Director of Media Relations

Are you passionate about economic fairness and social justice?

Do you want to improve the lives of working people and strengthen the labor movement? If you answered, “Yes!” then the AFL-CIO may be the right place for you. We are the largest federation of labor unions in the United States, and our team of dynamic professionals is dedicated to growing worker power and ensuring every working person has a voice on the job. When you work at the AFL-CIO, you’re more than just an individual employee—you’re helping to lead a movement with a proud history and a bright future ahead.

The AFL-CIO

The AFL-CIO is the democratic, voluntary federation of 60 national and international labor unions that represent 12.5 million working men and women. We strive to ensure all working people are treated fairly, with decent paychecks and benefits, safe jobs, dignity, and equal opportunities.

Our work is anchored in making sure everyone who works for a living has family-supporting wages and benefits and the ability to retire with dignity. We advance legislation to create good jobs by investing tax dollars in schools, roads, bridges, ports and airports, and improving the lives of workers through education, job training and a livable minimum wage. We advocate for strengthening Social Security and private pensions, ensuring fair tax policies, and making high-quality, affordable health care available to all. We help make safe, equitable workplaces and give working people a collective voice to address workplace injustices without the fear of retaliation. We fight for social and economic justice and strive to vanquish oppression in all its forms.

Director of Media Relations

The AFL-CIO seeks a highly motivated Director of Media Relations skilled at leading all facets of press strategy and earned media for the labor federation. Must be comfortable operating in a high-pressure, high-velocity environment. This is a full-time management-level position that offers competitive salary and benefits.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Works directly with the Director and Deputy Director of Communications on strategic message development and execution.
• Manages and guides an earned media team and coordinates communications strategies with departments within the federation, as well as among union affiliates and progressive and state-based groups to develop and enhance pitches, stories and winning messages.
• Conceptualizes, develops and implements media strategies that will increase the level and quality of coverage of the organization’s positions.
• Supports cross-functional team efforts for the organization’s strategic visibility initiatives.
• Manages media relations and develops and maintains connections with reporters, bookers, producers, editorial boards that help the organization and its officers maximize media opportunities.
• Prepares organization’s leaders and senior staff for media interviews and appearances.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ senior leadership experience in strategic communications.
• Strong editorial judgment, writing and editing ability, and attention to detail. You should be able to quickly craft compelling, accurate, and typo-free press releases, editorial board memos, op-eds, and other written copy in an authentic voice that resonates with the media and our various stakeholders.
• Proven experience working with reporters, bookers, and other members of the media to pitch and produce stories; on-the-record spokesperson experience strongly preferred
• Experience preparing and staffing a senior level principal for media interviews and other press events
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team in developing and implementing work plans and foster mentoring relationships
• Strong interpersonal, communication, management, and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to manage relationships in complex political and sensitive organizational situations.
• Knowledge of current and emerging digital communications and social media strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, work well under pressure, and manage multiple priorities and projects effectively.
• Familiarity with unions or progressive organizations and policies.
• Ability to perform evening and weekend work. Some travel may be required.

Salary: $132,382.80

Apply here: Apply to AFL-CIO

Equal Opportunity Employer