Senior PR Manager [AQ-19438]

Aquent; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan matching

Paid time off & sick leave

Online training (Aquent Gymnasium)

Job summary

Aquent Talent is seeking a senior PR leader to shape and execute our client’s public narrative and executive communications. You will drive strategic initiatives, craft compelling storytelling, and manage high‑impact media programs across US and UK markets.

In this role you will mentor a team, partner with agencies, and ensure consistent messaging during fast‑moving news cycles. A strong track record in tier‑one coverage and executive visibility is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven track record securing tier‑one media coverage you pitched personally.
• Exceptional writing and editing with a published/placed portfolio.
• Experience managing PR agency/vendor relationships as client or agency senior contributor.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor at least one direct report, setting priorities and coaching growth.
• Own end‑to‑end PR/Communications strategy with Share of Voice responsibility.
• Build rolling 90‑day PR calendar aligned with launches and trends.
• Define quarterly themes to establish ownership in tier‑one media.
• Write and edit press releases, media alerts, pitches, op‑eds, talking points, briefs.
• Pitch journalists, editors, podcasters, influencers across lifestyle, business, culture.

Skills

Media relations

Crisis management

Storytelling

Writing & editing

Project management

Relationship building

AI in PR tools

Executive coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Relations/Communications/Marketing

Tools

Cision/Meltwater

PR analytics tools

Job description

Aquent is proud to partner with a pioneering company that is redefining its space as a leading and rapidly transforming premium platform. This innovative organization is charting a new course, moving beyond its past to become the definitive platform for ambitious individuals building extraordinary lives. This is an unparalleled opportunity to build a function, shape a brand, and grow a team, all while directly influencing executive leadership from day one. As a vital contributor, you will be instrumental in positioning the brand as a definitive voice in modern lifestyle, treating the news cycle as a dynamic marketplace and ensuring the company is a constant presence in relevant conversations. Your strategic acumen and hands‑on execution will directly impact how millions perceive the brand, making this one of the most consequential roles in their transformation journey.

Are you a disrupter, an innovator, an out-of-the-box thinker, someone who goes against the grain and asks for forgiveness rather than permission in public relations? Do you thrive in dynamic environments, adept at navigating complex narratives and shaping public perception for groundbreaking brands? Then prepare to lead a transformative journey! Join a team where your expertise will directly shape the brand’s public narrative and strategic direction, making a profound impact on how millions perceive the brand.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and mentor at least one direct report, setting priorities, coaching their development, and fostering their growth into a stronger PR operator.
• Own the end-to-end PR and Communications strategy, with explicit responsibility for Share of Voice against competitors and earned media impressions.
• Build and maintain a rolling 90-day PR calendar, aligning with product launches, cultural moments, and emerging trends.
• Define quarterly themes and narratives to establish the brand’s ownership in tier‑one media.
• Write and edit a wide range of communications, including press releases, media alerts, pitch letters, op‑eds, talking points, and briefing books, ensuring minimal editing is required.
• Pitch directly to journalists, editors, podcast bookers, producers, bloggers, and influencers, leveraging and growing a personal network across relationships, lifestyle, business, consumer tech, and culture beats.
• Respond to inbound media requests with speed and precision, gathering information cross-functionally to prepare approved messaging.
• Proactively insert the brand into the news cycle by identifying and hijacking trends, delivering timely pitches.
• Build and manage a podcast, interview, and speaking pipeline for executive leadership, preparing them with comprehensive briefing materials.
• Identify and submit the company and its executives for relevant industry, business, and culture awards.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the brand when needed, participating in interviews and representing the company’s perspective.
• Build and maintain a curated ‘book’ of diverse members willing and prepared to speak to the press, managing all aspects from recruitment and vetting to prep and follow‑up.
• Serve as the day‑to‑day lead for external US and UK agencies, driving deliverables, ensuring quality control, and coordinating trans‑Atlantic narrative consistency.
• Continuously monitor the news cycle for relevant stories, track competitor PR activity, and bring actionable trend memos to marketing leadership.
• Anticipate and manage reputational issues, maintaining holding statements and crisis trees, and quarterbacking any incoming reputational stories.
• Plan, organize, and execute integrated marketing campaigns in collaboration with creative, social, product, and digital teams.
• Manage PR operations, including project management tasks, standard operating procedures, media lists, asset libraries, and budget, while monitoring and analyzing PR metrics for leadership reporting.

Must-Have Qualifications

• 5 to 8 years of combined experience across PR agency, in‑house PR, and/or journalism, with the right mix being more critical than years alone.
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent professional track record.
• Demonstrated record securing tier‑one media coverage that you personally pitched.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with a portfolio of published or placed work that showcases versatility and brand consistency.
• Experience managing PR agency or vendor relationships as the client, or experience inside a top agency running accounts as a senior individual contributor.
• AI fluency, with proven experience using modern AI tools for research, drafting, media list building, and coverage analysis.
• Strong personal media relationships with journalists, podcast bookers, or producers in at least one of the following areas: relationships, lifestyle, business, consumer tech, or culture.
• Strong project management and operational discipline, with a track record of shipping things on time and maintaining organized systems.
• Working knowledge of industry‑standard PR and project management tools, plus relevant style guides.
• Comfort operating as a player‑coach, capable of both setting priorities and personally executing work, while also hiring, managing, and developing at least one direct report.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring or managing junior talent, whether formally or informally.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience at a top consumer or lifestyle PR agency.
• Newsroom experience as a reporter or editor at a recognized outlet, with a deep understanding of newsroom operations and news judgment.
• Experience working at an entrepreneurial or founder‑led company where PR was being built from the ground up.
• Existing relationships with relationships, sex‑and‑culture, or modern‑love beat reporters.
• Track record of award wins (industry, business, or culture awards) that you personally drove the submission for.
• Experience helping executives become recognizable voices in the media.
• Comfort with reputation management for brands that carry public‑perception challenges.
• Experience with influencer marketing, social media coordination, or modern earned‑and‑paid integration.
• Experience with member, customer, or talent casting for media stories, including managing consent and NDA workflows.
• Experience building or scaling a small in‑house PR team from scratch.
• Familiarity with luxury, lifestyle, consumer technology, or relationship brands.
• APR or similar professional certification.

About Aquent Talent

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment‑one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.