Press Officer (9055)

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA); Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 73,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Wellness programs

Tuition reimbursement

PSLF eligibility

Free transit pass

Job summary

SEPTA is seeking a Press Officer (9055) to manage media inquiries and promote SEPTA services and programs in the Philadelphia region. You will maintain professional relations with management, develop beat expertise, and prepare talking points for interviews.

The role requires writing feature articles, monitoring news, and coordinating social media content. The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s Degree with 3+ years in journalism or public relations, strong writing and communications skills, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree is required with at least three years of experience in major market journalism and/or public relations.
• Excellent professional writing skills.
• Proficient computer skills; web content management experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and speaking skills for diverse audiences, especially media.
• Willingness to work early mornings (6 a.m.) or evenings (up to 7 p.m.).
• Willingness to respond to emergencies 24/7 – 365.

Responsibilities

• Respond to journalist inquiries and maintain professional relations with SEPTA management.
• Manage assigned beat areas and develop expertise in key topics.
• Research, write, and distribute press releases and statements.
• Support media interviews with talking points, logistics, and scheduling.
• Write feature articles on SEPTA employees and initiatives for industry publications.
• Monitor news and compile daily media coverage.
• Create content for SEPTA Media Relations channels on social media.
• Serve as on-call press officer 24/6–365 and respond to emergencies as required.

Skills

Excellent writing skills

Strong communication skills

Web content management

Interpersonal & speaking skills

Early morning / late shift

Emergency response 24/7

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Secure Your Future with SEPTA – A Leader in Transportation!

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is the sixth-largest transportation system in the U.S., connecting communities across a 2,200-square-mile service region. SEPTA is at the forefront of innovation in the transit industry, ensuring reliable and efficient services while driving economic growth in the Philadelphia region.

Only candidates who are authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, will be accepted at this time.

We Are Proud To Be Recognized As

2023 FORBES Best in State Employer

Philadelphia Employer of Choice for 2024

We are seeking to hire candidates for our Press Officer (9055).

Opening Date: 09/17/2026

Closing Date: 09/24/2026

Job Grade: SAM 38

Salary Range: $73,164.00-$91,442.00

Overall Description

Responsible for responding to media inquiries, proactively engaging the media about SEPTA service, initiatives and other programs, and publicly highlighting SEPTA’s important role in Philadelphia region.

Specific Responsibilities

• Responds to requests from journalists about all aspects of SEPTA operations and management. Involves maintaining professional relations with all levels of SEPTA management.
• Maintains assigned “beat” responsibilities, gaining expertise on certain specific technical, procedural or policy areas of SEPTA.
• Researches, writes and distributes press releases and statements to all variety of media.
• Supports media interviews and other requests, including preparing talking points along with scheduling and logistics
• Writes feature articles about SEPTA employees, accomplishments and other topics for transit industry publications.
• Monitors breaking SEPTA and related news from all outlets; compile daily news reports.
• Creates and curates content for Media Relations channels on social media
• Performs as a “duty” press officer, periodically assigned to be on-call to the media 24/6‑365.
• Responds to emergencies, as required 24/7- 365.
• Be available to work any shift between 6a.m. and 7p.m.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications And Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required and a minimum of three (3) years experience in major market journalism and/or public relations required.
• Excellent professional writing skills.
• Professional computer skills, web content management experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and speaking skills, ability to communicate professionally and comfortably with varied audiences, especially the media required.
• Willingness to be permanently assigned to early morning shift, beginning at 6 a.m., or late shift ending at 7 p.m.
• Willingness to respond to emergencies 24/7 – 365 required.

Why Join Our Team? Enjoy Outstanding Benefits!

• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage – Medical, prescription, dental, and vision plans with little to no employee premiums.
• Retirement Security – Participate in a Defined Benefit Pension Plan and a 457B Deferred Compensation Plan to build your financial future.
• Work-Life Balance – Enjoy paid parental leave, generous vacation time, and paid holidays to recharge and spend time with loved ones.
• Employee Wellness – Access wellness programs and resources to support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
• Invest in Your Growth – We offer tuition reimbursement to support your education and career advancement.
• Student Loan Assistance – Our positions qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, helping you manage and reduce student debt.
• Free Travel Perks – Receive a FREE SEPTA Transportation Pass, giving you unlimited access to all SEPTA services!

Join us and take advantage of these incredible benefits while making a difference in your community!

Have Questions?

For more information, please visit How We Hire Careers Page.

SEPTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SEPTA is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.