Public Affairs Manager

About the role

The Manager, Public Affairs oversees the implementation of external media and public affairs initiatives. They serve as an official spokesperson for the company in crisis/response media communications and other forms of communication with external stakeholders. They assist in managing and coordinating strategic media and public affairs activities with facility spokespersons, government partners, and other key stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Cultivates and facilitates stakeholder advocacy for the company, to include researching and developing strategic messaging that enhances the company's reputation and relationships with stakeholders.
• Focuses project management and event planning around stakeholder outreach efforts, as well as development and maintenance of email database and regular communications.
• Compiles information and reports on corporate thought leadership initiatives.
• Serves as mentor and subject matter expertise resource to other members of the Public Affairs team and other departments across the enterprise as needed.
• Writes and produces news releases, talking points, technical papers, correspondence, and other professionally written materials/content in multiple formats.
• Supports responses to media inquiries by gathering information, drafting statements, coordinating approvals, and assisting company spokespersons.
• May serve as a spokesperson for designated initiatives as experience and business needs dictate.
• Engages members of the media and pitches newsworthy stories that promote the brand and reputation of the company while educating the public about the company's programs, services and related achievements.
• Serves as a liaison between the company and various stakeholders, including government partners, facility spokespersons, and other key stakeholders.
• Supports department leadership in building and maintaining strategic relationships with stakeholders and allies for the company.
• Aids in the development and management of stakeholder outreach, messaging, and related strategies.
• Develops, integrates, and manages projects, to include event planning and other community, public, and media relations activities as needed.
• Conducts and coordinates internal and external research as needed to support public affairs and partnership development initiatives, including reporting support for thought leadership efforts.
• Assists in the development and coordination of communications resources, media guidance, and training materials for facility public information officers (PIOs).
• Collaborates with and provides communications support to other members of the Communications team as well as other departments across the enterprise, sharing best practices as needed and requested.
• Participates in and completes special public affairs projects as assigned by department leadership and senior management.

Requirements

• Graduate from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Public Relations or related field is required.
• 3–5 years of experience in public relations, public affairs, corporate communications, journalism, or media relations is required.
• Correctional and/or criminal justice experience may be substituted for the experience requirement on a year-for-year basis, with at least two years of experience in a public information officer/spokesperson-related role.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement is required.
• Experience supporting media relations, preparing spokesperson materials, coordinating media inquiries, or developing external communications is preferred.
• Experience in managing social media platforms is preferred.

Qualifications

• Effective communication skills; written, verbal, and listening, are required.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with all levels of the organization, including senior management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is required.