Executive Director, Media Relations

College Board•New York, NY

2d•$144,000 - $210,000•Remote

About The Position

As Executive Director of Media Relations, you will lead a high-performing team responsible for shaping and safeguarding College Board’s national visibility and reputation. You will design and drive a disciplined, forward-looking media strategy across national, state, and local markets—strengthening trust and demand for our flagship programs, including the SAT Suite, Advanced Placement, and BigFuture, while elevating emerging priorities such as career readiness, AI-related initiatives, and program growth in rural areas. In a complex and highly scrutinized landscape, you will leverage media intelligence and strategic foresight to anticipate emerging issues, steward relationships with top-tier journalists, elevate executive visibility and thought leadership, and lead high-stakes media engagement in moments that shape public understanding. This is a consequential leadership role for a strategic, creative communicator who thrives under pressure and is motivated by the opportunity to shape national narratives and expand opportunity for all students.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public affairs, or related field required; advanced degree a plus
15+ years of progressive experience in media relations, public relations or strategic communications
5+ years leading and developing multi-person communications teams, including hiring, performance management, and coaching
Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, compelling narratives
Demonstrated success leading national media strategy for a high-profile, mission-driven organization or prominent principal
Deep experience engaging top-tier national media outlets and managing high-profile or sensitive issues
Proven track record developing and executing strategic communications plans across national, state, and local environments
Significant crisis communications and issues management experience in complex, fast-moving media landscapes
Experience directly advising and preparing senior executives or other high-visibility leaders for media engagement
Experience managing and optimizing external agency partnerships to ensure strategic alignment and measurable impact
A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work
Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and comfort with learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively
Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal
A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input
A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking
A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success
Authorization to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

Fluency in Spanish a plus

Responsibilities

Lead a high-performing media relations team and strengthen cross-divisional collaboration (15%)
Set vision and priorities for the team, track and mange progress to goals, and provide coaching and support to ensure team members meet and exceed goals, remain engaged, and contribute meaningfully to our mission
Cultivate an inclusive and high achieving culture that enables all team members to live out College Board’s Operating Principles. Bring proven leadership experience and consistently embody College Board’s Manager Expectations in your work.
Develop and execute a comprehensive enterprise media strategy (25%)
Translate organizational priorities and enterprise messaging into proactive and reactive media strategies that strengthen institutional credibility and public understanding
Identify and drive media opportunities aligned to College Board’s mission, strategic goals, and reputational priorities
Partner closely with teams across the organization to ensure message consistency, strategic alignment, and impact
Advise senior leaders on media engagement strategy, visibility, and reputational risk
Oversee media intelligence and anticipate emerging issues (15%)
Lead comprehensive monitoring and analysis of media coverage, sentiment, and narrative trends
Translate insights into actionable executive guidance that informs communications and operational decision-making
Identify emerging issues, policy dynamics, and reputational vulnerabilities early
Recommend proactive engagement or mitigation strategies to shape narratives before they escalate
Guide high-stakes media engagement and reputational response (20%)
Serve as the senior media lead during high-risk, high-visibility issues and sensitive inquiries
Assess complex or high-profile media requests and recommend engagement strategy, including whether and how to respond and who should serve as spokesperson
Develop clear, accurate, and strategically positioned statements, background materials, and Q&A documents
Coordinate executive interviews and media engagements when appropriate, ensuring preparation, message discipline, and follow-through
Partner closely with a range of College Board leaders and subject matter experts to deliver aligned, timely responses
Maintain and strengthen crisis protocols, escalation frameworks, and organizational readiness
Cultivate trusted media relationships to strengthen credibility and coverage quality (15%)
Build and maintain long-term, trust-based relationships with national, regional, and trade journalists
Engage reporters proactively through background briefings, contextual education, and strategic outreach
Serve as a reliable, credible resource to enhance accuracy and depth of coverage
Act as senior escalation point for sensitive or complex inquiries to protect and reinforce institutional reputation
Prepare and advise executive leaders for effective external engagement (10%)
Provide candid strategic counsel on engagement posture, tone, and risk in high-stakes media environments
Develop high-quality briefing materials, talking points, and Q&A that ensure message clarity and consistency
Deliver media training and rehearsal sessions that build confidence and discipline
Support high-profile interviews and public moments to maximize impact and minimize risk