Media Relations Strategist

What We Believe

We believe that when the best of strategy and creativity come together, brands stand apart.

Our Hiring Philosophy

Carmichael Lynch is committed to creating a diverse, safe and welcoming workplace with opportunity for all. We strive for inclusion, equity and diversity in both our words and actions. BIPOC, women, marginalized communities, LGBTQIA+, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To learn more, please visit: https://www.carmichaellynch.com/about/

What’s In It for You*

• Professional Development (performance reviews 2x annually, training opportunities related to your field of development, one-on-ones with managers, etc.)
• We offer competitive, equitable salaries (reviewed annually to ensure equity and competitiveness)
• A strong, vibrant, continually-evolving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion belief (in thought and action), encompassing our agency and our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Recognizing the voices that need to be heard.
• Competitive, company and employee sponsored benefits, including: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k (company matched 50% of first 6%), PTO (vacation/sick time) allowance, 18-week maternity leave, 12-week parental leave, 19 paid company holidays, Family Building Benefit (adoption, surrogacy benefit), tuition reimbursement and much more.

*Please note that these benefits only apply to full time roles

Role:

A media relations strategist at Carmichael Lynch Relate develops and executes successful earned media relations strategies that support the overall business goals and priorities of the agency and agency clients. The media relations strategist works closely with account teams and clients to provide strategic media relations counsel, develop effective media relations plans with measurable results, execute those plans and evaluate the results of that outreach. An ideal candidate has knowledge and understanding of the integrated marketing mix, the role of storytelling in both consumer and corporate situations and developing and maintaining relationships with reporters and journalists on behalf of clients and the agency.

Areas of Focus

• Immediate Needs: We are looking for a media relations strategist to support our work in home and design and lifestyle clients. While this is an agency and each individual’s work load can shift based on client needs, this new hire will immediately join a variety of home and design and lifestyle clients teams.
• Media Relations Lead:
  • Serve as the media relations lead internally and externally, including providing strong POVs and counsel on media relations practices and topics to clients and with junior staff.
  • Create comprehensive media relations strategies.

• Day-to-Day Media Relations:
  • Develop and maintain strong media contacts for the agency by creating networking opportunities and leveraging existing opportunities.
  • Be a thorough consumer of news outlets and current events to have a strong understanding of what makes news and who covers what topics and how in order to provide recommendations to teams on how and what to pitch.
  • Identify and execute appropriate tactics to support clients’ media relations goals, e.g., pitching, events, desksides, news surveys, media tours, etc.
  • Lead writing of press materials and PR plans.
  • Bring a steady stream of story ideas and journalists to pitch to teams and contribute to proactive pitch calendars and pitch logs.
  • Oversee and help execute on editorial calendar research across verticals to inform pitching and timelines.
  • Monitor media developments/trends and share with agency and clients
  • Oversee development of media lists and pitch logs
  • Work with teams to ensure agency is successfully tracking media coverage.

Attributes and Skills Important to Your Success as Media Relations Strategist:

• Manage Up, Down and Across – Timely, concise information-sharing is key to leading a team and providing superior client service. In this role, you will be given autonomy to plan and execute media relations plans. Ensuring that team member responsibilities and expectations are clear and that senior team leads are aware of projects in motion is key to your success. If things aren’t clear, we are counting on you to ask the right questions to clarify and create an environment where your team feels comfortable asking those questions.
• Be Responsible and Solution-Oriented – Ownership and accountability for your team’s assignments and their progress and outcomes are key to success in an agency environment, and crucial to your success in this role. Approach every team and client challenge with a solutions-first approach; bring that mindset to everything (seriously, everything) and everyone. 
• Ask for Help and Help Others – Elevate issues in real time and use the resources around you when you need them. Consider yourself one of those resources for less experienced team members. Ensure your team and direct reports understand the bigger picture and how their role and duties are integral to client and agency success. Strengthen and elevate everyone around you, especially those less experienced on your teams. Lead by example and look for ways to expand your role and your skills to improve agency and client outcomes.

Qualifications/Traits:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism or a closely related field
• Background: Consumer and/or corporate media relations experience, successful work as a journalist, current PR agency and/or PR experience is a definite plus and will allow you to hit the ground running and help achieve success in this role.
• Skills and experience: A minimum of four years of public relations or relevant work experience in one of the following areas: prior agency, corporate communications, CPG or other consumer lifestyle communications or media; solid writing skills; earned media strategy building skills, relationship building with media, account teams and clients; team building skills and motivation.

The salary range for this position is listed below. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to budget, relevant experience, qualifications, and tenure in similar roles. Consideration may also be given to internal salary data for current or former employees in the same or similar positions.

Salary Range: $75,000-85,000 annually