Responsibilities

• Travel locally 2-3 days a week to various community centers within Greater New York to identify and develop media-worthy stories and support local staff in interviews.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with media contacts to facilitate effective pitching and coverage.
• Write engaging op-eds, press releases, blog posts, and other PR materials.
• Pitch compelling stories to local media outlets to enhance visibility and awareness of our mission.
• Effectively communicate with local staff and Officers to gather and execute on media opportunities.
• Develop briefing materials for Salvation Army officers and staff ahead of media interviews, ensuring they are well-prepared with key messaging, talking points, and guidance on handling sensitive or difficult questions professionally.
• Coordinate outreach and relationship-building efforts with elected officials, community leaders, and political candidates, including preparing briefing materials and logistics for meetings and visits.
• Research, write, and submit award applications and nominations highlighting the achievements of Salvation Army programs, staff, volunteers, and community impact initiatives.
• Work closely with the local marketing and fundraising teams to generate ideas and to amplify impact of stories through inclusion in digital marketing initiatives and donor outreach.
• Collaborate with our national in-house and contracted PR teams to support national media opportunities in New York and provide local assistance.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in public relations, journalism, or related field, preferably with experience in nonprofit or community-based organizations.
• Proven track record of successful media pitching and securing coverage.
• Knowledge of Greater New York media landscape and existing media contacts required.
• Strong writing skills with the ability to create clear, persuasive content for various platforms.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with internal teams.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Detail oriented, able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and driven to achieve success independently and as part of a team.
• Strong initiative to identify and complete tasks independently.
• Flexibility, with the understanding that we need to be creative on our approach to projects and occasionally support our colleagues on projects that benefit the team and our mission.
• Professional and positive manner.

Preferred

• Experience coordinating with local elected officials for site visits.