Director of Media and Public Relations

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Reporters Committee) provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. The Reporters Committee serves news organizations, reporters, editors, documentary filmmakers, media lawyers, and many more who use its online resources.

The Director of Media and Public Relations shapes and executes strategies to promote the Reporters Committee in the media and among core audiences. The ideal candidate is a strategic communicator who can navigate the intersection of media law and journalism.

The Director of Media and PR is skilled at securing top-tier coverage and building relationships with national, local, legal, and media reporters. They drive proactive and rapid-response media strategy, working closely with the Legal and Policy teams to pitch and promote the organization, its work, and its spokespeople. Together, these efforts position the Reporters Committee as a thought leader and the nation’s leading legal services nonprofit serving working journalists.

This position reports to the Vice President of Communications.

Key Responsibilities

Media Strategy

• Lead day-to-day media relations strategy to maximize visibility and reach among core and new audiences
• Integrate outreach across print, broadcast, digital, and emerging platforms
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across relevant beats (media, national news, national security, legal, Supreme Court/DOJ, local news)
• Proactively pitch and place stories, op-eds, and interviews on the Reporters Committee's work and impact
• Monitor the media environment and respond rapidly to breaking news
• Draft and distribute press releases, media statements, op-eds, and talking points
• Identify emerging opportunities and prepare leadership and spokespeople for interviews, public appearances, and speaking engagements
• Design 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
• Partner with the legal team and program staff to develop executive summaries, fact sheets, graphics, and presentations
• Partner with the VP of Communications and other departments to ensure message alignment across programs, staff, and board

Conferences & Events

• Oversee conference and events strategy to position the Reporters Committee as a thought leader
• Pitch conference proposals, secure speakers and panelists, and manage the events sponsorship budget
• Create briefing materials and coordinate press logistics
• Lead PR for annual Awards dinner, weaving the Reporters Committee's story and impact in the lead-up to the event, throughout the program, and after the event
• Provide onsite event support as needed
• Manage invitations to key media contacts for stakeholder events

Organizational & Team Leadership

• Manage the media coordinator and relationships with outside consultants supporting brand, events, and strategy
• Work closely with the Senior Manager of Communications and Senior Editorial Manager to ensure integrated campaign execution across channels
• Contribute to communications planning for annual conferences, events, and key milestones
• Advise on reputation risk, proactive positioning, and crisis communications planning

Other duties as assigned

Required

• 14+ years developing and executing strategic communications plans, including at least 5 years in a supervisory role
• Deep commitment to press freedom and the First Amendment
• 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
• Ability to work irregular hours as necessary to meet rapid response and emergency messaging needs

Preferred

• Prior agency, nonprofit, or legal communications experience
• Familiarity with media research/contact databases (e.g., MuckRack, Cision)
• Experience managing websites via content management systems and familiarity with web publishing best practices
• Familiarity with email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp) and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)

Compensation: Reporters Committee is committed to offering competitive pay and generous benefits, including group medical insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, retirement benefits, health-reimbursement accounts, and paid family leave. The salary range for this position is $134,800 to $148,300.

How to apply: Submit a resume and cover letter. NOTE: Please submit materials in one PDF file. Only complete applications will advance in the hiring process. The role will remain open until filled.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. 

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and operate computer equipment. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Reporters Committee Is an Equal Opportunity Employer. At the Reporters Committee, we celebrate the diversity of our employees and our leadership. Reporters Committee is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.