Media Associate

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving – and millions of lives – by providing cash grants directly to the world’s poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid – as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry – and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty.

GD has raised over $1B since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 1.5 million people in 15 different countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

Our culture is candid, analytical, agile, and non-hierarchical. Our global team of ~150, and country operations teams of ~650, together come from 21 different countries speaking 69 different languages. Team members bring experiences from the private sector, NGOs and government. From software engineers to seasoned humanitarian workers, former management consultants to public servants, researchers to field operations -- it’s an incredible group of people.

Our values are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision making, and strive to build an ambitious, fast moving and high performing environment. We strongly encourage you to read through our values carefully, if they reflect how you like to work and energize you, this could be a great fit.

We work hard to create an environment in which all our team members can thrive, succeed and grow.  We support flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.

Location: this role is fully remote but must overlap with NYC work hours (8a-5p ET) for 4+ hours per day

Role Overview

This position will take responsibility for pitching GiveDirectly programs and research to media and thought leaders, reporting directly to the SM of Press and Strategic Communications. This work includes managing the pipeline process for placing stories about the impact of cash transfers in traditional and non-traditional earned media. This entitles lead generation research, writing pitches, prepping spokespeople, and tracking progress over time. This person will also maintain internal systems to ensure that GiveDirectly staff can maximize the potential of all media hits to move resources to people living in extreme poverty, including social media management. 

The Media Associate should spike on:

• Execution: Have high accountability to both outcomes (quantitative and qualitative) and processes
• Speed: Balance attention to detail with short timelines that successful media work often requires
• Details: Deliver high quality communications products and media analysis to both internal and external stakeholders
• Strategy: Suggest new strategies big and small to improve understanding of direct cash aid through earned media
• Appeal: Hold a high-bar for what’s interesting to journalists + public audiences, avoiding “PR”

What you'll do:

The following are the starting elements of this role, but we expect them to shift overtime as the new hire helps tests, learns, and ultimately shapes this role to have the highest impact:

Media Pitching

• Pitching Stories: Run outbound pitching to print, TV, and podcast journalists along with non-traditional thought leaders and content creators
• Packaging GiveDirectly: Work with the Senior Manager of Press and Strategic Communications to identify unique elements of GiveDirectly’s work, translate and package it to make it hooky
• Build Relationships: Develop and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and producers
• Coordinate Visits: Work with in-country teams on press visits to see in-country programs.
• Track Progress: Track stories from pitch to placement, ensuring all stakeholders are aware of key developments, and mitigating potential risks

Media Research and Analysis

• Research the background of individual reporters, podcasts, thought leaders, YouTubers, etc to ensure that the pitch breaks through the matches up with their personal stakes
• Compile accurate, up to date lists of journalists that would be interested in specific GD programs or research
• Monitor and analyze press coverage, providing regular reports to senior leadership on the effectiveness of press efforts

Internal Systems Support

• Make sure the right stakeholders have media content at their fingertips by creating and maintaining a system so that no one has to go looking for the best, most recent media hit that would be relevant to their audience.
• Strategically push out media onto public channels (website + social media), packaging media hits to be strong channel fits

What you'll bring:

• 1-3 years of experience in communications, media, journalism, market research, or related fields.
• Compelling experience at desk research, able to make sense of opportunities/leads within an opaque industry 
• Strong familiarity with traditional and non traditional media and content creators in United States
• Exceptional project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple workflows
• 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
• Style, approach, and smarts that make journalists and producers feels at ease, not setting off their PR-alarm 

Nice to haves

• Bilingual with other major media languages: French, German, Spanish, Mandarin
• Experience in social media management or post creation
• Strong familiarities with traditional and non traditional media and content creators in German, U.K., France, and other European countries
• Experience with any of these: Adobe Premiere, Canva, Flourish

Compensation

At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to ensure that staff’s total compensation package (base compensation + bonus)  falls within the 75th percentile of similar roles, at similar organizations. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. 

• The United States base salary for this role is $74,900.
• The Kenya base salary for this role is $42,000.

This role is fully remote, so if you are not based in the US or Kenya, we will share an estimated salary benchmark for the country you are based in during the hiring process.

 #LI-REMOTE

Working at GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

US applicants only:  We invite you to "Know Your Rights" as an applicant.

Commitment to Safeguarding

As a global organization serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.

GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.

These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we serve, and prevent harm to our recipients.

Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!