Senior Digital & Media Relations Specialist

Hazen and Sawyer • Raleigh, NC

6d • $100,000 - $120,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Hazen and Sawyer is seeking a Senior Digital & Media Relations Specialist to join their Communications and Public Outreach practice. This role is for an individual who excels at the intersection of digital storytelling, press engagement, and in-person community connection. The position supports Hazen’s global brand presence by developing and managing social media content and channels, drafting press releases, media pitches, and talking points, and cultivating relationships with reporters and local media outlets. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong news judgment and social media instincts, well-versed in client and public engagement, and capable of building trust quickly with team members, the community, and other stakeholders. They should be comfortable with face-to-face external engagement and adept at handling sensitive public situations with ease. Experience in the water or environmental sector is preferred, particularly with water utilities or public agencies, as is prior agency or consulting experience in social media, media relations, or community/public engagement.

Requirements

• 8-10 years of professional experience in social media and media relations, public relations, communications, or community/public engagement
• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field
• Demonstrated success managing social media channels and creating content for a brand, agency, or client
• Experience drafting press materials and working directly with media contacts
• Strong writing, editing, and message development skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information for general audiences
• Skilled at building relationships with clients, public agencies, reporters, and diverse stakeholder groups
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously

Nice To Haves

• Experience working for a water or wastewater agency, or in a consulting agency working with water and wastewater agencies
• Experience working in a consulting agency or multi-client environment
• Established relationships with local, trade, or industry media covering infrastructure, environmental, or public health topics
• Familiarity with risk or crisis communications principles
• Experience planning or supporting public meetings and community engagement activities (in person and virtual)
• Experience collaborating with designers, videographers, or web developers to produce outreach and campaign materials

Responsibilities

• Build a scalable expansion strategy for Hazen’s current social media presence
• Strategically align, develop, schedule, and manage content calendars across Hazen social media channels
• Develop engaging posts that translate technical water and environmental work for current and potential clients, media and public audiences
• Monitor social channels for engagement opportunities, respond to comments and inquiries, and flag emerging issues or sentiment shifts
• Track and report on social media analytics and use insights to refine content strategy
• Stay current on platform trends, algorithm changes, and best practices, and recommend new tools or approaches
• Draft press releases, media advisories, fact sheets, and talking points for firm announcements
• Build and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, and trade/local media covering water, infrastructure, and environmental topics
• Pitch story ideas and coordinate interviews, ensuring spokespeople are prepared with clear, audience-appropriate messaging
• Monitor media coverage and prepare coverage summaries and clip reports for clients and leadership
• Support proactive and reactive media strategy, including guidance during sensitive or crisis communications
• Work with event staff and associations to build stronger community engagements particularly around our major offices
• Identify and analyze stakeholder groups and recommend engagement approaches tailored to diverse audiences
• Prepare compelling content for outreach materials for regional offices

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and prescription plans)
• Pre-tax flexible spending plans for medical, dependent care, and transportation
• Short and long-term disability, and employer paid life insurance
• Paid holidays, floating holidays, and paid time off (PTO)
• Employer-contributed 401(k) plan and additional financial planning support
• Professional growth opportunities, including tuition reimbursement, in-house training, and incentives for professional registration and professional organization memberships

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior