Media Relations Strategist

Archetype; New York; On-site; USD 125,000 - 164,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with match

Generous insurance premiums

Paid mental health benefits

Sabbatical after 6 years

Parental leave benefits

Job summary

Archetype is seeking a Media Relations Strategist at the Account Director level to lead earned media strategies for a select portfolio of technology clients. The role emphasizes pitching, executive positioning, and strategic storytelling, with responsibility to advise teams and raise the agency's media craft.

Based in San Francisco (strongly preferred) or New York City, with deep media connections and a proactive, collaborative approach.

Qualifications

• 7–9+ years of experience in public relations, media relations, or communications.
• Strong editorial judgment and reporting instincts.
• Excellent writing and storytelling abilities.
• Experience coaching teams and managing client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead earned media strategy and execution for technology clients.
• Pitch reporters, editors, and influencers to secure coverage.
• Advise on announcements, executive visibility, and timely news moments.
• Coach and develop junior staff in media relations and storytelling.
• Collaborate with account teams to drive media results across outlets.

Skills

Public relations

Media relations

Storytelling

Editorial judgment

Writing

Verbal communication

Executive presence

Job description

Media Relations Strategist, Account Director

We Are Archetype

At Archetype, you help clients think bigger, go further, and achieve more. With years of experience and 21 offices worldwide, you join a team of 650+ creative individuals turning ambitions into success with the close culture and vibe of a smaller boutique agency.

Our people are the heart of our achievements. Whether you're starting out or a seasoned pro, if you take pride in your work and have bold ambitions, Archetype might be the place for you.

You are a creative thinker, problem solver, and storyteller. You thrive in a high-energy, high-standard environment, where curiosity is encouraged, ambition celebrated, and kindness valued. As a self-motivated storyteller, you break new ground with strategic, creative campaigns. Your unique ideas and perspectives help us do our best work and make a difference in the world.

The Role

We’re looking for a Media Relations Strategist at the Account Director level to join our North American team. This is a senior, hands-on specialist role for someone who loves the chase: finding the story, understanding how reporters think, pitching with purpose and turning strong ideas into meaningful coverage.

Rather than owning day-to-day account management, you’ll work across a select portfolio of technology clients, quickly immersing yourself in their businesses and partnering with account teams to build and execute media strategies, strengthen media relationships and engage in outreach that deliver results. You’ll be called on when teams need sharp media counsel, a fresh angle, or experienced hands to unlock coverage.

You’ll advise clients and teams on announcements, executive visibility, proactive storytelling, and fast-moving news moments while personally pitching and building momentum with media. You’ll also help raise the agency’s media craft by coaching colleagues, sharing market intelligence, and contributing to agency-wide media initiatives. This role is based in San Francisco (strongly preferred) or New York City.

What You Do

• Lead earned media strategy and execution across a portfolio of technology clients, flexing between accounts and priorities as needs emerge
• Quickly get up to speed on new clients, industries, products, and competitive landscapes to identify the stories that will resonate with media
• Develop creative, differentiated pitch angles that connect client stories to broader business, technology, and cultural conversations
• Personally pitch reporters, editors, and other influential voices, bringing persistence, strong judgment, and a willingness to keep pushing when the first approach doesn’t land
• Drive consistent, high-quality media coverage and results across business, technology, and relevant industry trade outlets
• Advise account teams and clients on media strategy, newsworthiness, timing, announcement approaches, and the current media landscape
• Spot proactive, reactive, and rapid-response opportunities and move quickly to turn them into meaningful client moments
• Counsel and prepare executives for interviews, translating complex subject matter into clear, compelling narratives
• Draft and sharpen pitches, press releases, bylines, media plans, briefing materials, and other media-facing content
• Partner with senior media trainers on executive preparation and build toward leading media trainings independently over time
• Coach colleagues and junior staff on media strategy, pitching, reporter engagement, and storytelling to strengthen media relations skills across the agency
• Lead or contribute to media brainstorms, reporter conversations, trainings, and other agency-wide initiatives that keep teams connected to the evolving media landscape
• Support new business through media research, audits, creative ideation, targeting, and pitch strategy

What You Offer

• 7–9+ years of preferred experience in public relations, communications, or media relations, with significant hands‑on hands‑on experience securing earned media coverage
• Preferred prior agency experience, particularly supporting technology brands across areas such as AI, enterprise software, cybersecurity, infrastructure, start‑up, hardware, SaaS, or other complex B2B categories
• A proven record of consistently landing meaningful coverage in business, technology, and industry trade and top‑tier media
• Excellent media instincts and editorial judgment, with a strong understanding of what makes a story relevant, timely, differentiated, and worth a reporter’s attention
• The ability to win over reporters you may not already know; an existing media network is valuable, but curiosity, creativity, and the ability to build new relationships are essential
• A genuine love of media relations and the persistence to navigate rejection, change direction, and keep pursuing the story until you land interest
• The ability to quickly learn complex businesses and technical subject matter without needing to become the deepest subject‑matter expert on every account
• Strong client counsel and executive presence, with confidence advising teams and senior stakeholders in real time
• Exceptional writing, editing, storytelling, and verbal communication skills
• The ability to move fluidly among multiple accounts and workstreams, prioritize effectively, and operate with a high degree of autonomy
• Experience coaching or mentoring colleagues and a desire to help build stronger media relations capabilities across teams
• A curious, proactive, solutions‑oriented approach and an appetite for experimenting with new ways to create media opportunities
• Champion the use of AI tools and emerging tech to enhance writing, research, and content production efficiency
• Ability to travel on a short‑term basis for client and business demands

Location

San Francisco strongly preferred; New York City also considered

Why Archetype

A competitive compensation package, including:

• Annual salary range of $125,000–$164,000 DOE
• 401k with match
• Generous employer contributions toward insurance premiums
• Paid mental health benefits
• Paid sabbatical after every 6 years of continuous employment
• Paid short‑term disability and extensive parental leave benefits
• Archetype Academy, mentorship, and other programs to support career development
• A transparent, collaborative, and inclusive working culture

We’re now a Certified B Corporation in North America. As a B Corp, we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. We are committed to setting a standard for other agencies by fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. This starts with our employees and carries into our culture and our work. We know that different ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives mean we do the best work and in turn, inclusion helps our employees go out in the world to make a difference.

If you meet some but not all of our requirements, we would still love to hear from you. We value unique backgrounds that bring new perspectives to our team and know that many skills can be adapted or acquired. Strategic communications and marketing requires creativity and problem-solving, and we know that a diverse team of individuals with differing backgrounds brings out the best work.

Archetype is committed to setting a standard for other agencies by fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. This starts with our employees and carries into our culture and our work. We know that different ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives mean we do the best work and in turn inclusion helps our employees go out in the world to make a difference.