Responsibilities

• Lead NORC’s external affairs work as the primary media contact by developing and executing an ongoing media strategy; triaging and coordinating responses to inbound media inquiries; and supporting staff who will be speaking to media.
• Provide crisis communications and reputation/risk support to help protect NORC’s brand as an objective, nonpartisan research organization.
• Draft, edit, and distribute press releases and other external-facing media materials, applying strong editorial judgment to ensure accuracy, plain language, and alignment with NORC’s brand voice and editorial standards before release.
• Maintain External Affairs systems and infrastructure by managing NORC’s PR firm; monitoring the media landscape and identifying opportunities; building media relationships; developing and refining media lists; supporting thought leadership efforts; and producing monthly media reports and timely media alerts for senior leadership and key stakeholders.
• Project manage select external-facing corporate initiatives and client-funded projects (particularly those with a media component) by supporting intake and requirements gathering, contributing to dissemination planning, coordinating resources, and using project management tools to track timelines, owners, progress, and communications from kickoff through completion.
• Use AI tools thoughtfully and strategically to enhance media backgrounders, writing and planning, and press list generation, while maintaining human quality control and accountability.