B2C Media Relations Specialist

Ripley PR, Inc.; Maryville (TN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

14 paid holidays

Paid time off

Bonus and goal incentives

Professional growth and development

Free office snacks

Bi-monthly office massages

Early-out opportunities

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Ripley PR, an award-winning global PR agency, seeks an experienced B2C Media Relations Specialist to turn stories into earned media. You’ll identify consumer-facing trends, craft compelling pitches, and secure national and local placements for home services, franchises, consumer brands, and nonprofits.

In this role you’ll be part writer, strategist and salesperson, building journalist relationships, preparing experts for interviews and collaborating with brand teams to create stronger campaigns.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional public relations or related experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in PR, communications, marketing or related field.
• Exceptional verbal and written sales skills to persuade media.
• Confidence pitching by phone and building rapport with reporters, editors and producers.
• Proven track record of earning media coverage.
• Strong understanding of what makes a compelling consumer story.
• Excellent writing, grammar and AP Style.
• Ability to write concise, persuasive pitches that get attention quickly.
• Persistence and resilience in pursuing better angles and contacts.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop creative, timely and newsworthy story angles for B2C clients.
• Pitch reporters, editors, producers, podcast hosts and other media contacts by phone and email.
• Earn meaningful local, regional and national media coverage for clients.
• Build compelling pitches that quickly communicate why a story matters to a media outlet and its audience.
• Identify opportunities tied to consumer trends, breaking news, seasonal topics and cultural conversations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, producers and other media professionals.
• Write and pitch press releases, media pitches, contributed content and other PR materials.
• Develop media relations strategies designed to achieve specific client goals.
• Prepare client subject matter experts for interviews and help them become valuable, trusted media sources.
• Participate in client meetings and contribute media relations ideas and recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with brand managers, writers and other media relations specialists to develop stronger stories and campaigns.
• Track media relations activity, results and opportunities.
• Stay current on consumer news, media trends and the industries our clients serve.
• Manage multiple clients, deadlines and opportunities in a fast-paced agency environment.

Skills

Public relations

Media relations

Sales pitches

Writing (AP style)

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in PR/communications/marketing

Job description

Ripley PR is an award-winning global public relations agency specializing in skilled trades, franchising, and B2B technology. Founded in 2013, Ripley PR has been recognized by Forbes and Newsweek as one of America’s Best PR Agencies and was named 2025 PR Agency of the Year by the Merit Awards.

Our divisions include Orange Orchard, which represents animal welfare nonprofit organizations, and Adventure PR, which serves the adventure travel, tourism and RV industries.

Across our agencies, we represent clients throughout the U.S. and around the world, telling stories that get them noticed and deliver measurable results.

The Role

Ripley PR is looking for an experienced B2C Media Relations Specialist who knows how to turn a great story into earned media coverage. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about public relations, loves the pursuit of a great media placement and gets excited about finding the story that will make a reporter say yes.

This role works primarily with home service companies, franchises, consumer-facing brands and nonprofit organizations, identifying stories that matter to consumers and successfully pitching them to national, regional, and local media.

The right person is part writer, part strategist and part salesperson. You must be able to quickly understand what makes a client’s story interesting, package it into a compelling pitch and persuade reporters, editors and producers that our clients and their experts belong in the story.

That means being just as comfortable picking up the phone and selling an idea as writing a sharp email pitch.

What You’ll Do

• Develop creative, timely and newsworthy story angles for B2C clients.
• Pitch reporters, editors, producers, podcast hosts and other media contacts by phone and email.
• Earn meaningful local, regional and national media coverage for clients.
• Build compelling pitches that quickly communicate why a story matters to a media outlet and its audience.
• Identify opportunities tied to consumer trends, breaking news, seasonal topics and cultural conversations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, producers and other media professionals.
• Write and pitch press releases, media pitches, contributed content and other PR materials.
• Develop media relations strategies designed to achieve specific client goals.
• Prepare client subject matter experts for interviews and help them become valuable, trusted media sources.
• Participate in client meetings and contribute media relations ideas and recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with brand managers, writers and other media relations specialists to develop stronger stories and campaigns.
• Track media relations activity, results and opportunities.
• Stay current on consumer news, media trends and the industries our clients serve.
• Manage multiple clients, deadlines and opportunities in a fast-paced agency environment.

What We’re Looking For

• 2+ years of professional public relations, media relations, journalism, communications or related experience.
• A bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, marketing or a related field.
• Exceptional verbal and written sales skills, with the ability to persuade others to see the value, relevance and newsworthiness of an idea.
• Confidence pitching by phone and the ability to establish rapport quickly with reporters, editors and producers.
• A track record of successfully pitching stories and earning media coverage.
• Strong understanding of what makes a compelling consumer story.
• Excellent writing, grammar and AP Style skills.
• The ability to write concise, persuasive pitches that get attention quickly.
• Persistence and resilience. You aren’t discouraged by an unanswered email or a “no.” You look for a better angle, a better contact or a better opportunity.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Curiosity and the ability to uncover interesting stories others might overlook.
• Sound news judgment and the ability to recognize what will and will not interest the media.
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and move quickly when news opportunities arise.

Experience working with home services, franchising, consumer brands, nonprofit organizations or animal welfare organizations is preferred. Agency experience is also a plus.

How We Work

Media relations is collaborative. The best ideas often come from conversations between people who understand different clients, industries and media opportunities.

Our team works together in our Maryville, Tennessee office, where media relations specialists, strategists and writers can brainstorm angles, react quickly to breaking opportunities, share media intelligence and learn from one another in real time.

For that reason, this is a full-time, in-office position and is not remote or hybrid. Candidates must be able to work from our Maryville office. Some travel may be required.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• 14 paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Bonus and goal incentives
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Free office snacks
• Bi-monthly office massages
• Early-out opportunities
• A collaborative team environment where great ideas and great results are recognized