Senior Press Manager

Summary

Join American Oversight, a nonpartisan nonprofit watchdog, as a Senior Press Manager. Reporting to the Communications Director, you will be a crucial link between AO and the press, building relationships with key reporters and editors. Responsibilities include managing press relations for ongoing investigations, writing press releases and other content, pitching stories, coordinating interviews, and monitoring news related to AO's work. This role requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, 4+ years in press relations with a focus on US politics, and strong writing, research, and project management skills. Preferred qualifications include experience with remote teams and pro-democracy organizations. American Oversight offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and a retirement plan.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of professional experience
• 4+ years of experience in press relations or a related field, including roles that involve generating earned media or engaging in fact-based advocacy, with 3+ years of experience working on issues related to U.S. politics, government, or public policy
• Experience working on projects and work products requiring rapid response and exceptional standards in fact-checking and accuracy
• High level of attention to detail and follow-through
• Research Skills: Ability to scan and process large, and at times disparate, amounts of information, and to effectively translate and communicate findings in a relatable and understandable format
• Project Management Skills: Experience multitasking and managing several projects with varying scopes, timelines, or stakeholders
• Writing Skills: Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality, public-facing work with limited supervision; adapt language or style to target audiences; and convey information with clarity and accuracy that is free from grammatical or spelling errors
• Judgment and Decision-making: Excellent political and professional judgment, maintaining keen awareness of political context and knowing when to seek additional support, troubleshoot problems, and suggest creative solutions
• Collaboration: Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile, and collaborative environment; is an inclusive, highly engaged team player who is able to recognize opportunities to help achieve shared goals
• Experience working in and/or desire to contribute to workplaces with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Exercises a high degree of confidentiality and discretion, professionalism, integrity, diplomacy, and ethics
• Familiarity with pro-democracy issues, including but not limited to voting rights, election administration, civil rights and civil liberties, or threats like abuse of power, corruption, or undue influence
• Position is located in the United States; must be available to work East Coast business hours with occasional evening and weekend hours, as needed

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Director of Communications to implement AO’s media relations strategy
• Manage press relations for several of AO’s ongoing investigations, lawsuits, or issues, including by: contributing to or developing communications plans, responding to and effectively managing incoming press inquiries, and identifying opportunities to proactively share information or expertise with the press
• Build and maintain relationships with reporters and news outlets that cover AO’s areas of work and ensure that AO is partnering effectively with appropriate press, including by identifying new reporters, outlets, or newsletters and by maintaining and updating targeted press lists
• Write, edit, and distribute press releases, talking points, press statements, advisories, updates on investigations, pitches, and other content (op-eds, blog posts, etc.) as assigned
• Develop and pitch stories about AO’s work to reporters, including highlighting newly obtained public records and/or sharing updates about key developments
• Coordinate, prepare for, and staff interviews between reporters and AO expert spokespeople, including developing talking points and preparing experts for interviews as needed
• Monitor the news related to AO’s priority issues to identify potential communications opportunities or developments that could impact AO’s work
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop effective media outreach strategies for designated topics, projects, and areas of responsibility
• Track and follow up on pitches, projects, or other initiatives to assess the success of strategies and use lessons learned to improve future plans
• Provide on-the-record comment to reporters regarding AO’s work as needed and approved by the Director of Communications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working among a diverse employee base that works remotely and is distributed across the United States
• Experience working for other pro-democracy organizations, campaigns, or congressional offices with high standards of responsiveness and accuracy

Benefits

• 80% of health, dental, and vision premiums paid by the organization
• A retirement plan with a matching contribution
• Remote-first location