Position Highlights

Under direction of the Director, News and Communications, the Senior Health Writer leads the University of Arizona's efforts to identify, compose and edit engaging stories and news releases about high-level university health and research initiatives. The Senior Health Writer will effectively and accurately translate complex information into understandable and appealing news for external media and internal audiences, while also developing relationships with key stakeholders within the university and among the greater scientific, health and wellness media communities.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead efforts to identify and curate the most impactful university health projects and write stories and news releases for the university's flagship communications channels.
• Serve as a senior institutional representative with external media.
• Generate story leads and media opportunities.
• Oversee the development of narratives and framing for complex, sensitive, or high-visibility topics.
• Conduct faculty interviews and produce compelling and accurate stories about newsworthy health research from peer-reviewed journals and similar sources. Pitch those stories to local, state, national, international news media, along with health-specific news organizations.
• Identify university experts and researchers across a variety of disciplines and assist in developing key messaging for media opportunities. Establish relationships with these key research faculty and college leadership to deliver a consistent pipeline of story opportunities.
• Keep track of publication timelines, embargoes, and editorial calendars.
• Cultivate relationships with health reporters, editors and producers to anticipate coverage and place and pitch stories and university experts.
• Engage with incoming media requests from journalists seeking university experts and facilitate those requests.
• Create briefing sheets, talking points and assist with interview preparation.
• Advise senior leadership on emerging opportunities related to key health-related initiatives.
• Work with the wider University Marketing & Communications team and with campus partners to develop health stories, visual assets and cultivate expertise to generate interest in the university's research portfolio.
• Provide coaching and direction to staff on advanced media practices.
• Serve as a resource for campus partners seeking to amplify their research initiatives.
• Lead media trainings and writing workshops.
• Tailor news releases and feature stories into short-form content for the university's social media channels.