Senior Manager, Public Relations

Hawke Media•Santa Monica, CA

10d•$75,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

Hawke Media is hiring a Senior Manager, Public Relations to lead PR strategy and client relationships across a portfolio of accounts. The role combines senior-level strategic counsel with hands-on media relations, from identifying story angles and advising client stakeholders to pitching journalists and securing coverage. The Senior Manager also contributes to communications strategy, reputation management, and crisis communications. The position includes directing contractors, writers, specialists, and junior PR team members; reviewing their work; and coaching them to meet quality and client expectations. The role owns account health, including results, client satisfaction, scope, budgets, and team performance, and contributes to renewals, new business, proposals, department processes, and the development of Hawke’s PR offering. The successful candidate is expected to exercise sound judgment, deliver strong client outcomes, and be prepared to take on broader team leadership as the department grows. This is a full-time, five-days-in-office position at Hawke Media’s Santa Monica, California headquarters. The annual salary range is $75,000–$85,000. Applicants must already be legally authorized to work in the United States; employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Requirements

At least 6 years of public relations or communications experience, including significant agency experience.
Demonstrated ability to independently own PR strategy and client relationships across multiple accounts.
Strong record of developing media strategies, pitching journalists, and securing meaningful earned-media coverage.
Experience managing contractors, specialists, or junior team members and holding others accountable for quality and deadlines.
Excellent strategic writing and editing skills, including pitches, messaging, strategic plans, executive communications, and client-facing materials.
Experience advising clients or senior stakeholders on complex, sensitive, or high-stakes communications.
Working knowledge of crisis communications and reputation management, including experience contributing to crisis strategy and response.
Strong judgment and ability to make sound decisions quickly with incomplete information.
Ability to connect communications recommendations to broader business, brand, and reputational considerations.
Strong knowledge of consumer PR and ability to work effectively across trade and B2B media as needed.
Deep familiarity with PR tools and workflows, including media databases, monitoring platforms, project management systems, and measurement and reporting tools.
Highly organized, with ability to manage multiple accounts, contributors, deadlines, and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to coach others, provide clear feedback, and raise the quality of work across a team.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire; employment visa sponsorship is not available.

Responsibilities

Own PR strategy and results for an assigned portfolio of clients, connecting communications strategy to business and brand objectives.
Advise clients on positioning, messaging, media strategy, reputation, and emerging opportunities.
Lead client meetings and strategic planning, turning business priorities into PR strategies and tactical plans.
Identify cultural, industry, and media trends that present opportunities or risks for clients.
Set meaningful client KPIs, assess performance, and adjust strategy as appropriate.
Build relationships with senior client stakeholders and manage expectations, difficult conversations, and changing priorities.
Contribute counsel on reputation management, sensitive communications, and crisis situations, including messaging, scenario planning, response strategy, and media considerations.
Develop differentiated story angles for consumer, trade, and business media; cultivate media relationships; pitch journalists; and secure coverage.
Identify opportunities for reactive commentary, thought leadership, contributed content, trend participation, and other earned-media strategies.
Review and improve team pitches, messaging, and media materials when appropriate.
Analyze media response and results to improve angles, targeting, and strategy; oversee and contribute to monthly and quarterly reporting.
Manage and direct contractors, writers, specialists, and junior PR team members supporting assigned accounts.
Translate client strategy into clear assignments, priorities, and expectations; review work for strategic quality, accuracy, and alignment; and hold contributors accountable for deadlines and standards.
Coach Strategists and other team members on media strategy, pitching, client management, and professional judgment.
Identify workflow, capacity, or performance issues and work with department leadership to resolve them; take on broader leadership responsibilities as the department grows.
Own account health across results, client satisfaction, scope, budget, and team performance; manage budgets and resources effectively.
Identify client-retention risks and develop solutions; identify appropriate opportunities to expand client relationships.
Participate in renewals, new business conversations, strategic ideation, and proposal development.
Partner with department leadership and other Hawke teams on integrated client opportunities.
Contribute to department processes, standards, training, and the ongoing development of Hawke’s PR offering.