US Media Relations Manager

bp • Houston, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

bp is undergoing a significant strategic reset aimed at simplifying the company, strengthening competitiveness, and delivering energy with greater resilience. This includes rebalancing investment toward high-value hydrocarbons while continuing to advance select transition growth engines. The United States remains central to bp’s global strategy and is its largest operational footprint, employing over 30,000 people and supporting around 300,000 jobs. bp continues to grow production from its US onshore and offshore assets, invest in two US refineries and expand its fuel retail businesses. The US Media Relations Manager offers an opportunity to build how bp tells its story across the US media landscape. You will help define bp’s US media strategy, build relationships with key journalists and position bp as a leading voice on energy, technology and policy topics. This role will report to the US Press team lead, and act as one of bp’s spokespeople in the United States. While establishing and encouraging media relationships are at the core of this team, this person is charged with pro-actively pitching, placing and promoting content on earned channels about bp’s strategy delivery. Foundational to this role is an understanding of external communications environment – where it currently stands and how it’s evolving. The successful candidate will be intellectually curious, focused on continually learning about bp's businesses and the key factors driving their growth, and consistently learning about how communications channels are evolving. They will be adept at developing relationships both within bp and among key stakeholders, including media, and will provide thoughtful and substantive guidance to key bp executives ahead of external engagements. The candidate is expected to be a motivated team player, committed to contributing collaboratively and tackling new opportunities.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public affairs or related field.
• Professional experience in corporate communications, journalism, or public affairs.
• Experience working with major media outlets.
• Experience supporting senior executives in complex news environments.
• A passion for learning policy and business issues; experience turning complex ideas into impactful stories.
• Strong understanding of the US media landscape and energy/policy environment.
• Excellent speaking, writing and editing skills.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work and manage multiple priorities under deadline pressure.
• Demonstrate sound judgment and absolute discretion in handling confidential data.
• Ability to travel as needed (25% of work time).
• Ability to work in bp’s Houston at least three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Develop and executive proactive media outreach strategies that advance bp’s business priorities and reputation.
• Develop and cultivate positive relationships with national, regional and trade media.
• Translate complex business and policy matters into compelling narratives.
• Draft press materials including statements, talking points, op-eds, briefing documents and media advisories.
• Serve as a knowledgeable media consultant to bp leadership and staff media interviews with press.
• Coordinate communications between press offices in the US and London, our US businesses and communications teams, Investor Relations and our federal, state and international affairs teams to ensure message consistency.
• Ability to quickly respond to complex and rapidly evolving issues, including emerging news stories and live events.
• Remain focused on clear and consistent messages, notably around nuanced issues, to reach key audiences, including policymakers and policy influencers.

Benefits

• flexible working options
• paid parental leave policy
• reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment

What This Job Offers

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