Position Title: Communications Assistant, Strategic Communications

Organization overview

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research in the areas of U.S. politics and policy views; media and journalism; internet and technology; science and society; religion and public life; race and ethnicity; global attitudes and U.S. social and demographic trends. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Center’s work is carried out by a staff of more than 160 people.

Position Summary

The communications assistant provides essential support to the Strategic Communications team in promoting the Center’s work to the news media, influential voices in new media spaces, key stakeholders and the engaged public. This entry-level role focuses on foundational tasks that strengthen the team’s ability to execute its mission and maintain the Center’s “gold-standard” brand reputation.

The assistant plays a key role in maintaining and improving the Center’s outreach database, managing incoming inquiries from the media, stakeholders and the public, and supporting day-to-day communications operations. They will occasionally also assist with media tracking, list-building, and logistics for outreach activities. This position offers exposure to the Center’s research operations, global media landscapes and opportunities to learn about strategic communications in a dynamic environment.

The ideal candidate is meticulous, diligent, and curious about a career in communications. They derive satisfaction from accuracy and logical structure, enjoy creating order and efficiencies, and are interested in global media landscapes. The assistant is a member of the 16-person Strategic Communications team, working closely with communications associates, managers, and other colleagues across the Center. The assistant reports to the Associate Director of Strategic Communications.

This is a term-limited, grant-funded position expected to extend three years.

Primary Responsibilities

The communications assistant:

• Maintains and updates the Center’s outreach database, including systematic review of media contacts to ensure relevant outreach.
• Conducts recurring updates to inactive media contacts and adds new contacts as priority audiences evolve.
• Works closely with communications managers and associates to ensure the database serve the Center’s overall priorities.
• Ensures media contacts who engage with the Center (via info@ or direct outreach) are entered into the database.
• Manages incoming media, stakeholder and public inquiries and provides timely, accurate responses.
• Assists and supports communications managers and associates during research release activities (e.g., list-building, coverage tracking).
• Provides logistical support for presentations, briefings, and other outreach events.
• Serves as backup for the Enterprise team’s assistant when needed, including assisting with daily media clips tracking.
• Participates in special projects and new initiatives in support of the Center’s mission.
• Upholds the Center’s core values of independence, objectivity, accuracy, rigor, humility, transparency and innovation.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including written communication, with a customer service mindset.
• Strong ability to adopt and improve efficient, logic-based workflows.
• Demonstrated strength in process-oriented problem solving.
• Strong contact research skills.
• Good organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively.
• Good judgment, accountability, and willingness to learn.
• Familiarity with Microsoft productivity tools (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with databases or CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and collaborative platforms (e.g., Asana, Trello) is a plus.
• Interest in current events, global media landscapes and evolving news consumption trends a plus.

Education/Training/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; fields emphasizing systems thinking, data management, or process optimization preferred (e.g., information science, business administration, data analytics, mathematics, or related disciplines).
• 0-2 years of relevant experience; internships or entry-level roles in data management, operations, information systems, project coordination, or other process-oriented fields welcome.

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

The typical starting salary for the position is $57,000 annually.