to come—a world where everyone has food they can trust, clean drinking water and a livable climate. Making this happen requires involving people in the pressing issues of our time at the local, state, and federal level, building on one win after another, as we develop a larger movement that has the political power to make our democratic process work.

This position works closely with legal, policy, political, organizing and research staff to strategize, plan and implement communications tactics that forward priority organizational policies and campaigns, and elevate the identity and reputation of the organization – all relating our work to rapidly transition the country off fossil fuels and onto a truly clean, renewable energy future, and ensure safe and affordable food and water for all.

This position serves as the day-to-day media relations lead for a specific set of regional/state-based organizing campaigns and/or national policy programs and initiatives. This position is a union position covered under a contract between Food & Water Watch and the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU).

This position will be the day-to-day media relations lead for our grassroots organizing work in New York State, New Jersey and other states as necessary. This position will also support our policy, research, legal and organizing work on national climate, energy, food and/or water issues.

New York City

• Write, edit, and/or support the development of media relations plans and tactics related to signature campaigns, aligned issues, and other organizational priorities (including, but not limited to, communications plans, media statements, press releases, research reports, speeches, talking points, opinion pieces, staff briefings, policy memos, web content, video/audio scripts, social media content, etc.).
• In collaboration with FWW staff, proactively plan and implement national and regional media relations campaigns and tactics to support organizational initiatives and bolster FWW’s reputation, (including legal work, organizing campaigns, policy initiatives, research products, etc.).
• Build and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, producers and other media professionals, and place news, opinion and advertising in desired media targets, including print/radio/TV/web interviews for staff.
• In collaboration with FWW staff, proactively plan and implement national, regional, state-based and/or local media relations campaigns and tactics to support organizational initiatives and bolster FWW’s reputation (including legal work, organizing campaigns, policy initiatives, research products, etc.).
• Help develop and implement communications trainings for FWW staff.
• Track and catalogue media hits for FWW.
• Carry out other projects, as assigned.

To perform this job successfully, the incumbent must have proven previous experience with media, public relations, journalism, or a related field. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

B.A. degree in Communication, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism or a related field; 3-5 years of communications or journalism experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

The incumbent must work in a computerized environment and have adequate knowledge of word processing, email, internet and spreadsheet software; in particular have coursework or certification in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and proficiency with all other Microsoft Office products.

• Commitment to Food & Water Watch’s core values of justice, human dignity, fair treatment, and equity.
• Ability to work effectively with people of…