Director of Communications

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Director of Communications will primarily manage day-to-day communications, events, and media relations for PBS News and its portfolio of broadcast, digital, and special programming; plan and coordinate talent and executive events in partnership with Development; and manage the organization’s award submissions.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Manage day-to-day communications and promotion of PBS News programming including PBS News Hour, Washington Week with The Atlantic, Horizons, and Compass Points, and their talent, enterprise reporting, and special programming with stakeholders, audiences, media, local stations and WETA staff.

· Plan and coordinate PBS News talent events and local station visits, in partnership with Development.

· Oversee PBS News’ award submissions process and calendar of submissions.

· Write and distribute press materials including press releases, programming announcements and press clips.

· Draft and help craft brand talking points and executive communications, including for on the record purposes.

· Manage PBS News’ media tool kits including anchor, correspondent, moderator and host bios; headshots; studio and field photo collateral; and highlight and historical video footage alongside PBS News’ Marketing Associate.

· Monitor daily coverage of PBS News programming and talent and industry news with support from PBS News’ Marketing Associate.

· Perform related special projects or other duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

· Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy; an ability to self-edit.

· Excellent writing and communication skills, including familiarity with AP style.

· Ability to multi-task and juggle multiple deadlines; experience working in a fast-paced environment with responsibilities that change by the hour.

· Sound judgment and discretion under deadline pressure, including comfort representing the organization on the record and handling embargoed or sensitive material.

· Experience planning and executing talent, executive and donor-facing events, and working in partnership with Development colleagues.

· Understanding of current media landscape as well as proficiency on social platforms.

· Well-informed in a wide range of topic areas including politics and public policy, the media industry, and digital media.

· Experience working with different types of digital media, including video and audio.

· General ability to perform HTML coding.

· Ability to work independently and a willingness to learn new skills as needed.

· Knowledge of Photoshop, Mailchimp, and Cision are beneficial. 

ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

· College degree.

· Seven to ten years of experience working in public relations, with experience in journalism or political spaces. Or equivalent combination of education and experience.

EDUCATION:

· BA/BS (4-Year College / University Degree)

LOCATION:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

WETA, the flagship public media station in the nation’s capital, produces and distributes content that informs, inspires, and enriches lives.

As the second-largest producing station for the public media system, WETA creates programming to explore history, arts, and culture, partnering with acclaimed filmmakers such as Ken Burns and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. National WETA productions include The American Revolution and Finding Your Roots, among many others. WETA is also home to PBS News, the primary daily, breaking, and special news producer for PBS. Its broadcast productions include PBS News Hour, Washington Week with The Atlantic, Horizons from PBS News, and Compass Points from PBS News, as well as specials, documentaries, and a robust footprint across digital platforms.

Locally, WETA serves audiences across Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, through television, radio, and digital platforms. Audiences access WETA on broadcast channels WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA Metro, WETA World, and WETA PBS Kids, and digitally through the free streaming platform WETA+. Listeners tune into WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the Greater Washington area, via radio, online, and the WETA Classical app. Benefits | WETA

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.