Manager, Media Relations

Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

$81K/yr – $98K/yrManager5+ years expFull time

Posted 2 weeks ago

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Job Summary

Own and shape earned media for culture and sports driven consumer brands, aligning media strategy with creative KPIs and cross-functional programs.

  • Culture-driven media: lead innovative campaigns from sports moments to social conversations and secure authentic coverage.
  • Strategic partnerships: build journalist, podcaster, and influencer relationships to drive high impact wins.
  • Team leadership and collaboration: mentor juniors, coordinate events, and align program interplays with client goals.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Be a Culture Shaper: You won’t just follow trends; you’ll help create them. You will develop and execute innovative earned media campaigns that place our brands at the center of culture, from major sporting events like the Super Bowl to the daily conversations happening on social media.
  • Master the Media Game: From drafting killer pitches to building real relationships with top-tier journalists, podcasters, and snacking bloggers, you’ll be the driving force behind our media strategy. Your goal: to secure high-impact coverage that feels both authentic and exciting.
  • Become a Trusted Partner: Serve as a key day-to-day contact for our clients, providing sharp, strategic counsel. You’ll manage everything from high-stakes event logistics to program interplay, ensuring we deliver excellence every step of the way.
  • Fuel Our Creative Engine: You’ll be a key voice in creative brainstorms, constantly bringing fresh ideas to the table. You’ll help us develop realistic and accurate KPIs that prove our impact and share our wins to keep the whole team inspired.
  • Mentor and Lead: Guide and develop our junior staff, coaching them to become the next generation of communications superstars and fostering a team environment built on collaboration and gusto.

Requirements

  • A Proven Track Record: 5-7 years of public relations experience, with a deep passion for pop culture, sports, and consumer brands.
  • Media Relations Expertise: You have strong, existing relationships with media and influencers and a knack for turning those connections into incredible coverage. Youtre fluent in everything from traditional media to podcasts and Substack.
  • Strategic & Creative Thinking: Youre a master at crafting compelling story angles, developing integrated media plans, and optimizing campaigns in real-time to maximize success.
  • Leadership & Collaboration: You know how to lead a team, manage complex projects, and work effectively with a diverse range of partners. Your communication and presentation skills are second to none.
  • Unmatched Passion: You have an infectious enthusiasm for the work (happy to raise your hand) and a relentless drive to deliver results.
      Weber Shandwick logo

      Weber Shandwick

      Weber Shandwick is the earned-first global communications agency. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, Weber Shandwick has won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including being named #1 in the Public Relations and Brand Strategies category on Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies list, one of Fast Company’s Best Workplace for Innovators in 2023, PRWeek’s 2024 Global Agency of the Year, ranked #1 on PRovoke’s Global Creative Index in 2024 and honored on Ad Age’s A-List in 2024 & 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019, in addition to being awarded Campaign Global’s PR Agency of the Year in 2023. Weber Shandwick was the most awarded PR agency at the 2023 and 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, including earning the PR industry’s first-ever idea-led Cannes Grand Prix in the Brand Experience & Activation category and cumulatively earning more than 225 Cannes Lions. Weber Shandwick has also been named PR Agency of the Year by Campaign US in 2021, honored as PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and ranked #1 on PRovoke’s Global Creative Index in 2021 and 2022. Additionally, the firm was named PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and was awarded PRWeek’s Purpose Agency of the Year in 2020 and 2021. Weber Shandwick also received Honorable Mention on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies in 2021, as the only PR agency featured.  Part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), Weber Shandwick is the anchor agency within The Weber Shandwick Collective – the strategic communications and consulting network. For more information, visit https://www.webershandwick.com/. Social Media Community Guidelines: http://bit.ly/wssocialterms

      Founded in 2001
      New York, NY, US
      4.4K employees (1,170 in marketing)

      Traffic Signals

      Monthly Visitors
      74.1K
      Traffic Source Mix
      Search
      36%
      Direct
      46.1%
      Referral
      5.6%
      Social
      11.7%
      Paid
      0.4%

      Headcount Trend

      Current headcount: ~4.4K

      Marketing Team

      Marketing Team Size
      882 (20% of company)
      Median Career Experience
      14 years
      Median Tenure
      7 years
      Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
      36

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