Responsibilities

• Lead the vision and strategy for Collaborative’s public relations practice, ensuring alignment with client goals and firm values.
• Advise senior client partners, foundation leaders, and nonprofit executives on media positioning, storytelling, and reputation management.
• Translate complex education and social impact topics into accessible, influential narratives that resonate with policymakers, educators, and the public.
• Anticipate opportunities and risks within the media landscape; provide proactive counsel and rapid response strategies when needed.
• Oversee the development and execution of earned media plans—from message strategy and pitch development to relationship management and coverage tracking.
• Cultivate and maintain trusted relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across national, local, and education trade outlets (Education Week, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The 74, etc.).
• Lead the creation and placement of op-eds, bylines, press materials, and strategic announcements that elevate clients’ thought leadership.
• Experiment with innovative engagement tactics (from briefings and conference participation to desk-side meetings and letter-to-the-editor campaigns).
• Partner with internal teams to align PR strategy with content, messaging, and broader narrative goals.
• Contribute to message frameworks, talking points, and executive briefing materials.

Requirements

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in public relations, media relations, or integrated communications, ideally within education, philanthropy, or social impact sectors.
• A proven record of securing meaningful coverage and building long-term journalist relationships, especially in education and trade media.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, news judgment, and writing/storytelling skills.
• Comfortable advising and partnering with senior executives and spokespeople.
• Experience managing complex projects across multiple clients and issue areas.
• Collaborative leadership style with a commitment to mentorship, values-driven work, and continuous learning.
• Familiarity with the interplay between earned, owned, and paid media; understanding of how media strategies connect to broader movement-building and engagement goals.