Media Relations Coordinator

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The Media Relations Coordinator is here to keep our media operations ticking over. Day-to-day, you'll be building and updating crucial media lists, tracking what journalists are saying about us, and generally making sure the team has the support it needs to get our stories out there. You'll sit squarely within the Public Relations & Communications team, working closely with the Media Relations Officers and Senior Officers. You're the engine room, providing the essential groundwork that lets the rest of the team focus on bigger pitches and strategy. When you do this job well, our team runs smoothly, our media lists are spot-on, and we never miss an important piece of coverage. Get it wrong, and we might miss a critical news mention or pitch the wrong journalist, which can be pretty embarrassing. The tricky part is keeping up with a constantly changing media landscape and sometimes dealing with repetitive tasks. The reward, though? You'll learn the ins and outs of media relations from the ground up, see your work contribute to real media hits, and build a fantastic foundation for your career in comms.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Media Relations Officer or Senior Media Relations Officer
• Direct reports:
• Matrix relationships: PR Assistant, Junior Press Officer, Communications Assistant,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Immediate Media Relations team (Officers and Senior Officers)
• Internal Communications team (for awareness of external news)
• Marketing team (to share coverage and insights)

External:

• Journalists (for basic inquiries and list building)
• Media monitoring service providers (e.g., Cision, Muck Rack)

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role provides the essential administrative and research backbone for the entire media relations function. Your accurate lists and timely coverage reports directly enable the team to pitch effectively and respond quickly to news. Without this support, the whole operation would slow down, and we'd risk missing opportunities or mismanaging our public perception.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Media List Accuracy
2. Desc: How up-to-date and correct your journalist contact details and beat information are.
3. Target: 98% accuracy on contact details; 95% accuracy on beat relevance
4. Freq: Monthly spot checks by your manager
5. Example: You build a list of 50 tech journalists; only one email bounces, and all 50 genuinely cover enterprise software. That's a win.
6. Metric: Coverage Report Timeliness
7. Desc: Getting the daily media clips report out to the team on time.
8. Target: Daily report delivered by 9:30 AM, 5 days a week
9. Freq: Daily, checked by the team
10. Example: The team relies on your morning email to know what's happening. If it's consistently late, they're behind the curve.
11. Metric: Media Database Utilisation
12. Desc: How effectively you use our media monitoring and database tools.
13. Target: Consistent use of Cision/Muck Rack for all list building and tracking tasks; 100% of relevant coverage logged
14. Freq: Weekly review of database activity and completeness
15. Example: You've not just pulled a list, but you've added notes on journalist preferences and updated their publication changes, making it more useful for everyone.
16. Metric: Inbound Inquiry Response Time
17. Desc: How quickly you flag or respond to basic media inquiries that come into the general comms inbox.
18. Target: Acknowledge or escalate within 60 minutes during working hours
19. Freq: Monitored via shared inbox logs
20. Example: A journalist emails the general address asking for a spokesperson. You see it, log it, and flag it to your manager within the hour. That's crucial.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Proactive Support & Learning
2. Desc: How much initiative you show in learning the ropes and offering help without being asked.
3. Evidence: You're asking 'how can I help?' rather than waiting for tasks. You've taught yourself a new feature in Cision. You're taking notes in meetings and following up on action points. You're reading the news outlets we care about to understand the landscape.
4. Metric: Adherence to Process
5. Desc: Following our established ways of working for media monitoring, database updates, and reporting.
6. Evidence: Your media lists consistently follow our formatting guidelines. You're using the correct templates for press releases. You're logging all media interactions as required. Your work is easily picked up by someone else because it's organised and consistent.
7. Metric: Team Collaboration & Communication
8. Desc: How well you work with the rest of the PR team and communicate your progress or any issues.
9. Evidence: You're giving clear, concise updates on your tasks. You're flagging potential issues early. You're a helpful and positive presence in team discussions. People feel comfortable asking you for help with database tasks.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Hyper-Detail-Oriented
• Manifestation: You're the person who spots the typo in the press release headline before it goes out on the wire. You'll catch that a journalist's email address has changed, or that their beat has shifted from fintech to general business. You double-check your own work, because you know a small mistake can have a big impact.
• Benefit: In media relations, accuracy is everything. One wrong number in a press release or a misspelled name can damage our credibility. Sending a pitch to the wrong journalist is a waste of time and can annoy them. We need someone who genuinely cares about getting the small things right, every single time.
• Trait: Resilient
• Manifestation: You can handle hearing 'no' from a journalist, or even being ignored, and just move on to the next one. A negative news story won't send you into a spiral; you'll see it as something to learn from and manage. You don't take things too personally, understanding that it's just part of the job.
• Benefit: Honestly, media relations can be tough. Journalists are busy, and you'll face a lot of rejection or radio silence. If you get easily discouraged, you won't last. We need someone who can bounce back, stay positive, and keep pushing forward, even when things don't go our way. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
• Trait: Intellectually Curious
• Manifestation: You genuinely read the publications we pitch to, not just scanning for our name. You're interested in why certain stories get picked up and others don't. You're always trying to understand the 'why' behind our strategy and how the media landscape actually works, rather than just doing tasks by rote.
• Benefit: To be good at media relations, you need to understand the world journalists live in. If you're not curious about current affairs, industry trends, and what makes a story newsworthy, you'll struggle to build effective media lists or understand why a pitch might land (or not). This curiosity is how you'll learn and grow in the role.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Organised
• Desc: You can juggle multiple tasks, keep your files tidy, and manage your time effectively, especially when deadlines are looming.
• Trait: Eager to Learn
• Desc: You're keen to soak up new information, ask questions, and take on new challenges. You're not afraid to admit what you don't know and want to improve.
• Trait: Proactive
• Desc: You're always looking for ways to help the team, spotting opportunities to improve processes or offer support before being asked.
• Trait: Calm Under Pressure
• Desc: When an urgent request comes in, or things get a bit chaotic, you can stay cool, focused, and get the job done without getting flustered.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Learning & Development
2. Daily: You'll be asking 'how does this work?' or 'why did we do that?' You'll be keen to get feedback and apply it. You'll see every task as a chance to understand the bigger picture.
3. Motivator: Contributing to Team Success
4. Daily: You'll feel a real sense of satisfaction when your accurate media list helps land a story, or when your timely report prevents a missed opportunity. You enjoy being a reliable and helpful member of the team.
5. Motivator: Exposure to the Media Landscape
6. Daily: You'll enjoy reading the news, following journalists on social media, and understanding how stories develop. This role gives you a front-row seat to how the media works.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this job has its fair share of repetitive tasks. You'll spend hours updating spreadsheets, searching databases, and sifting through news articles. Not every piece of work you do will lead to a glamorous media hit; a lot of it is grunt work that enables others. You might also feel a bit out of the loop on bigger strategic decisions sometimes, especially early on. If you need constant excitement and immediate recognition for every single task, you might find parts of this role a bit frustrating.

Common Frustrations

1. Spending ages building a media list, only for the journalist to leave their publication a week later.
2. The sheer volume of news to sift through every day; it can feel like drinking from a firehose.
3. Getting ghosted by journalists when you send a polite, simple inquiry.
4. The occasional urgent request that means dropping everything else, even if it's just for a quick piece of research.
5. Explaining to internal teams why their niche update isn't a 'Tier 1' story.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. Full autonomy on strategic decisions (not yet, you're learning!)
2. Direct ownership of major media campaigns from start to finish.
3. A quiet, predictable routine with no sudden changes.
4. The chance to regularly be the primary spokesperson for the company.

ADHD Positives

1. The varied nature of daily tasks (research, monitoring, admin) can help keep things interesting, rather than one long, monotonous task.
2. The need for quick responses to urgent media inquiries can tap into hyperfocus and provide a clear, immediate goal.
3. The role involves a lot of information gathering, which can be engaging for a curious mind.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. Managing multiple streams of information (emails, news feeds, team chats) can be overwhelming; we can help set up structured notification systems and prioritise tasks.
2. Repetitive tasks like updating databases might be challenging; we can explore using AI tools to automate parts of this or break tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.
3. Staying organised with media lists and reports is key; we can provide templates and checklists to help maintain structure.

Dyslexia Positives

1. The role requires strong conceptual understanding of media trends and narratives, which can be a strength.
2. Visual tools for media monitoring and reporting can be very helpful for processing information.
3. The ability to think creatively about story angles, even if not writing the final pitch, is valued.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Proofreading press releases and media lists for accuracy is critical; we'll use robust spell-checkers, grammar tools, and have multiple eyes on important documents.
2. Writing clear, concise internal communications is important; we can provide templates and encourage the use of dictation software or AI drafting tools for initial thoughts.
3. Note-taking in meetings might be tricky; we can offer digital note-taking tools, allow recordings, or assign a note-taker for key sessions.

Autism Positives

1. The focus on data accuracy in media lists and reports can be a good fit for those who thrive on precision.
2. Clear, structured processes for media monitoring and database management can provide a sense of predictability.
3. The ability to deep-dive into research and analyse media trends can be a strong asset.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating unspoken social cues in team collaboration or with external journalists can be tricky; we'll encourage direct, clear communication and provide guidance on professional interactions.
2. Unexpected 'urgent' requests can disrupt routine; we'll try to give as much notice as possible and help manage expectations around task switching.
3. Sensory overload from constant news feeds or busy office environments; we can offer noise-cancelling headphones, a quieter workspace option, and flexible working arrangements where possible.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Entry Level (Media Relations Coordinator)
2. Responsibilities: Build and update comprehensive media lists for specific campaigns or announcements, making sure contact details and beats are spot-on. (Get this wrong and we're pitching the wrong person, which is a waste of everyone's time.)
3. Monitor daily news and social media for mentions of our brand, competitors, and relevant industry trends, flagging anything important to the wider team straight away.
4. Prepare daily media coverage reports ('clips') for internal distribution, summarising key articles and sentiment. (This is how the exec team stays informed, so accuracy and timeliness are crucial.)
5. Assist with formatting and uploading press releases to our distribution services, making sure they follow our templates and guidelines. (Yes, it's a bit fiddly, but essential for getting our news out.)
6. Manage and maintain our media database (Cision/Muck Rack), ensuring all journalist interactions and notes are logged correctly. (Future-you, and the rest of the team, will thank you for this.)
7. Conduct basic research on journalists, publications, and industry topics to support pitch development. (Think of it as detective work, finding the right angle for a story.)
8. Help coordinate logistics for media events or interviews, like booking rooms or setting up virtual calls. (Not glamorous, but someone's got to do it!)
9. Handle general administrative tasks for the PR team, like managing subscriptions or ordering supplies. (The less senior people have to do this, the more time they have for media engagement.)
10. Supervision: You'll be working under close guidance, typically with daily check-ins from your manager or a Senior Media Relations Officer. All significant outputs, like media lists for a major announcement or draft reports, will be reviewed before they go out. Think of it as a learning apprenticeship.
11. Decision: Honestly, you won't be making independent decisions here, and that's perfectly fine. Your job is to execute tasks accurately and flag anything you're unsure about. If a journalist calls with a tricky question, you'll pass it straight to your manager. Any decisions about what to include in a press release or who to pitch will come from above.
12. Success: You're successful when your work is consistently accurate, delivered on time, and you're actively learning the nuances of media relations. Your manager should feel confident that you're a reliable pair of hands for all foundational tasks, and you're showing initiative to take on more.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Media List Creation
• Entry: Creates lists based on specific criteria provided by manager; all lists reviewed before use.
• Mid: Independently builds targeted media lists for routine campaigns; seeks manager review for high-priority lists.
• Senior: Defines criteria for media lists; reviews and approves lists created by junior staff; identifies strategic media targets.
• Type: Media Inquiry Response
• Entry: Immediately flags all inbound media inquiries to manager; does not respond independently.
• Mid: Responds to routine, factual inquiries with pre-approved statements; escalates anything complex or sensitive.
• Senior: Handles complex media inquiries; acts as primary contact for Tier 1 journalists; advises on response strategy.
• Type: Press Release Content
• Entry: Formats and uploads final, approved press releases; does not contribute to drafting content.
• Mid: Drafts sections of press releases based on input; seeks approval for all content.
• Senior: Leads drafting and approval process for press releases; ensures message pull-through; advises on strategic messaging.
• Type: Crisis Communications
• Entry: Monitors news for crisis signals and flags immediately; does not participate in response planning beyond monitoring.
• Mid: Assists with drafting holding statements and Q&As during a crisis; monitors media sentiment and competitor response.
• Senior: Plays a key role in crisis response team; drafts and secures approval for crisis communications; manages media inquiries during a crisis.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

These are the bedrock skills you'll need, regardless of your specific role. They're about how you communicate, solve problems, and generally operate in a professional environment. We're looking for a solid foundation that we can build upon.

• Category: Communication
• Skills: Active Listening: Genuinely hearing and understanding instructions, feedback, and what journalists are actually writing about.
• Clear Written Communication: Writing concise, grammatically correct emails, internal notes, and reports. No jargon, just plain English.
• Verbal Clarity: Speaking clearly and confidently when asking questions or providing updates to the team.
• Category: Problem-Solving
• Skills: Following Instructions: Accurately executing tasks based on clear guidance, even if it's a multi-step process.
• Identifying Issues: Spotting when something isn't quite right (e.g., a broken link, an outdated contact) and knowing when to flag it.
• Basic Research: Knowing how to find information efficiently, whether it's a journalist's contact details or a company's latest announcement.
• Category: Adaptability & Learning
• Skills: Openness to Feedback: Taking constructive criticism on board and using it to improve your work.
• Learning Agility: Quickly picking up new software, processes, and understanding the nuances of the media landscape.
• Managing Priorities: Juggling a few different tasks and understanding what needs to be done first, especially when an 'urgent' request comes in.
• Category: Organisation
• Skills: Time Management: Getting your daily tasks done efficiently and meeting deadlines for reports or list updates.
• Attention to Detail: Catching errors in data, spelling, and grammar before they become bigger problems.
• Record Keeping: Keeping media lists, contact notes, and project files tidy and accessible for the whole team.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

These are the specific skills that directly relate to doing the job of a Media Relations Coordinator. You don't need to be an expert in all of them yet, but a good grasp of the basics and a willingness to learn is essential.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Media Monitoring & Analysis (Basic)
• Desc: Understanding how to track media mentions, identify key articles, and summarise their content and sentiment for internal reports.
• Level: Basic
• Skill: Media Database Management
• Desc: Knowing how to use a media database to build targeted lists, update contact information, and log interactions with journalists.
• Level: Intermediate
• Skill: Press Release Formatting & Distribution
• Desc: Understanding the standard structure of a press release and how to use distribution platforms to send it out.
• Level: Basic
• Skill: Basic Social Listening
• Desc: Monitoring social media channels for brand mentions, relevant hashtags, and identifying key conversations.
• Level: Basic

Digital Tools

• Tool: Cision / Muck Rack (or similar media database)
• Level: Intermediate
• Usage: Building targeted media lists, updating journalist contacts, logging media interactions, pulling daily coverage reports.
• Tool: PR Newswire / Business Wire (or similar distribution service)
• Level: Basic
• Usage: Formatting and uploading approved press releases for distribution, pulling basic distribution reports.
• Tool: Google Analytics
• Level: Basic
• Usage: Tracking referral traffic from media placements to our website, reporting on page views for earned media.
• Tool: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Level: Intermediate
• Usage: Drafting internal notes, managing data in spreadsheets (e.g., media lists, coverage trackers), preparing simple presentations for internal updates.
• Tool: Slack / Microsoft Teams
• Level: Intermediate
• Usage: Communicating with the team, sharing urgent news clips, participating in project channels.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Media Landscape Basics
• Desc: Understanding the difference between various types of media (print, online, broadcast), key publications, and how news cycles work. Knowing what a 'beat' is and why it matters.
• Area: News Judgement (Developing)
• Desc: Starting to recognise what makes a story newsworthy and what doesn't, even if you're not making the final call on pitches yet.
• Area: Basic Public Relations Principles
• Desc: An awareness of what PR aims to achieve, the importance of reputation, and ethical considerations in media relations.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Usage: Understanding the importance of handling personal data (like journalist contacts) responsibly and securely, particularly when building media lists.
• Reg: IPSO / Ofcom Codes (UK Media Standards)
• Usage: A basic understanding that journalists and media outlets operate under certain ethical codes and standards, which influences how we interact with them and what we can expect.

Essential Prerequisites

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• A genuine interest in current affairs, news, and the media industry.
• Basic proficiency with common office software (Word, Excel, email).
• A proactive attitude and a willingness to learn and ask questions.
• The ability to work accurately and pay close attention to detail.

Career Pathway Context

These aren't just checkboxes; these are the foundational skills that will allow you to actually learn and grow in this role. We're not expecting you to be a seasoned pro, but you do need to come in with the raw ingredients. If you've got these, we can teach you the rest.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: Prompt Engineering (Basic)
• Why: AI tools are becoming commonplace for drafting, summarising, and researching. Knowing how to 'talk' to them effectively will make you much more efficient.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Clear Instructions', 'description': 'How to write prompts that get the AI to understand exactly what you want.'}, {'concept_name': 'Context & Constraints', 'description': 'Giving the AI enough background information and telling it what to avoid.'}, {'concept_name': 'Iterative Prompting', 'description': "Refining your prompts based on the AI's output to get better results."}]
• Prepare: This week: Experiment with ChatGPT or Claude to summarise news articles you're reading.
• This month: Try using AI to draft internal email updates or simple social media posts.
• Month 2: Start thinking about how you could use AI to help you research journalist beats more effectively.
• Month 3: Share your AI 'wins' and challenges with your manager and team.
• QuickWin: Use AI to help you rephrase clunky sentences in internal emails or generate alternative headlines for your daily news summary—it's a low-risk way to get started.
• Skill: Basic Data Visualisation
• Why: We're moving beyond just lists of articles. Being able to show trends, sentiment shifts, or coverage volume visually makes reports much more impactful and easier for senior leaders to understand.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Chart Types', 'description': 'Knowing when to use a bar chart, line graph, or pie chart for different data.'}, {'concept_name': 'Clear Labelling', 'description': 'Making sure your charts are easy to read and understand at a glance.'}, {'concept_name': 'Storytelling with Data', 'description': 'Using visuals to highlight a key point or trend in our media coverage.'}]
• Prepare: This week: Pay attention to how data is visualised in news articles you read.
• This month: Try creating a simple bar chart in Excel showing daily coverage volume for a week.
• Month 2: Look for opportunities to add a simple visual to one of your regular reports.
• Month 3: Ask a more senior colleague for feedback on your visualisations.
• QuickWin: Instead of just listing coverage numbers, try putting them into a simple Excel chart for your next weekly report. It'll make it pop a bit more.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Advanced Social Listening & Trend Spotting
• Why: Social media is often where stories break and sentiment shifts first. Moving beyond basic monitoring to understanding nuanced conversations and emerging narratives is crucial for proactive PR.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Boolean Search Operators', 'description': 'Building complex search queries to find very specific conversations.'}, {'concept_name': 'Sentiment Analysis Nuances', 'description': "Understanding that AI sentiment isn't always perfect and requires human review."}, {'concept_name': 'Influencer Identification', 'description': 'Spotting key voices and opinion leaders on social media beyond just journalists.'}]
• Prepare: This week: Follow key industry hashtags on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.
• This month: Ask to sit in on a demo of our social listening tools.
• Month 2: Start experimenting with basic search queries in our social listening platform (if access allows).
• Month 3: Present a small report on an emerging social media trend relevant to our industry.
• QuickWin: Set up a Google Alert for a specific industry term or competitor. It's a simple step into more proactive monitoring.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A-Levels (or equivalent) with strong grades in English or a communications-related subject.
• Alts: We're open to candidates who have completed an apprenticeship in a related field, or who can demonstrate equivalent professional experience and a keen interest in media relations, even without formal qualifications.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, English, or a related field.
• Alts: If you've got a degree in something else but have a genuine passion for media, along with some relevant experience, we'd still love to hear from you. It's about the skills and drive, not just the piece of paper.

Experience Requirements

We're looking for someone with 0-2 years of experience. This could be through internships, a year in an administrative role where you had some exposure to communications, or even significant experience running social media for a university society or local charity. What really counts is a demonstrable interest in media relations, excellent organisational skills, and a solid grasp of written English. Any experience using media databases or monitoring tools, even in a basic capacity, would be a bonus.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: CIPR Foundation Certificate
• Prod: Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
• Usage: Shows a foundational understanding of PR principles and a commitment to professional development in the field.
• Cert: PRCA Certificate in PR
• Prod: Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)
• Usage: Demonstrates a basic grasp of PR practices and industry standards, which can give you a head start.

Recommended Activities

• Read industry news daily (e.g., PRWeek, Campaign, The Drum) to stay on top of trends.
• Follow key journalists and media outlets on social media to understand their beats.
• Attend free webinars or online courses on media relations basics or specific PR software.
• Join a professional body like the CIPR or PRCA as a student or entry-level member.
• Volunteer for a local charity's communications efforts to gain practical experience.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: University Graduate (PR/Comms Degree)
• Time: 0-1 year post-graduation
• Path: Communications/Marketing Assistant
• Time: 1-2 years in an assistant role
• Path: Apprenticeship in PR/Marketing
• Time: Post-apprenticeship (typically 1-2 years)

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: Media Relations Officer (L2)
• Time: 18-30 months in the Coordinator role

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Senior Media Relations Officer (L3)
• Time: 3-5 years from Coordinator
• Title: Lead Media Relations Strategist (L4)
• Time: 5-8 years from Coordinator
• Title: Media Relations Manager (L5)
• Time: 8-12 years from Coordinator

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.