Public Relations & Communications Manager

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library encompasses an unrivaled museum of American decorative arts in its mansion and galleries and a magnificent 60-acre naturalistic garden—all set on 1,000 gorgeous acres.

Winterthur employs a wide array of positions in the areas of curatorial, horticulture, education, conservation, library, maintenance, marketing, development, technology, and administration.

Winterthur offers a unique and rewarding experience that is rich in culture and natural beauty. Winterthur considers its employees and volunteers to be among its greatest assets and welcomes applications from candidates who will contribute their specific skills to its mission “to inspire, enlighten, and delight all of its visitors while preserving and enhancing [Winterthur]” and also uphold its core values of agility, excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusion, and transparency.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Communications Manager is responsible for developing and implementing Winterthur Museum, Garden &Library’s media communications strategy. This position is responsible for cultivating working relationships with the media across multiple communications platforms, and for developing and maintaining relationships with internal and external constituents to effectively advance the institution’s mission, visibility, and reputation for excellence on a local, regional, and national level.

The Communications Manager will identify, pitch, and place stories in the news media; supervise media relations efforts; serve as a spokesperson for the institution; generate materials to support communications and media relations; advise and deploy crisis communications strategies during emergencies and/or disseminate information critical to museum operations; and collaborate with various community and regional partners, Convention and Visitor Bureaus, State Tourism and other regional destinations, as well as other nonprofits, to further the mission and visibility of Winterthur.

The Communications Manager will also collaborate with departments across the institution on initiatives, creatively engaging colleagues in achieving strategic communication goals. They will also work closely with the Marketing Department toward achieving audience, revenue, attendance, and engagement goals as established by the Director of Marketing and Technology.

Compensation: $65,000 - $70,000 per year

Benefits:  Including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid time off plan including 10 holidays, vacation, personal, and sick time; 403b with employer match for eligible employees; discounts in the museum store and cafe; free general admission for you and your immediate family.

Work Schedule:  Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Responsibilities:

1. Responsible for developing and implementing Winterthur’s media communications plan, which includes public relations and crisis communications.
2. Generates materials to support communications and media relations including press releases, leadership bios, briefing papers, media statements, talking points, announcements, related presentation materials, or other oral or written communications for institutional leadership.
3. Cultivates and maintains effective working relationships with writers, editors, and producers in print and electronic media. Anticipates news coverage and trends. Is familiar with issues and news related to the institution.
4. Researches and generates original content for stories and articles.
5. Identifies and pitches stories to local, regional, and national media in an effort to promote compelling stories to advance the institution’s mission, visibility, and reputation for excellence.
6. Directs media relations efforts and serve as spokesperson and/or media relations liaison during press previews, press conferences, media interviews, and press visits as necessary.
7. Cultivate a strong leadership and collaborative approach to cross-marketing with a variety of community and regional partners and constituencies including Convention and Visitor Bureaus, State Tourism and other regional destinations, as well as other nonprofits, in order to further the mission and visibility of the museum.
8. Analyzes metrics to gauge and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of media activities. Creates actionable data and applies market research to identify communication needs and target audiences.
9. Collaborates with departments across the institution on initiatives, projects, and goals. Inspires and creatively engages colleagues in achieving strategic communications goals.
10. Advises, guides, and deploys crisis communications strategies during emergencies, or instances when the dissemination of information is critical to the museum’s operations.
11. Serves on various teams and committees.
12. Performs other duties as needed

Minimum Experience: B.A. in public relations, communications, marketing, business, journalism, or related field with 5-7 years of experience in communications, public relations, or related field.

Preferred Experience: B.A. in public relations, communications, marketing, business, journalism, or related field. MBA, Masters, or equivalent experience a plus, with 7+ years professional experience in communications, public relations, or related field. Prior experience in museum or higher education setting preferred.

Knowledge/Skills:

1. Must possess strong project management organizational skills, ability to work under pressure, ability to juggle multiple projects at once, and to meet deadlines.
2. Must possess exemplary verbal, written, and listening communication skills and a demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
3. Must be a positive ‘people person’ with the ability to manage high-stress situations, and use conflict-resolution tactics to diffuse differences of perspective or opinion.
4. Must possess technology competence, proficiency in media management systems, related communications support software, major social media platforms, Microsoft suite of products.
5. Must be comfortable with public speaking.
6. Must be team-oriented and enjoy working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment and with internal and external stakeholders on initiatives and goals.
7. Demonstrated experience in pitching and placing stories in the news media.
8. Should possess the ability to build and cultivate positive, effective working relationships with local, state, and national media partners.
9. Understands the interconnectedness of an institution’s public relations efforts in relation to broader institutional cross-channel marketing initiatives.
10. Experience as a spokesperson for a large institution or corporation, with the ability to provide public relations counseling to senior-level executives, the Director, and the Board.
11. Adept at crisis communications management should the situation arise.
12. Experience in writing in AP style.

Essential Functions:

1. Ability to work up to 8 hours a day at a computer. May occasionally be necessary to work more than a 35-hour work week in order to meet deadlines and key initiatives, including evenings and occasional weekends.
2. This position is subject to managing competing deadlines and priorities.