Press Secretary

Office of Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14); Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Comp time

Retirement benefits with employer 96%

Paid sick leave

Bereavement leave

Vacation leave

Paid parental leave

Paid FMLA leave

Life insurance coverage

Student Loan Repayment Program

Job summary

The Office of Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) in Washington, DC is seeking a Press Secretary to manage media relations, draft communications in the Congresswoman’s voice, and staff interviews, with occasional travel and telework opportunities.

The role requires 1–2 years on-the-record experience, Capitol Hill familiarity, strong writing and organizational skills, and the ability to juggle multiple projects under tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of on-the-record experience, with a proven track record of leading work and building reporter relationships.
• Strong working knowledge of Capitol Hill norms and processes, including at least one year as a full-time staffer in a congressional office.

Responsibilities

• Draft high-quality written materials in the Congresswoman’s voice (press releases, speeches, talking points, newsletters, website content).
• Pitch and staff traditional media interviews, manage press inquiries, monitor media, and build press relationships.
• Coordinate logistics for town halls, press conferences, and events (virtual and in-person).
• Oversee press duties of staff assistants and interns, including daily clip curation.
• Collaborate on messaging strategies to serve the district and highlight the Congresswoman’s work to constituents.

Skills

On-the-record comms

Capitol Hill exp

Writing skills

Project mgmt

Media relations

Job description

The Office of Representative LaurenUnderwood(IL-14), Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee and Co-Founder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, is hiring a Press Secretary. This is an in-person position located in our Washington, D.C. office, with occasional travel and telework opportunities.

Core responsibilities of this role include:

• Drafting high-quality written materials in the Congresswoman’s voice or other preferred style in line with all congressional rules and regulations, including press releases, speeches, talking points, email newsletters, talking points, website content, and logistics memos.
• Pitching and staffingtraditional mediainterviews, managing press inquiries and proactive media monitoring, maintaining press lists, and building and maintaining district and national press relationships. This includes assisting the Creative Director with capturing video and photos of the Congresswoman in D.C. for social media and for events.
• Managing logistics and tech for town halls, press conferences, and other public-facing events, both virtual and in-person.
• Working with the Creative Director to manage staff assistant and intern press duties, including overseeing daily press clips.
• Collaborating with theMember and staff to proactivelyidentifymessaging strategies and opportunities thathelp us serve our district and elevatethe Congresswoman’swork to our constituents.

This is not an entry-level position. Essential qualifications for the role include:

• Minimum 1-2 years of on-the-record experience, with a proven track record of successfully leading work and building relationships with reporters, bookers, producers, and members of the traditional media.
• A strong working knowledge of Capitol Hill norms and processes, including at least one year of experience as a full-time staffer in a congressional office.
• Excellent organization, writing, editing, and proofreading skills, including the ability to write in a principal’s voice.
• The ability to juggle multiple competing projects and produce high-quality work under tight deadlines with strong attention to detail in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Curiosity, commitment to public service, and a strong interest in media, writing, and storytelling.

The annual salary range for this position is $70,000 – $95,000, dependent on experience and qualifications

• health coverage
• comp time
• retirement benefits with an employer match
• paid sick, bereavement, and vacation leave
• paid parental leave
• paid FMLA leave
• access to life insurance coverage
• access to the Student Loan Repayment Program

The office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, disability, military status, marital or parental status. Women, people of color, and other members of traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.