Media Relations Strategist

Location: hirify.global Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Salary: $7,158.42–$10,292.25 CAD monthly

Company

hirify.global is a university supporting research, innovation, learning, and public engagement through its Okanagan campus.

What you will do

• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, producers, independent media, newsletter writers, podcast hosts, digital publishers, and creators.
• Proactively identify, develop, pitch, and place stories about hirify.global Okanagan research, people, facilities, services, and events.
• Respond to media inquiries, coordinate experts and background information, and organize news conferences, media availabilities, campus visits, and related events.
• Develop media releases, pitches, backgrounders, key messages, and channel-specific written, audio, video, and photographic materials.
• Build relationships across faculties, research units, student groups, and campus communications teams to identify public-interest stories.
• Monitor coverage and emerging media trends, report on results, and coordinate with Media Relations colleagues at the Vancouver campus.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least five years of related experience in journalism, media relations, public relations, or a comparable field.
• Experience pitching and placing stories, building professional relationships, interviewing, writing accurately, and preparing presentations.
• Understanding of media relations, communications, new media, public engagement, stakeholder relations, and digital and social media content strategies.
• Ability to work independently under broad guidelines, exercise sound judgment and discretion, manage sensitive information, and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Commitment to respecting diverse perspectives and developing knowledge and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nice to have

• Relevant graduate-level education.
• Experience in a post-secondary institution or large, multifaceted organization.
• Experience with digital, independent, creator-led, podcast, newsletter, or digital-first media.
• Visual storytelling experience involving video, photography, or short-form vertical content.

Culture & Benefits

• Staff position with ongoing employment.
• Non-union employment classification.
• Work closely with faculty, researchers, staff, students, senior administrators, and communications colleagues across both hirify.global campuses.
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy under broad guidelines and minimal technical supervision.
• May provide direction to work-study or co-op students assigned to specific projects.