Chief PR & Media Strategy Lead

Public Value; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Level is seeking a seasoned Communications leader to own press strategy and day-to-day operations for a major education technology initiative. In this role you will guide senior/national media placements, manage inquiries, draft responses, and coordinate spokespeople across product, research, and marketing teams.

You will drive the transition of PR from agency partners to an in-house function, build direct relationships with reporters in education and policy, and steward Level's confidential

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive PR or communications with ownership of earned media strategy.
• Track record securing senior and national media placements independently.
• Experience transitioning PR from agency to in-house or building in-house PR from ground up.
• Experience in education space with direct relationships to education reporters, editors and producers.
• Strong writing across formats: press releases, pitches, briefs, FAQs, talking points.
• Calm, organized under press pressure; able to brief spokespeople and manage queries under deadlines.
• Hands-on with media-monitoring/outreach tools and translating insights into actions.
• High judgment and discretion; manage embargoes and sensitive pre-launch information.

Responsibilities

• Execute Level’s press strategy and drive senior/national media placements.
• Oversee transition of PR ownership to in-house model and absorb agency relationships.
• Run day-to-day press operations: inbound inquiries, responses, interviews, briefs, and spokespeople.
• Maintain Level’s press toolkit: bios, boilerplate, FAQs, fact sheets, and media assets.
• Build direct relationships with reporters across education space and policy outlets.
• Embed with product, research, partnerships, and marketing to surface story-worthy moments.
• Own editorial calendar and weekly comms cadence with stakeholders.
• Prepare and brief Level spokespeople (excluding CEO/president) for interviews and panels.
• Own media monitoring, social listening, and competitive intelligence; turn insights into recommendations.
• Guard confidentiality and manage embargoes, escalating sensitive calls to leadership.

Skills

Public relations

Media placements

Strategic planning

Story development

Writing skills

Press training

Crisis management

Stakeholder management

Confidentiality

Analytical thinking

Tools

Media monitoring tools

Outreach tools

Job description

Level is seeking a seasoned Communications leader to own press strategy and day-to-day operations for a major education technology initiative. In this role you will guide senior/national media placements, manage inquiries, draft responses, and coordinate spokespeople across product, research, and marketing teams.

You will drive the transition of PR from agency partners to an in-house function, build direct relationships with reporters in education and policy, and steward Level's confidential