Manager, Corporate Communications

Job Description

ESPN has an immediate opportunity for an experienced, motivated, and innovative Manager, Corporate Communications, focusing on its NBA, MLB and Little League World Series properties and supporting its Remote Operations initiatives.

Responsibilities:
• Serve as Corporate Communications contact for a variety of high-profile, priority ESPN properties including the NBA, comprising of, but not limited to, the NBA Finals, NBA Playoffs, 100 Regular Season NBA games, studio, digital, streaming and marketing content and dozens of on-air talent. Major League Baseball, including Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, Opening Night, MLB Postseason coverage, dozens of on-air talent, plus studio, digital, streaming and marketing initiatives. The Little League World Series and ESPN's Remote Operations initiatives.
• Develop and execute detailed external and internal communications campaigns for all properties
• Identify and create story angles, pitch and place to a wide array of media outlets across industries, including sport-specific press, trades, entertainment, business, tech publications and more.
• Counsel key executives and internal stakeholders on interviews, issue management and general strategy.
• Work closely with on-air commentators -- on interviews, PR planning and issue management.
• Write and edit press releases and other PR documents
• Embrace new tools and approaches to serve as a 360 communicator, serving both internal and external audiences. Generate story ideas and multimedia assets to creatively engage a variety of audiences online and socially. This includes creating regular new material for ESPN's internal employee website and ESPN Front Row, the company's outward-facing corporate blog, as well as ESPN PR social media platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
• Help set strategic direction on communications efforts
• Contribute to overall ESPN Communications department planning and direction
• Serve as key contact for national and local media as well as company spokesperson
• Serve on as-needed basis as ESPN Communications department rep at events, shows, etc.
• Respond to media requests for information and interviews
• Non traditional work hours

Basic Qualifications:
• A minimum of 5 years of public relations/media relations experience
• Demonstrated history of pitching and placing media stories that support ESPN priorities
• Excellent PR, communications and writing skills – writing skills a must!
• Self-sufficient writer who can quickly and clearly identify news value and communicate it in concise fashion in a variety of ways, i.e. traditional press materials, social media, executive emails and media pitches
• Results-oriented and experienced in media pitching across spectrum of media (TV, print, online, radio, magazines, trades)
• Demonstrated knowledge/understanding of sports, media and news value
• Knowledge of and familiarity with ESPN business, programming, commentators
• National media contacts across TV (morning/late night), print, online, magazines, radio, trades
• Strategic and creative thinker
• Self-starter and positive personality
• Experience in public speaking
• Ability to handle multiple tasks on deadline in fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
• Knowledge of TV ratings and sports business landscape

Required Education
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience (related to communications or journalism preferred) or equivalent work experience

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d811pm-3-15-4-244-42 in your application.