Publicist, Music

Job Description

OVERVIEW

Across our organization, we're building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

This is a hands-on media relations staff position with the primary responsibility to raise awareness and tell the story of NPR – with a focus on NPR's events practice and external events appearances by NPR journalists and executives – through creative and comprehensive media outreach and effective placement in national and regional outlets. The successful candidate will work closely with the programming team and NPR Music as well as National Public Media, to provide publicity and social media support for events created by NPR and events in which NPR staff is participating. The candidate will work extensively throughout NPR, NPR member stations and the public broadcasting system to help generate awareness of NPR in national, regional and local media. The position reports to the Executive Director, Media Relations.

A portfolio of successful past media placements, including strategic social media plans, is required. The ideal candidate will have experience in fan engagement: taking social media interactions into real life actions. They will also have established contacts; writing, speaking, organizational and interpersonal skills; familiarity with NPR and public media; and the ability to comprehend and articulate complex issues and situations. They is also a self-starter who can independently initiate and follow through with opportunities; has strong problem-solving skills; proven excellence in juggling multiple, often high-pressure deadlines; and is passionate about news and media.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Serve as a media relations department liaison with key news and programming units, to identify, coordinate and complete publicity opportunities and incoming media requests. They will help support and grow these areas' external presence, activities and priorities through the generation and placement of ideas, stories and opportunities. Tasks to include story generation, internal follow-up, media contacting, research and fact-gathering, management of approval process and internal/external distribution.
• Aggressive and proactive media outreach to both familiar and new contacts in print, broadcast and online. Build personal network of media contacts relevant to NPR's activities.
• Develop social media strategies for live events and to support NPR staff at external conferences; create social media toolkits than can be shared with partners and member stations; bridge the gap between the social media experience and the events world.
• Maintain and expand department's media contact databases.
• Maintain and grow a cross-section of NPR media relations collateral materials, working with editorial supervisor as necessary. Post releases on NPR.org. Contribute to the ''NPR Extra'' blog.
• Serve as an NPR liaison with other PR departments, agencies and publicists on behalf of NPR talent to support their outside activities, enrich NPR station opportunities and protect NPR brand.
• Develop, research and producer a variety of publicity materials related to areas of responsibility –including but not limited to press releases, backgrounders, pitch letters, bios, website content and talking points – that are journalistically sound, creative in both approach and tone and help generate media coverage.
• Handle media relations support activities related to his/her efforts – including but not limited to tracking media results; distributing releases, coordinating interviews and visits; providing audio elements; special mailings, etc. – as well as work with NPR Marketing department on generating and fulfilling graphics and art requests and opportunities.
• Perform other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Minimum education experience, required or preferred. Bachelor's Degree

REQUIRED SKILLS
• 3-5 years' experience in increasingly-responsible staff positions, handling multiple media relations duties on a full-time basis. Experience working within a communications department for a media organization is preferred.
• Established contacts and proven placement success with regional and national consumer and trade media, including newspapers, magazines, blogs and digital, and experience pitching broadcast media. Appreciation for social media.
• Outstanding news judgment, writing, speaking, organizational and interpersonal skills; extraordinary attention to detail.
• Must be able to work independently and with a results-oriented approach; must be able to juggle multiple tasks with differing deadlines.
• Enthusiasm for collaborative team workplace; willingness to perform all functions of their job with minimal or no administrative support.
• Comprehension of NPR policies – including but not limited to NPR News ethics code – and utilization of them for decision-making in media relations activities.
• Self-starter with ability to independently initiate and follow through with opportunities; strong problem-solver
• Familiarity with, and interest in, NPR and public broadcasting strongly preferred

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r01q38-3-143-9-115-42 in your application.