Sr. Manager, Public Relations

Tapestry•New York, NY

About The Position

Kate Spade New York is a global lifestyle brand within the Tapestry portfolio. The Sr. Manager, Public Relations leads integrated public relations and VIP talent strategy to strengthen brand relevance, support business priorities, and generate earned visibility. The role partners with global and regional teams to translate brand strategy into communications priorities and locally relevant execution across international markets. The position leads proactive media relations and editorial relationships across fashion, lifestyle, business, and culture; develops and distributes PR materials; and shapes communications plans for launches, campaigns, partnerships, and events. It also supports executive visibility, prepares spokespersons, and handles sensitive media inquiries in partnership with leadership and internal teams. The role owns VIP talent strategy and execution, including talent relationships, dressing, seeding, gifting, event engagement, and partnership opportunities. It directs PR and VIP agencies, manages scopes and budgets, and works cross-functionally to connect earned media and VIP activity with broader brand initiatives. The manager also advances PR’s contribution to answer engine optimization and large language model discovery, and establishes objectives and reporting to evaluate program outcomes. The position requires at least six years of public relations management experience in fashion or a related industry, a bachelor’s degree, experience managing VIP talent and direct reports, and working knowledge of AEO and LLM discovery. The role emphasizes communication skills, strategic communications program execution, fashion brand understanding, organization, and the ability to mentor and develop talent.

Requirements

At least 6 years of public relations management experience in fashion PR or a relevant industry such as beauty or lifestyle.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proven experience managing VIP talent and high-touch relationships.
Extensive experience with corporate and spokesperson message development.
Strong understanding of premium fashion brand aesthetics and the marketplace.
Detail-oriented, proactive, and able to multitask and prioritize.
Experience developing and overseeing successful strategic communications programs.
Working knowledge of answer engine optimization (AEO) and large language model (LLM) discovery, including how earned media, authoritative sources, and consistent brand messaging support AI-driven visibility; ability to translate emerging practices into PR strategy with SEO and digital specialists.
Proven experience managing direct reports and mentoring talent, including providing clear expectations, actionable feedback, and career-development coaching.
Bachelor’s degree.
Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and contribute to group discussions.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of the evolving fashion and retail industry, emerging trends, and drivers of cultural conversations among target audiences.
Excitement for creative thinking and bringing forward new ideas to push brand boundaries.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of an integrated PR and VIP talent strategy aligned with brand relevance and business priorities.
Partner with global and regional teams to translate brand strategy into communications priorities and locally relevant international execution.
Drive proactive media relations across fashion, lifestyle, business, and culture, building senior editorial relationships and identifying opportunities for brand storytelling.
Lead the development, approval, and distribution of press releases, messaging, media briefs, executive talking points, and other PR materials.
Shape integrated PR plans for launches, campaigns, partnerships, and events, coordinating outreach to maximize coverage and cultural impact.
Partner with Tapestry Corporate Communications to build executive visibility through media engagements and speaking opportunities, and prepare spokespersons for appearances.
Handle sensitive media inquiries and emerging issues in partnership with leadership and relevant internal teams.
Own VIP talent strategy and execution, including identifying and cultivating talent relationships aligned with the brand.
Build trusted relationships with talent, publicists, managers, agents, and stylists, serving as a primary brand contact and exercising discretion.
Lead VIP dressing, product seeding, gifting, and event engagement, coordinating outreach, product, placements, and follow-through.
Develop and evaluate VIP partnership opportunities, including appearances and campaign participation; partner with Legal, Finance, and other teams on negotiations, agreements, deliverables, and execution.
Direct PR and VIP agencies, overseeing briefs, priorities, scopes, budgets, coordination, execution, and results.
Partner with Social, Influence, Marketing, Creative, Editorial, Digital, and Paid Media teams to connect and amplify earned media and VIP activity.
Advance PR’s role in AEO and LLM discovery strategy with SEO, Digital, and Editorial teams; monitor brand mentions and source citations to inform strategy.
Set objectives and reporting for PR and VIP programs, evaluate coverage quality, message pull-through, talent engagement, and strategic impact, and refine plans based on results and cultural insights.
Manage direct reports and mentor talent through clear expectations, actionable feedback, coaching, and career development.