Media Relations Manager

Job Title: Media relations manager

Position reports to: Communications director

Position Location: Washington, D.C.

Friends of the Earth is a hard-hitting, progressive, environmental organization that pulls no punches and speaks sometimes uncomfortable truth to power. It’s an approach that has worked for four decades to produce important victories that help protect our planet and its people. We’re part of Friends of the Earth International, a federation of groups working in more than 70 countries on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

To accomplish our mission, Friends of the Earth is working at the nexus of environmental protection, economic policy and social justice to fundamentally transform the way our country and the world value people and the environment. We are focused on reforming economic drivers such as tax and trade policy that are often used to empower corporations and government to harm the environment.

We are looking for an experienced media relations professional to expand and intensify our organization’s communications capacity, especially around traditional media.

Basic function:

The media relations manager will generate media coverage, produce a variety of communications materials, help our campaign staff build relationships with reporters and assist with initiatives to strengthen the marketing and brand of Friends of the Earth. S/he will be responsible for developing and implementing plans for generating earned and paid media in consultation with the president, managing director and in collaboration with the rest of our communications team, while s/he supports and advises campaigners on maximizing synergies and media effectiveness.

Principal duties and responsibilities:

• Generate media coverage that carries our message and helps us achieve campaign victories. Help Friends of the Earth get its perspective in the media on the local, national and international levels.
• Serve as the main point of contact for journalists, fielding inquiries and ensuring a timely response. When needed, serve as a spokesperson for the organization.
• Working with the communications team and campaigners, s/he will help develop the media strategy for our campaign communications plans that advance key objectives. These plans will include clear, achievable goals, target audiences, messages, tactics and timelines.
• Along with developing and enacting media strategies, s/he will build and update media contact lists, build relationships with and pitch stories to journalists, and track media coverage of Friends of the Earth and the issues we work on.
• Monitor the news cycle to identify rapid-response opportunities to generate or influence news coverage in ways that advance our campaigns or organization.
• Draft a variety of written communications content (including but not limited to news releases, blog posts and content for the website, email action alerts, op-eds, letters to newspaper editors, memoranda and magazine articles).
• Organize and help promote press conferences and other media/communications events.
• Fact check and edit others’ writing with an eye to both style and content.
• Ensure that all his/her written communications are consistent with our organization’s values and brand identity. Follow Friends of the Earth’s style guide.
• Learn how to use and manage various technologies, including our website’s Content Management System (Webiva), Customer Relationship Manager (Salsa), and media contact database (Vocus).
• Attend regular communications and campaign meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Minimum five years experience in communications and media relations.
• Must have experience working in a non-profit organization, minimum one year and more preferred.

Skills and knowledge:

• Experience in political campaigns and/or environmental or larger progressive non-profit sector a plus.
• A fast, precise, and persuasive writer and editor with strong verbal communication skills.
• A professional communicator, with a history of implementing successful strategies that include a variety of communications tactics.
• Comfortable interacting with diverse audiences. 
• Able to quickly identify the nuances of Friends of the Earth’s policy positions and perspectives and translate them into a form understandable by a lay audience.
• A consumer of traditional and new media.
• Politically savvy, with at least a basic knowledge of the federal legislative process, national politics and environmental issues.
• Computer literate and comfortable learning new programs and technologies.
• Passionate and knowledgeable about environmental and social issues.

Salary and Benefits:

This position offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes healthcare, paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave and an employee contribution-based retirement plan.

To Apply:

E-mail cover letter, resume and short writing sample to jobs@foe.org with the subject heading “Media relations manager.” No mail applications or phone calls. Position will remain open until filled.

Friends of the Earth is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color and other members of underrepresented groups who will contribute to the diversity of its staff.