Director-Public Relations

Explore St. Louis•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

Working closely with agency partners and regional stakeholders, including Greater St. Louis, Inc., this role ensures a cohesive, amplified St. Louis story across tourism, business and economic development audiences. The PR Director will work collaboratively with our internal departments to effectively support tourism growth, convention sales and destination reputation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing or related field required. Advanced degree preferred.
Equivalent senior-level experience will be considered
Deep knowledge of St. Louis and its visitor economy
Strong storytelling, writing and editorial planning skills
Experience aligning PR with social and digital content strategies
Highly collaborative with strong internal and external relationship skills
Strong connector across media, hospitality and cultural sectors
Deep curiosity about travel, culture and emerging trends
Strategic mindset with clear understanding of PR’s role in destination growth
Confident external representative of the destination
Highly organized with ability to manage multiple priorities

Responsibilities

Lead national, international and regional PR strategies that elevate St. Louis’ profile and shape destination narrative
Drive media strategies that support convention sales, major events and key announcements
Support executive visibility for Explore St. Louis leadership, including the President and CEO, by identifying and securing media speaking opportunities, interviews and thought leadership positioning that elevate the destination narrative
Oversee local, national and international media outreach for Explore St. Louis, America’s Center and the St. Louis Film Office, with a focus on elevating the Film Office as a driver of national and global destination awareness
Collaborate with the partnerships team to align PR messaging and develop tools, story frameworks and communications that enable partners to amplify the St. Louis narrative
Expand media strategy to include podcasts, digital-first outlets and emerging media platforms, ensuring outreach reflects evolving media consumption habits
Manage national and international agency relationships to ensure alignment with organizational priorities
Track and analyze media performance to optimize strategy and impact
Plan and execute media hosting and familiarization tours
Maintain alignment with Greater St. Louis, Inc. to ensure a unified regional story
Identify timely story angles tied to openings, events and cultural moments across the destination
Develop press materials including releases, media alerts, itineraries and story starters
Plan and execute press conferences and media events as needed
Align PR strategy with paid, owned and earned efforts in collaboration with marketing
Partner with social and content leads to integrate PR priorities into channel planning and campaigns
Ensure earned media storytelling is reflected across owned platforms including social, website, blog and newsletters
Work closely with the Director of Brand Voice to align PR strategy with brand positioning and messaging
Collaborate on editorial storytelling and destination features that support media pitching