Responsibilities
- Develop and lead the execution of a proactive and strategic communications and media engagement strategy for Studies Fellows, research, and publications.
- Working closely with Studies, this will include building and executing marketing plans for flagship works, ideas, and scholars themselves.
- Manage junior staff as a part of the team in support of said strategy.
- Draw on the resources and skills across the Communications team and support their professional development and growth.
- Collaborate with fellows and other key members of the organization, preparing them for media and public speaking engagements and refining their voice, and helping produce opportunities (e.g., op-eds, media appearances, etc.).
- Serve as the departmental deputy, working with the VP on overall management of the team, to include, for example, budget oversight, performance evaluations, and talent development.
- Serve as proxy for the Vice President when they are out of the office.
- Support management of systems and tools to track and respond to media requests, strengthen media relationships, coordinate media interactions, track and summarize media hits, and develop and maintain targeted media lists across the team.
- Support crisis communications and issues management as necessary in support of the department’s Directors for media relations and strategic communications.
- Work with colleagues across the institution to help drive attention to key Council initiatives, priorities, projects, and voices.
- Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required.
Requirements
- Bachelors degree in International Relations, Public Policy, Journalism, or a related field
- A minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within a think tank, high-level political campaign, or government agency (e.g., State Department or similar).
- Proven history of successful people management and professional development.
- Deep expertise in the foreign policy media ecosystem and contacts with national and international media outlets.
- Extensive experience navigating the intersection of policy, politics, and press.
- Experience using media tracking tools and databases such as MuckRack, Cision, Critical Mention, TV Eyes, and/or Meltwater.
- Experience designing and executing strategic marketing campaigns for books, reports, and/or other long tail projects.
- Superior writing, verbal, and digital communications skills.
- Strong working knowledge of media relations and issues management.
- Ability to provide rapid response guidance on breaking global events with minimal oversight.
- Exceptional confidence and ability to effectively engage with and brief senior executives and scholars.
- Proven ability to navigate complex organizations and build consensus among diverse intellectual viewpoints.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively engage with reporters, editors, columnists, producers, and bookers.
- Track record drafting statements, talking points and Q&As.
- Understanding of how social algorithms and digital ecosystems amplify traditional media hits to reach specific policy-making audiences.
- Self-starter and strategic thinker with the ability to prioritize and synthesize.
- Strong collaborator with solid negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
- Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-oriented, collaborative environment.
- Able to work under pressure quickly, effectively, and efficiently.
Nice to Have
- Experience working with scholars at a publisher, university, or similar
Additional Information
- Please submit a résumé and cover letter stating your interest in the position.
