Senior Public Relations Specialist

Responsibilities

• Work with the PR Director to shape and execute PR plans and campaigns that advance CarGurus’ business priorities, brand platform, and reputation.
• Support priority launches and campaigns across our markets, with the flexibility to lead end-to-end workstreams where needed. Responsibilities may include messaging development, press materials, media outreach, briefing development, spokesperson preparation, launch-day coordination, and measurement.
• Lead coordination of priority PR workstreams, managing timelines, approvals, deliverables, and communications with internal stakeholders and external agency partners.
• Build trusted relationships with reporters and editors across automotive, consumer, business, technology, lifestyle, and personal finance media.
• Identify timely news angles that bring CarGurus’ products, market perspective, research, and expertise to life.
• Turn complex data, market research, and automotive trends into clear, accurate, media-ready and customer-ready insights.
• Write and edit high-quality press releases, media pitches, briefing documents, spokesperson talking points, FAQs, reactive statements, award submissions, and other external communications.
• Identify and execute opportunities to elevate CarGurus subject-matter experts through media interviews, contributed articles, podcasts, panels, awards, and speaking opportunities.
• Support PR Director with crisis/issues management and reactive communications, including fact gathering, holding statements, FAQs, Q&A preparation, internal coordination, and timely media response. Escalate significant reputational risks to the Director.
• Track and report on share of voice, coverage quality, message pull-through, sentiment, and other agreed indicators of PR impact. Use results and insights to improve future campaigns and recommendations.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in public relations, communications, journalism, or a related field, ideally including experience at a PR agency.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, compelling copy for different audiences and formats.
• Demonstrated ability to turn complex data, research, or technical information into accessible stories and useful insights for media and customers.
• A track record of developing and executing media relations programs with results in top-tier national media, ideally with international experience.
• Comfort working with data and research, including the ability to interpret findings accurately and identify the strongest communications angles.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and composure when handling sensitive or fast-moving issues.
• A proactive, organized, and collaborative working style, with the ability to move important work forward without heavy oversight.
• Curiosity about the automotive industry, consumer behavior, technology, and lifestyle trends.
• A roll-up-your-sleeves approach and a willingness to stay close to both strategy and execution.

Benefits

• This annual base salary forms part of a comprehensive Total Rewards Package. In addition to benefits, this role may qualify for discretionary bonuses/incentives and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).
• We reward our Gurus’ curiosity and passion with best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us.
• Our career development and corporate giving programs, as well as our employee resource groups (ERGs) and communities, help people build connections while making an impact in personally meaningful ways.
• A flexible hybrid model and robust time off policies encourage work-life balance and individual well-being.
• Thoughtful perks like daily free lunch, a new car discount, meditation and fitness apps, commuting cost coverage, and more help our people create space for what matters most in their personal and professional lives.