Senior Public Relations Manager

Dixon Schwabl; Town of Victor (NY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work

Comprehensive benefits

Progressive PTO

Professional development

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Community impact opportunities

Job summary

DS+CO is seeking a Senior Public Relations Manager to lead client work and enhance the agency’s PR capability. This hands-on leadership role requires strong editorial judgment and writing skills to craft compelling narratives. The ideal candidate will ensure PR is integrated into broader planning and show its value to clients.

We encourage applicants even if they don’t meet all requirements. Join us for a flexible hybrid work environment, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for

Qualifications

• Deep experience in public relations and reputation strategy.
• Exceptional writing and story-development skills.
• Experience coordinating teams and external resources.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior PR counsel to clients and internal teams.
• Lead the strategy and delivery of PR work.
• Build trusted relationships with senior clients and media contacts.

Skills

Public relations

Editorial judgment

Writing skills

Strategic planning

Client counseling

Data analytics

Project management

Tools

Jira

Workamajig

Job description

Description

ABOUT US:

DS+CO is a full-service agency that challenges our clients to get clear. Because data, content and creativity are only as good as the problem they solve. We help make sure it's the right one. We help brands move fast enough to stay ahead, yet smart enough to stay grounded. Agile and enduring: That’s our kind of progress.

ABOUT THE ROLE:
The Senior Public Relations Manager will serve as DS+CO’s senior PR lead within Channel Strategy, responsible for leading client work and strengthening the agency’s public relations capability.

We’re looking for someone who sees PR as more than media relations; someone who understands how earned media, reputation, executive visibility, thought leadership, content, creator relationships and emerging search and AI visibility work together to build authority and influence.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who can counsel senior clients, shape strategy, develop compelling stories and remain close to the work. The Senior Public Relations Manager will also help ensure that PR is integrated into broader client planning and that its value is clearly demonstrated.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide senior PR and reputation counsel to clients and internal teams, including guidance on high-judgment issues, executive positioning and reputation opportunities.
• Lead the strategy and delivery of PR work, setting clear priorities, maintaining high quality and ensuring clients receive thoughtful, proactive ideas.
• Bring strong editorial judgment and writing skills to the work, turning executive expertise, research and brand narratives into stories and content that earn attention.
• Strengthen an integrated PR offering that connects earned media, reputation, thought leadership, creator and influencer relations, audience intelligence and emerging approaches to visibility.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior clients, media contacts and relevant external partners.
• Bring PR into client planning earlier and work closely across Creative and Content Strategy, Social, Paid Media, Brand Leadership, Research and Analytics, SEO and New Business.
• Establish meaningful measures of success and help clients understand what results mean, what was learned and what should happen next.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships, contribute to new business and develop repeatable, commercially valuable PR services.
• Establish clear workflows and quality standards, coordinating internal contributors, external specialists and flexible resources as needed.

During the first six to nine months, the focus will be on ensuring continuity and quality across active client work while establishing a strong operating foundation. This includes assessing how current services are delivered, valued and measured; identifying opportunities or capability needs; and establishing clear priorities for the PR offering.

Requirements

• Deep experience in public relations, earned media and reputation strategy.
• The credibility and judgment to serve as a trusted senior-client counselor.
• Exceptional writing, editorial judgment and story-development skills.
• The ability to move comfortably between strategy and hands‑on execution.
• Experience leading work and coordinating colleagues, partners and external resources.
• An integrated perspective and the ability to connect PR with content, social, paid media, brand, search and analytics.
• Commercial judgment and an understanding of how agency services create value.
• Confidence using data, measurement, technology and AI to strengthen the work.
• The ability to create clarity, make sound recommendations and maintain high-quality client delivery.

Success in this role means clients receive strong counsel and consistently excellent work; PR is integrated into the agency’s broader thinking; results are measured and communicated meaningfully; and DS+CO has a clear, differentiated PR offering that creates value for clients and the agency.

If you don’t meet all requirements, we encourage you to still apply; skills and competencies show up in lots of different ways.

Nice to have:

• Experience working within an agency environment
• Familiarity with tools such as Jira, Workamajig, or similar workflow platforms
• Interest in or experience using AI and emerging technologies to support project management and workflow efficiency

WHY DS+CO?

We understand that our differences bring richness to our work and change to our communities, and we empower our people to share their passions, talents and ideas. We're committed to fairness and inclusion - staying true to our core values of curiosity, community, and courage and creating spaces where everyone is heard and respected.

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

• Flexible hybrid work environment
• Comprehensive benefits to meet your needs
• Progressive PTO that allows you to take the time you need when you need it
• Professional development opportunities to keep you growing
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion learning and support for everyone
• Opportunities to create an impact in the communities we serve

FAIRNESS & INCLUSION

At DS+CO, we believe our collective differences bring depth to our work and encourage change in our communities. Through our core values of courage, community and curiosity, we’re committed to fairness and inclusion—creating spaces where everyone belongs. Because change comes from those who push for progress.

Learn more about us at our website !