Global Media Relations & External Communications Lead

McDermott Will & Schulte; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 138,000 - 194,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott Will & Schulte is seeking an External Communications Manager to drive the firm’s PR strategy, identify opportunities, pitch stories, and place coverage aligned with firm priorities within a global marketing team.

You will draft press materials, coordinate media interviews, monitor industry trends, and track KPIs to inform plans. The ideal candidate has five+ years in public relations, strong written and verbal skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; minimum five years in PR or communications.
• Ability to build strong media relationships in key sectors.
• Experience with news distribution, media monitoring and tracking software.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain relationships with priority media outlets.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to implement strategic communication programs.
• Identify media opportunities and lead topic generation.
• Pitch and place profile-raising coverage.
• Draft press releases and client communications.
• Coordinate media requests and interview prep.
• Track KPIs and report media metrics.

Skills

Media relations

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Deadline management

Confidentiality

Independent work

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Salesforce

News distribution software

Media monitoring software

Job description

McDermott Will & Schulte is seeking an External Communications Manager to drive the firm’s PR strategy, identify opportunities, pitch stories, and place coverage aligned with firm priorities within a global marketing team.

You will draft press materials, coordinate media interviews, monitor industry trends, and track KPIs to inform plans. The ideal candidate has five+ years in public relations, strong written and verbal skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.