Overview
We are seeking a Media Relations Strategist with at least 3 years of experience to help us fulfill our mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. The Media Relations Strategist plays an integral role in public relations, corporate communications, and social media engagement. As a Media Relations strategist, you will coordinate and implement detailed communications strategies and tactics for projects, activities, and brand presence to position ACT’s strategic messages and priorities for external relations. You will craft, write, and edit external communications projects, including press releases, blog posts, opinion editorials, and newsletters. You will elevate the ACT brand through media placement and publishing, ensuring that stakeholders and customers understand our mission, vision, and story.
This is a remote position with preference for position to be based in Washington D.C.
Level Differentiators:
- Media Relations Strategist II: Contributes through solid experience, collaboration and problem resolution. Technically proficient in assigned area of expertise. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. At least three years of related experience required which includes public relations, corporate communications, content marketing and some demonstration of a record of media placements.
- Senior Media Relations Strategist: Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project through advanced knowledge, skill, and expertise. Work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. At least five years of related experience required which includes media/public relations, corporate communications, content marketing, with a proven track record of media placements.
The level at which this position will be filled is determined by the qualifications of the finalist.
What you will be working on:
- Coordinates and implements detailed communications strategies and tactics for projects, activities, and brand in alignment with internal departments and external contractors to position ACT messages and priorities for external relations
- Manage media relations, including cultivating and sustaining relationships with journalists and bloggers for stories, press releases, and interviews
- Manage media relations intake and coordinate incoming media requests and issues management, including rapid response and crisis communications
- Manage media relations engagement, including the development of message maps around key issues and writing, editing, and coordinating the dissemination of press releases and other media engagements and plans
- Develop written materials ranging from messaging guidelines and press releases to story pitches and presentations by executives
- Create and report out on success metrics for media, blogs and thought leadership content
- Write copy for and support strategy for media and thought leadership-related web pages on act.org
- Work closely with senior leaders, Marketing teammates, and other departments to create effective communications strategies that articulate ACT products core benefits properly and consistently
- Propose and execute new ways of creating and distributing content that expands ACT’s reach and impact
- Serve as lead for media and PR inquiries and issues management (including representation on crisis response teams)
This could be the job for you if you have (minimum requirements):
- Skilled in creating, editing, and promoting written and visual content for all media
- Ideal candidate will have experience pitching, crafting, and placing content externally through media relations, guest blogging, and/or op-ed development
- Adept at juggling many projects at once while working cross-functionally on a focused set of outcomes
- Familiarity with content optimization systems or processes and tagging and tracking communications across multiple channels
- A deep understanding of messaging and public relations best practices
- Strong creative interests to develop innovative content that is informative and transformative
- Collaboration u2013 work effectively with individuals inside and outside the organization
- Inclusion u2013 actively seeks and engages with diverse perspectives and invites a sense of belonging
- Communication u2013 exceptional speaking and writing skills with ability to communicate effectively within organization and externally
- Decision making u2013 acts decisively with sound judgement; uses data to analyze options and form opinions
- Information literacy u2013 uses subject matter knowledge and skills to effectively acquire and apply information
- Optimization u2013 ability to apply continuous improvement to existing processes and programs
- Innovation u2013 develops ideas that are new, better, or unique; embraces and promotes diverse perspectives
- Change management u2013 ability to manage change and navigate positively in an environment experiencing change at a fast pace
- Initiative u2013 uses self-starter approach, ability to multi-task, proactively anticipates and acts on information and details needed, completes tasks with little to no direction
- Self-development – remains current in area of expertise, seeks opportunities to expand and grow skills
- Accountability – takes responsibility and follows through on commitments; acknowledges and learns from mistakes without blaming others; recognizes the impact of one’s behavior
- Bachelor’s degree in English, education, communications, business administration or other related area of study, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired
It’s a plus if you have:
- Knowledge and experience with social media strategy and community management a plus
- Experience in education industry and working for non profit organizations with a passion for education and equity
- Understanding of/experience with the intersection of media relations and digital communications
Your Work Makes a Difference
ACT team members are part of an organization dedicated to an important mission: Helping people achieve education and workplace success.
Everything we do contributes to this mission, including team member events, professional development resources, community outreach opportunities and solid benefit offerings. Helping team members achieve education and workplace success of their own advances the ACT mission on a daily basis.
You will be joining a cohesive, highly-functioning team that serves ACT at the enterprise level, consulting with and supporting various areas across the organization. Each role works individually while collaborating with both others on the team as necessary and connecting across the organization. This team is efficient, independent, and collaborative, while relying on each member to fulfill their own role and supporting each other as needed.
About ACT
When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it. By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industryu2014helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life’s transitions.
More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We’re doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we’re all in this together.
We know transformation does not come without challenge. That’s why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.
Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!