[Remote] Media Relations Associate

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. GiveDirectly is a leading organization that has delivered over $1B in cash transfers to people living in poverty. The Media Relations Associate role is crucial for increasing awareness of cash transfers as an effective aid intervention by engaging with media and thought leaders to promote GiveDirectly's mission and programs.

Responsibilities

• Pitch Across All Contexts: Support media pitching and surrogate engagement across GiveDirectly's core work — rapid-response emergency cash moments, new research, and innovative programs. This includes traditional and non-traditional outlets (newsletters, podcasts, YouTubers, public intellectuals) whose audiences overlap with our donor targets
• Build and Manage Relationships: Develop ongoing relationships with journalists, editors, producers, and thought leaders — including coordinating media visits with in-country teams
• Track from Pitch to Placement: Work with the wider Marketing team to package GiveDirectly's work into angles that break through editorially. Keep stakeholders informed at every stage; update status and flag risks early
• Reporter Research and Prospecting: Research the background of traditional and new media reporters and surrogates — especially in the prospecting phase — to ensure pitches break through and match up with their personal stakes and editorial interests
• Donor Media Research: Conduct ongoing research on media outlets consumed by GiveDirectly’s donors and targets— gaining a deeper knowledge of each outlet’s editorial voice, content patterns, and how GD’s story best fits
• Media Monitoring: Read key newsletters, verticals, and media sources regularly; share roundups and flag opportunities with the broader communications team; build AI tools that make this scalable and fast
• AI and Automation: Provide deep support to the team’s AI and automation toolkit — identify ways to streamline repetitive work, stay current on emerging tools, and be able to pilot new workflows with manager guidance that make the communications team faster and smarter (Note: GiveDirectly works on Claude)
• Coverage Tracking: Log, monitor, and analyze coverage in Airtable; ensure the system is a reliable, up-to-date source of truth for media activity so senior leadership know the status of GiveDirectly's pipeline and can easily find relevant materials
• Pipeline Management: Keep the media and outreach pipeline clean in Salesforce — making sure outlets, reporters, and prospects are in the system correctly, that leads don’t get lost or stale, and that statuses are current

Skills

• 2-4 years of experience in communications, media, content marketing, journalism, market research, or related fields
• Compelling experience at desk research — able to make sense of opportunities and leads within an opaque industry
• Strong familiarity with traditional and non-traditional media and content creators in the United States
• Experience with AI tools for research, writing, and workflow automation
• Exceptional project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously
• Excellent verbal and written skills, with a focus on concise and intentional communication
• Ability to “think” like a journalist — telling a compelling story and communicating why it matters without setting off their PR alarm
• Comfort with systems and tools — Airtable and other CRMs — and a disposition toward building better workflows, not just following existing ones
• Alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity
• Familiarity with the Substack, podcast, and YouTube — especially voices in EA, tech, and finance
• Experience in influencer campaigns and partnerships
• Familiarity with traditional and new media in European and Middle Eastern markets
• Based in a major journalist & thought leader hub for in person meetings, e.g. NYC, SF, London, Nairobi, DC, LA, Chicago, Boston, Austin, Amsterdam, etc

Benefits

• Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~$7,490 with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be $8,763)
• Annual Benefits Stipend: $21,393
• Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~£4,780 with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be £5,593)
• Annual Benefits Stipend: £2,760
• Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~$4,200, with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization's current performance multiplier, this amount would be $4,914 in 2025)
• Flexible paid time off that staff is encouraged to take
• Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development
• A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)
• A supportive team that works hard and cares hard

Company Overview