Public Relations Specialist
Salary Range: $62,000–$68,000
Status: Exempt
Department: Marketing & Communications
Position Overview
The Public Relations Specialist supports and advances public relations and media efforts for Newfields, including media outreach, storytelling, and communications materials. This role plays a key part in shaping the institution’s public image, generating earned media, and supporting communications during sensitive or high-profile situations. This position reports to the Assistant Director of Communications and does not have supervisory responsibilities.
The ideal candidate is a creative, organized, and strategic communicator with strong storytelling instincts and experience in media relations. This position includes public-facing opportunities, serving as a representative of the Newfields brand.
Detailed Description & Responsibilities
The following responsibilities describe the general nature of work for employees in this position, but this is not intended as an exclusive or all-inclusive inventory.
Objectives of This Role:
- Support the Assistant Director of Communications and PR Coordinator in executing public relations and public-facing communications strategies
- Grow and maintain brand awareness through earned media coverage and communications efforts
- Build, nurture, and leverage relationships with media partners
- Support tracking of PR goals, performance, and related budget considerations
Media Relations & Engagement
- Write and distribute press releases, media alerts, and related materials for exhibitions, programs, and institutional initiatives
- Pitch stories to local, regional, national, and trade media
- Maintain and grow relationships with key media contacts
- Manage media lists and support targeted outreach strategies
- Serve as a spokesperson for Newfields in media interviews when appropriate
- Prepare staff and leadership for media interviews, including talking points and messaging
- Host on-site media, including coordinating film/photography shoots and interviews (including outside regular working hours as needed)
- Plan and execute press events for exhibitions, programs, and announcements
- Track and report on earned media coverage
Strategic Communications & Crisis Support
- Support the development of key messaging and institutional storytelling
- Assist in planning and executing communications strategies aligned with organizational priorities
- Support crisis and issues management by drafting statements, FAQs, and internal/external communications as needed
- Partner with the Assistant Director of Communications to ensure timely and thoughtful responses during sensitive situations
- Provide input on reputational considerations and messaging approach
Operations & Internal Collaboration
- Manage external vendors or contract support (e.g., media training, PR agencies, specialized counsel) as assigned
- Support internal communications needs, including drafting messaging for printed and digital materials
- Represent the department in internal meetings as needed
- Collaborate cross-functionally across the organization to support institutional priorities
Required Skills
- Strong ability to prioritize work, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines
- Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling, and public speaking
- High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and consistency
- Flexible, resourceful, and collaborative working style
- Ability to work cross-departmentally in a complex organizational environment
- Strong interpersonal skills and professional judgment in public-facing situations
- Ability to anticipate needs and proactively problem-solve
Education and/or Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field
- 3–5 years of experience in public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field
- Experience in a museum, cultural institution, nonprofit, or agency setting preferred
- Demonstrated experience supporting media relations and, ideally, crisis communications
- Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills
- Experience working with media monitoring and PR tools (e.g., Muck Rack or similar platforms)
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
Physical Demands of Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the position. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
