Media Relations & Communications Lead

Content Creators; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group medical insurance

Disability insurance

Retirement benefits

Health-reimbursement accounts

Paid family leave

Job summary

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is seeking a Media and Public Relations Manager to shape and execute strategies that promote the organization in media and among journalists. You will work at the intersection of media law and journalism, guiding reactive and proactive outreach with leadership alignment.

The role requires securing top-tier coverage, managing relationships with reporters, and coordinating with Legal and Policy teams to advance the organization’s mission and visibility.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of communications/media relations experience.
• Proven success securing coverage and managing relationships with top-tier, trade, and local media.
• Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with rigorous attention to accuracy.
• Ability to engage and influence senior leadership, with strong presentation skills.
• Familiarity with media research databases (e.g., MuckRack, Cision).
• Comfort working with executive leaders and legal experts, including preparing spokespeople for public appearances.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute media strategy to maximize visibility among core audiences.
• Manage incoming media requests and coordinate with internal staff.
• Proactively pitch newsworthy content to secure coverage for the organization.
• Monitor media environment and respond rapidly to breaking news with leadership coordination.
• Draft and distribute press releases and statements; prepare spokespeople for interviews.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists across beats.
• Collaborate with legal and program teams on summaries, briefs, and visuals.
• Plan communications for major initiatives, events, and research reports.

Skills

Press freedom advocacy

Media relations

News judgment

Project management

Writing & editing

Executive communications

Stakeholder collaboration

Crisis communications

Media research databases

Influencing leadership

Job description

Company Description

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Reporters Committee) provides pro bono legal representation,amicus curiaesupport, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. The Reporters Committee serves news organizations, reporters, editors, documentary filmmakers, media lawyers, and many more who use its online resources.

Job Description

The Media and Public Relations Manager shapes and executes strategies to promote Reporters Committee in the media and among core audiences. The ideal candidate is a strategic communicator who can navigate the intersection of media law and journalism.

The Media and Public Relations Manager is skilled at securing top-tier coverage and building relationships with national, local, legal, and media reporters. They drive reactive, proactive, and rapid-response media strategy, working closely with the Legal and Policy teams to pitch and promote the organization, its work, and its spokespeople. Together, these efforts position Reporters Committee as a thought leader and the nation’s leading legal services nonprofit serving working journalists.

This position reports to the Vice President of Communications.

Key Responsibilities

Media Strategy

• Support day-to-day media relations strategy to maximize visibility and reach among core and new audiences
• Manage incoming media requests from journalists and news outlets seeking comment and interviews, coordinating with internal staff as necessary
• Proactively pitch newsworthy blog posts, legal filings, op-eds, and interviews with Reporters Committee spokespeople to secure coverage on Reporters Committee's work and impact
• Monitor the media environment and respond rapidly to breaking news, coordinating strategy with leadership
• Draft and distribute press releases and media statements
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across relevant beats (media, national news, national security, legal, Supreme Court/DOJ, local news)
• Prepare leadership and spokespeople for interviews, public appearances, and speaking engagements, including drafting quotes, comments, and talking points for attorneys as needed
• Assist in designing communications plans for major program initiatives, research reports, policy initiatives, events, and public announcements
• Track communications performance and recommend strategies to expand audience engagement and influence
• Build and maintain lists of media contacts
• Track news stories mentioning Reporters Committee and our attorneys
• Integrate outreach across print, broadcast, digital, and emerging platforms
• Partner with the legal team and program staff to develop executive summaries, fact sheets, graphics, and presentations
• Partner with the VP of Communications and other departments to ensure message alignment across programs, staff, and board

Conferences & Events

• Help pitch conference proposals, secure speakers and panelists, and manage the events sponsorship budget
• Create briefing materials and coordinate press logistics
• Assist in PR for annual Awards dinner, weaving Reporters Committee's story and impact in the lead-up to the event, throughout the program, and after the event
• Provide onsite event support as needed
• Manage invitations to key media contacts for stakeholder events
• Oversee the look, branding, and structure of PowerPoint presentations used by attorneys for conferences, webinars, trainings, etc.

Organizational & Team Leadership

• Work closely with the other Communications staff to ensure integrated campaign execution across channels
• Contribute to communications planning for annual conferences, events, and other key milestones
• Advise on reputation risk, proactive positioning, and crisis communications planning

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required

• Deep commitment to press freedom and the First Amendment
• 4+ years of communications/media relations experience
• Demonstrated success securing coverage and managing relationships with top-tier, trade, and local media
• Sound news judgment and a comprehensive grasp of diverse media platforms
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing deadlines under pressure
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, a deep commitment to accuracy, and a rigorous attention to detail
• Ability to engage and influence senior leadership, with strong presentation skills
• Strong collaborator across legal, program, policy, development, and operations teams
• Comfort working with executive leaders and legal experts, including experience preparing spokespeople for public appearances
• Deep familiarity with media research/contact databases (e.g., MuckRack, Cision)
• Ability to work irregular hours as necessary to meet rapid response and emergency messaging needs

Preferred

• Prior agency, nonprofit, law firm, or policy communications experience
• Experience managing websites via content management systems and familiarity with web publishing best practices
• Familiarity with email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp) and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)

Additional Information

Compensation:Reporters Committee is committed to offering competitive pay and generous benefits, including group medical insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, retirement benefits, health-reimbursement accounts, and paid family leave. The salary range for this position is $73,500 to $86,800.

How to apply:Submit a resume and cover letter.NOTE: Please submit materials in one PDF file.Only complete applications will advance in the hiring process.The role will remain open until filled.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Physical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sitand operate computer equipment. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Reporters Committee Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.At the Reporters Committee, we celebrate the diversity of our employees and our leadership. Reporters Committee is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.