The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), a progressive and award-winning public pension fund, is offering a great opportunity for the right person. IMRF is seeking a Media Relations Specialist to support numerous external outreach activities. The successful candidate will support IMRF’s media relations program, social media efforts, and numerous other external communications activities involving IMRF stakeholders.
Our communications activities support IMRF’s vision of providing the highest quality retirement services to our members, their beneficiaries and employers. The successful candidate must have exceptional writing/editing skills; possess the professionalism to positively represent the organization before the media, IMRF stakeholders, and the general public; and be deadline driven with the ability to work under pressure.
The successful Media Relations Specialist will:
- Assist Communications Manager with the development of the Media Relations Plan, including management of consultant relationship, outreach activities targeting both the mainstream and investments trade media.
- Write and review press releases, op-ed’s, and letters to the editor; respond to media inquiries; prep senior leaders for interviews; facilitate media attendance at IMRF Board meetings; serve as an IMRF spokesperson; and track media inquiries and coverage. The position also prepares and reviews various communications collateral for use during media interviews and speaking engagements.
- Assist Communications Manager in the development and execution of IMRF’s ongoing Social Media Plan, including the use of analytics to measure impact of strategies, identify gaps, and implement improvements.
- .Manage IMRF’s annual series of workshops for retirees and the general public. Responsibilities include attending more than a dozen workshops spread across the state; developing communications collateral for dissemination; providing an update on IMRF activities for the year; and fielding questions.
- Coordinate media outreach activities during series of annual meetings and webinars with IMRF employers. Responsibilities include attending close to a dozen meetings spread across the state; coordinating meetings held via webinar; developing communications collateral for dissemination at meetings; and facilitating onsite media interviews with IMRF senior leaders, and serving as a spokesperson as required.
- Plan and execute educational videos for external stakeholders.
Desired Skills and Experience
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
- Bachelor’s Degree (BA or BS). A degree in communications, journalism or a related field is preferred.
- 5 years experience in a similar position with responsibilities for media relations.
- Prior experience measuring and articulating the impact of communications strategies and implementing improvements.
- Prior experience building and maintaining effective working relationships with members of the media.
- AP Style.
- Adobe Creative Cloud applications experience
- Valid driver’s license.
- Willing to work a flexible schedule that includes non-traditional hours. The position may require overtime and will require overnight travel throughout Illinois.
- Excellent public-speaking skills.
EXPERIENCE PREFERRED:
- Social media plan development and execution.
- Constant Contact or similar email marketing tools.
- Federal Plain Language Principles.
- Crisis communications strategies.
Sorry, no relocation assistance available. Visit our website at www.imrf.org for more information about IMRF and to apply online.