The Public Relations Project Manager is responsible for playing an active role in msnbc.com’s public relations and marketing efforts, including media relations (pitching and national placement), writing effective press materials, developing and implementing cross promotion campaigns, successfully coordinating and managing projects and events, and providing support of the overall marketing and sales functions. Will be a strong evangelist in consumer-centric marketing and have a tight alignment between PR/marketing strategy and overall business goals. Track record of success within PR and online/news/media industries very strongly preferred. Below is a list of core duties and responsibilities:
PUBLIC RELATIONS:
- Manages the day-to-day public relations and communications functions
- Writes press materials, including news releases, fact sheets, Q&As and briefing documents
- Pitches and places stories with traditional and non-traditional media
- Manages proactive and reactive media outreach; Handles general media inquiries
- Ability to successfully manage interviews with senior management/talent
- Writes copy for internal and corporate communications (e.g. newsletters and promotional materials)
- Leverages social media and online tools to generate awareness and build brand
- Successfully develops and maintains relationships with key reporters
- Monitors and compiles news clippings; Creates daily, monthly/quarterly and annual highlights reels
- Builds, manages, and updates media lists
SALES MARKETING MANAGEMENT:
- Supports Sales enablement effort with powerful collateral
- Manages merchandising and licensing efforts to support Ad Marketing function at msnbc.com
-Helps translates marketing knowledge – consumer data, competitive assessments, branding efforts – into usable tools and materials for sales force
- Responsible for identifying, purchasing and maintaining inventory necessary for corporate needs (e.g. employee logo wear, event merchandise, sales materials)
-Coordinates with research, brand marketing and design to create collateral
- Selects and maintains profitable merchandising for online and retail outlets by working with VP of Marketing, NBC Retail Operations, Buyers and other entities
- Aggressively seeks appropriate revenue opportunities leveraging the msnbc.com brand
- As function evolves, proactively seeks opportunity to fill gaps and improve processes
- Meets regularly with sales team to assess needs
- Brainstorms and executes promotional ideas
ONLINE PROMOTION:
- Owns the organization, communication and overall management of msnbc.com’s on-site promotional space.
- Works with necessary properties (such as msnbc.com departments, NBC digital) to receive creative
- Schedules ads and manages the promo ad calendar
- Personally responsible for launching the ads and pulling them down
- Ensures that ads are tracked and reported as needed
PROJECT/EVENT MANAGEMENT:
- Leads the development and execution of brand-standard events
- Understands audience and helps set goals and objectives for projects/events
- Brainstorms “big ideas” for innovative branding and representation of msnbc.com
- Maximizes both internal and external (ad sales events, executive-level events, corporate announcements) events to meet goals
- Works with multiple stakeholders (NBC, Microsoft) to ensure success
- Keeps forward-looking calendar of potential events
- Maintains and works within event budget
- Responsible for post-mortem assessment of function and continual improvement
VIRAL/NON-TRADITIONAL MARKETING
- Implement Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategies
- Work with third parties to manage viral and SEM campaigns, identify keywords, create copy, and optimize bidding strategies for campaigns with search engines
- Tap into blogosphere to trigger Digital Word of Mouth (DWOM)
- Passionate attention to emerging social networks (such as Facebook and Twitter) with a focus on maximizing marketing opportunities in creative, authentic ways
- Successfully work with multiple parties to create and implement social media plans and track results
We are looking for the following qualifications:
- Passionate understanding of the msnbc.com consumer and unwavering ability to prioritize audience needs appropriately within business demands
- Must proactively grow and maintain knowledge of the media industry, publications and contacts
- Must personally synthesize info and likely has insatiable hunger for data and understanding “the big picture”
- Builds and leverages close working relationships with msnbc.com Editorial, Advertising, Technology, and Marketing teams in order to be “in the know”
- Must display unwavering confidence, energetic idea-generation, “can-do” attitude and laser focus on solutions despite stressful environment and sometimes conflicting goals
- Demonstrates ability to shift from strategic to tactical approaches as the business need dictates
A college education is required with 5+ years of experience in PR, Marketing and/or media industry. Candidates must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and high business ethics and integrity are non-negotiable requirements for this position. Candidates must be a critical thinker with strong analytical skills, able to work in a fast-paced, high-pressured, hectic environment, able to work independently and with a team. Must also be able to successfully meet deadlines, prioritize ever-changing workload, extremely flexible and able to manage multiple projects. Should be a creative problem solver, have exceptional writing skills and inspire and motivate those around you and maintain positive work environment at all costs.