Vice President, Higher Education Public Relations

ABOUT BERLINROSEN 

BerlinRosen is a fast-growing, full-service consulting and communications firm with more than 300 communications and campaign strategists in New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Since its founding in 2005, BerlinRosen has powerfully expanded its presence in corporate, social impact/ESG, nonprofit, entertainment, media, racial justice, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, architecture, design, urbanism, land use, lifestyle, technology, issue advocacy and workers’ rights communications. They have received more than 50 awards and recognitions, including being the only agency to be named #1 on Observer’s PR Power List for three consecutive years, #2 in City & State’s New York Political PR 75 (2024), PRNews’ Large PR Agency of the Year (2023; 2021), PR News’ Digital Firm of the Year (2023) and 5/5 Stars on Forbes’ latest Best PR Agencies in America list.

People of all backgrounds and abilities are strongly encouraged to apply. BerlinRosen is committed to building and maintaining a diverse staff, and recognizes that its continued success depends on hiring and retaining high-quality, creative professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Opportunities for advancement exist, and we are committed to helping all staff develop and grow.

ABOUT THE HIGHER EDUCATION TEAM

The Higher Education team brings deep expertise in guiding colleges, universities and academic institutions through today’s complex communications landscape. Our work spans paid, earned, social, content and crisis communications, giving us the ability to deliver fully integrated, cross-channel strategies that drive impact.

We partner with leading institutions spanning the Ivy League, elite R1 research universities and flagship public university systems, helping them elevate their voices, protect their reputations and engage key audiences in a competitive and fast-changing higher education environment. 

ABOUT THIS ROLE

We are seeking an experienced strategic communicator to join our growing Higher Education team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in PR with a proven track record of creating and driving strategy, managing campaigns and promoting programs that drive media coverage. They should excel at managing multiple clients and work streams, thrive in a fast-paced environment and bring a strategic mindset that helps drive innovative, results-driven PR campaigns. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who carries a passion for higher education and the role it plays in society, in elevating the stories of colleges, universities and other corollary organizations and in leading on client work to achieve and advance their goals and initiatives. 

Role location:  This role is available in our New York City, NY and Washington, DC offices on a hybrid basis. We will also consider candidates based in other Orchestra office locations or remote candidates.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

As a Vice President on the Higher Education team, you will…

• Lead strategic conversations and advance the communications strategy for multiple high-profile client accounts to deliver top-notch results for our clients
• Develop and oversee integrated campaigns that leverage public affairs, media and digital tactics to reach key audiences and achieve client goals
• Directly manage and mentor staff and provide overall strategic direction and feedback for their development and client work 
• Hold the pen on drafting high level materials including strategy decks, communications plans, messaging and op-eds
• Collaborate closely with the management team to develop and inspire our team of strategists to be innovative and creative
• Help our practice win new business and proactively expand our relationships by leveraging your existing network and identifying new opportunities

Essential skills:

• At least 8 years of relevant work experience in communications: PR agency or in-house for higher education institutions, companies, nonprofits media or journalism
• Is an avid consumer of news, with a strong news sense and knowledge of the media and experience engaging and maintaining strong relationships with key reporters covering the top issues of the day
• Experience engaging with media for both rapid response and long-lead stories
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Experience managing, prepping and staffing high-touch principals or organizational leaders
• Ability to multi-task easily, including handling multiple assignments at once, working quickly and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment while paying close attention to details
• Enjoys managing people and has experience in successfully motivating, leading and mentoring a diverse team to meet objectives

WORKING AT BERLINROSEN

Salary range (commensurate with experience and skills): $130,000-$150,000

Vice Presidents are eligible for end of year bonuses based on firm, team and individual performance

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Orchestra is the first communications company built for today’s media landscape. Since 2022, it’s acquired nine firms, including: BerlinRosen, Civitas Public Affairs Group, Derris, Glen Echo Group, Inkhouse, M18, Message Lab, Onward and Small Girls PR. It also launched Brightmode, a talent acquisition firm for your communication professionals. Learn more at: www.orchestraco.com.

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