Strategic Media Relations Lead for Press Freedom

Reporters Committee; Washington (District of Columbia); Presencial; USD 74.000 - 87.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is seeking a Media and Public Relations Manager who will shape strategies to promote the organization in national and local media. The ideal candidate blends strategic communication with an understanding of media law and journalism, and will secure top-tier coverage for our spokespeople and initiatives.

Working with the Legal and Policy teams, you will craft rapid-response messaging, manage media requests, and coordinate conferences and events to

Formación

• Deep commitment to press freedom and the First Amendment.
• 4+ years of communications/media relations experience.
• Demonstrated success securing coverage and managing relationships with top-tier, trade, and local media.
• Sound news judgment and a comprehensive grasp of diverse media platforms.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing deadlines under pressure.
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, a deep commitment to accuracy, and a rigorous attention to detail.
• Ability to engage and influence senior leadership, with strong presentation skills.
• Strong collaborator across legal, program, policy, development, and operations teams.
• Comfort working with executive leaders and legal experts, including experience preparing spokespeople for public appearances.
• Deep familiarity with media research/contact databases (e.g., MuckRack, Cision).
• Ability to work irregular hours as necessary to meet rapid response and emergency messaging needs.

Responsabilidades

• Support day-to-day media relations strategy to maximize visibility and reach among core and new audiences.
• Manage incoming media requests from journalists and news outlets seeking comment and interviews, coordinating with internal staff as necessary.
• Proactively pitch newsworthy blog posts, legal filings, op-eds, and interviews with Reporters Committee spokespeople to secure coverage on the organization’s work and impact.
• Monitor the media environment and respond rapidly to breaking news, coordinating strategy with leadership.
• Draft and distribute press releases and media statements.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across relevant beats.
• Prepare leadership and spokespeople for interviews, public appearances, and speaking engagements, including drafting quotes and talking points.
• Assist in designing communications plans for major program initiatives, research reports, policy initiatives, events, and public announcements.
• Track communications performance and recommend strategies to expand audience engagement and influence.
• Build and maintain lists of media contacts and track stories mentioning Reporters Committee.
• Integrate outreach across print, broadcast, digital, and emerging platforms.
• Partner with the legal team to develop executive summaries, fact sheets, graphics, and presentations.
• Partner with the VP of Communications to ensure message alignment across programs, staff, and board.

Descripción del empleo

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is seeking a Media and Public Relations Manager who will shape strategies to promote the organization in national and local media. The ideal candidate blends strategic communication with an understanding of media law and journalism, and will secure top-tier coverage for our spokespeople and initiatives.

Working with the Legal and Policy teams, you will craft rapid-response messaging, manage media requests, and coordinate conferences and events to