Director of Communications (Media Relations and PR)

RAINN•Washington, DC

3d•Remote

About The Position

RAINN is seeking a Director of Communications with expertise in media relations and public relations to develop and execute earned media strategies. This role involves building editorial relationships, maximizing PR opportunities, and identifying strategic placements across various media platforms. The Director will lead RAINN's earned media strategy, connecting programmatic work with public conversations, and will partner with marketing and creative teams. The position reports to the VP of Communications, supervises the Entertainment Partnerships Manager, and is responsible for building and coaching RAINN's spokesperson bench. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of securing media coverage and a strong network within the media landscape.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive communications experience with a demonstrable record of placed coverage.
Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Political Science, English, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
Existing, active relationships with reporters, producers, podcast hosts, and editors.
Experience managing PR firms.
Fluency across the full earned-media surface area: legacy print and broadcast, podcasts, YouTube and creator channels, Substack, TikTok, and the entertainment ecosystem.
Experience cultivating partnerships with celebrities, athletes, musicians, creators, or entertainment industry professionals, or a track record demonstrating exceptional ability in this area.
Comfort working with publicists, agents, managers, and talent.
Outstanding writing skills across formats (pitches, op-eds, press statements, talking points).
An editor's eye and a reporter's nose.
On-camera and on-mic confidence; comfortable as a spokesperson.
Demonstrated experience media-training executives, experts, or advocates.
Steady under pressure, including in crisis communications and rapid-response moments.
Respect for RAINN's mission and a sophisticated understanding or fast study of sexual violence as a public issue.
Demonstrated technical proficiency in G Suite (Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar).
Comfort learning and leveraging new communications technologies, collaboration platforms, and digital tools.
Home office setup with dependable high-speed internet connection.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute RAINN's earned media strategy, identifying the most impactful outlets for specific audiences, moments, and goals.
Build and maintain relationships with reporters, producers, hosts, and creators across legacy print and broadcast, digital-native publications, podcasts, YouTube, creator channels, and emerging platforms.
Identify news pegs and cultural moments where RAINN's expertise is relevant and pitch original story ideas.
Place op-eds and ghostwrite for leadership.
Lead RAINN's entertainment PR strategy in partnership with the VP of Communications and the Entertainment Partnerships Manager, translating strategy into executable objectives and supporting tactical execution.
Connect entertainment partnerships to earned media outcomes, ensuring coverage and amplification.
Conceive and lead signature editorial projects, such as reports, research narratives, and documentary collaborations, to enhance RAINN's visibility and establish it as a go-to source.
Partner with the Public Policy team to elevate legislative priorities and advocacy efforts through strategic communications.
Support the VP of Communications with internal and crisis communications.
Build and manage RAINN's spokesperson bench, including training, prepping, and coaching spokespeople.
Develop talking points, message frameworks, and rapid-response materials.
Serve as a media-ready spokesperson when necessary.
Collaborate with the Senior Manager of Content and Community and Marketing Director to enhance organizational editorial capacity.
Develop and execute integrated communications strategies for federal and state policy priorities.
Lead, mentor, and manage the Entertainment Partnerships Manager.
Engage across the Comms team to measure, report, and elevate work.
Mentor team members on strategic instinct, relationship building, and placement craft.
Build collaborative relationships across programs and support teams.