Media Relations Specialist Jobs
Media relations specialist jobs are open across corporate communications, nonprofits, healthcare, technology, and government at every level from coordinator to director, with specializations in crisis communications, executive visibility, and earned media strategy. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 72+ Media Relations Specialist jobs
ARE YOU A CURRENT US FOODS EMPLOYEE? PLEASE APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR INTERNAL WORKDAY CAREER SITE
Join Our Community of Food People!
The Director, External Communications & Media Relations is responsible for promoting, shaping and protecting the organization’s reputation through strategic external communications including media relations, crisis communications, and community and stakeholder relations. This role leads enterprise-wide external communications strategies that enhance brand trust, mitigate reputational risk, and strengthen relationships with key external audiences, including media, and industry stakeholders.This position has been segmented as Hybrid meaning there is a combination of 3 onsite days per week and the rest remote.
Responsibilities:
Partner with CEO, executive and senior leadership and cross functional teams to align external communication strategies with enterprise goals and business priorities.
Develop integrated communication plans that support business goals, operational initiatives, and brand positioning.
Ensure alignment between corporate messaging, media engagement, and community outreach.
Lead the development and execution of enterprise media relations strategy to proactively shape external narratives. Execute media interviews with executives and senior leaders, including print, online and broadcast.
Execute media interviews with executives and senior leaders, including print, online and broadcast.
Execute media relations events centered around key financial and strategy announcements and strategic company investments.
Develop proactive storytelling strategies that elevate brand visibility and reinforce corporate priorities.
Serve as a primary spokesperson and media advisor for the organization.
Build and maintain strong relationships with key media targets.
Oversee media monitoring, messaging consistency, and reputation tracking across channels.
Lead and direct external public relations agency and related budget.
Lead issues management external communication strategies, including early identification, assessment, and mitigation of reputational risks.
Develop and execute crisis communication plans in collaboration with senior leadership and legal teams.
Provide rapid response communications support during emerging issues and high-impact events.
Ensure consistent, clear, and timely communication across internal and external stakeholders during crisis situations.
Support externally facing community affairs strategies for driving media awareness.
Oversee external public relations agency.
Foster a culture of accountability, agility, and proactive communication.
Build capabilities in storytelling, stakeholder engagement, crisis response, and strategic communications.
Lead and participate in senior-level cross functional teams.
Other duties assigned by manager.
Supervision:
1-3 direct reports including specialist and/or manager level(s) via agency partners.
Relationships:
Internal: Partners closely with CEO, executive leaders; Sr. leadership teams; Legal, HR, Operations, Investor Relations and Marketing.
External: Partners closely with media outlets, communication agencies, nonprofit partners and external stakeholders, as well as external public relations agency.
Minimum Qualifications:
8 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, media relations or public affairs.
Proven experience leading media relations and crisis communications at a regional or enterprise level.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Strong track record of managing complex issues and reputational risk in a large, matrixed organization.
Expertise in managing external public relations or communications agencies.
Experience counseling and engaging with executive leadership and serving as a trusted communications advisor.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business or related field, or equivalent related work experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in regulated, industrial, logistics, food, or consumer-facing industries.
Experience managing national media relationships and high-visibility corporate narratives.
Background in issues-heavy environments (e.g., supply chain, labor relations, operations, safety, or regulatory contexts).
This role will also receive an annual incentive plan bonus and a RSU package.
Benefits for this role may include health insurance, pre-tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, employee stock purchase plan, and life insurance. To review available benefits, please click here: https://www.usfoods.com/careers/benefits.html.
Compensation depends on relevant experience and/or education, specific skills, function, geographic location, and other factors as applicable by law (for example: state or local minimum wage thresholds). The expected base rate for this role is between
$125,000 - $195,000***EOE – Race/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Age/Genetic Information/Protected Veteran/Disability Status***
ARE YOU A CURRENT US FOODS EMPLOYEE? PLEASE APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR INTERNAL WORKDAY CAREER SITE
Join Our Community of Food People!
The Director, External Communications & Media Relations is responsible for promoting, shaping and protecting the organization’s reputation through strategic external communications including media relations, crisis communications, and community and stakeholder relations. This role leads enterprise-wide external communications strategies that enhance brand trust, mitigate reputational risk, and strengthen relationships with key external audiences, including media, and industry stakeholders.This position has been segmented as Hybrid meaning there is a combination of 3 onsite days per week and the rest remote.
Responsibilities:
Partner with CEO, executive and senior leadership and cross functional teams to align external communication strategies with enterprise goals and business priorities.
Develop integrated communication plans that support business goals, operational initiatives, and brand positioning.
Ensure alignment between corporate messaging, media engagement, and community outreach.
Lead the development and execution of enterprise media relations strategy to proactively shape external narratives. Execute media interviews with executives and senior leaders, including print, online and broadcast.
Execute media interviews with executives and senior leaders, including print, online and broadcast.
Execute media relations events centered around key financial and strategy announcements and strategic company investments.
Develop proactive storytelling strategies that elevate brand visibility and reinforce corporate priorities.
Serve as a primary spokesperson and media advisor for the organization.
Build and maintain strong relationships with key media targets.
Oversee media monitoring, messaging consistency, and reputation tracking across channels.
Lead and direct external public relations agency and related budget.
Lead issues management external communication strategies, including early identification, assessment, and mitigation of reputational risks.
Develop and execute crisis communication plans in collaboration with senior leadership and legal teams.
Provide rapid response communications support during emerging issues and high-impact events.
Ensure consistent, clear, and timely communication across internal and external stakeholders during crisis situations.
Support externally facing community affairs strategies for driving media awareness.
Oversee external public relations agency.
Foster a culture of accountability, agility, and proactive communication.
Build capabilities in storytelling, stakeholder engagement, crisis response, and strategic communications.
Lead and participate in senior-level cross functional teams.
Other duties assigned by manager.
Supervision:
1-3 direct reports including specialist and/or manager level(s) via agency partners.
Relationships:
Internal: Partners closely with CEO, executive leaders; Sr. leadership teams; Legal, HR, Operations, Investor Relations and Marketing.
External: Partners closely with media outlets, communication agencies, nonprofit partners and external stakeholders, as well as external public relations agency.
Minimum Qualifications:
8 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, media relations or public affairs.
Proven experience leading media relations and crisis communications at a regional or enterprise level.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Strong track record of managing complex issues and reputational risk in a large, matrixed organization.
Expertise in managing external public relations or communications agencies.
Experience counseling and engaging with executive leadership and serving as a trusted communications advisor.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business or related field, or equivalent related work experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in regulated, industrial, logistics, food, or consumer-facing industries.
Experience managing national media relationships and high-visibility corporate narratives.
Background in issues-heavy environments (e.g., supply chain, labor relations, operations, safety, or regulatory contexts).
This role will also receive an annual incentive plan bonus and a RSU package.
Benefits for this role may include health insurance, pre-tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, employee stock purchase plan, and life insurance. To review available benefits, please click here: https://www.usfoods.com/careers/benefits.html.
Compensation depends on relevant experience and/or education, specific skills, function, geographic location, and other factors as applicable by law (for example: state or local minimum wage thresholds). The expected base rate for this role is between
$125,000 - $195,000***EOE – Race/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Age/Genetic Information/Protected Veteran/Disability Status***
Media Relations Specialist Jobs by Experience Level
See All 72 Media Relations Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsMedia Relations Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Non-Profit & Social Services
- Science & Research
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in media relations specialist jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, or journalism
- Demonstrated experience pitching and securing earned media coverage in target outlets
- Strong written and verbal communications skills for press releases, pitches, and statements
- Familiarity with media monitoring platforms such as Cision, Muck Rack, or Meltwater
- Experience managing crisis communications and rapid response media inquiries
- Established relationships with journalists or editors across relevant beats or industries
Tips for Your Media Relations Specialist Job Search
Tailor your resume to earned media
Hiring managers for media relations roles want to see placements, not just pitches. List outlets you secured coverage in and the beats you targeted. Generic communications resumes that don't distinguish earned media from paid or owned get screened out fast.
Build a pitch portfolio before applying
Many employers ask for writing samples at the phone screen stage. Prepare three to five pitches that show different angles: a product launch, a thought leadership hook, and a reactive news story. Tailor them to the industry you're targeting.
Filter openings by specialization not just title
Media relations roles vary widely by function. A corporate communications opening focuses on investor and executive visibility, while an agency role demands faster turnaround and broader beat coverage. Read job descriptions carefully and apply where your specific experience maps directly.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists media relations specialist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare for a live pitch exercise in interviews
Many media relations interviews include a real-time exercise where you pitch a story on the spot or rewrite a weak press release. Practice delivering a concise pitch under two minutes out loud, not just in writing, before your first round.
Negotiate using placement outcomes not titles
When discussing compensation, anchor your case in measurable results: coverage volume, outlet tier, or share of voice shifts you drove. Titles and years of experience matter less in this field than a demonstrable record of securing meaningful coverage.
Media Relations Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most media relations specialists?
The companies hiring the most media relations specialists right now include Northeastern University, The Heritage Foundation, and AMD, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Corporate communications teams, public relations agencies, and large nonprofits tend to post the highest volume of openings consistently.
How many media relations specialist jobs are remote?
About 56% of media relations specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much of the work is conducted by phone, email, and video. Roles focused on digital and technology beats tend to have the highest remote availability, while positions requiring in-person executive support or on-site event coverage are more likely to require a local presence.
How do you become a media relations specialist?
Most media relations specialists start with a degree in public relations, communications, or journalism, then build hands-on experience through internships, agency entry-level roles, or in-house communications teams. Developing a working knowledge of media monitoring tools, practicing pitch writing across different story angles, and cultivating journalist relationships early in your career are the steps that move candidates into specialist-level roles fastest.
Can you get a media relations specialist job with little experience?
Yes, entry-level media relations roles exist at agencies, nonprofits, and in-house teams that expect to train candidates who show strong writing skills and genuine familiarity with how newsrooms work. A portfolio of pitch writing samples, demonstrated knowledge of media databases like Muck Rack, and any experience contributing to student publications or campus communications offices all strengthen an application when professional experience is limited.
What does the media relations specialist interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a phone or video screen focused on your background and the types of media you've worked with, followed by a skills assessment that may include a writing exercise or a live pitch simulation. Final rounds often bring in communications leadership and may ask you to present a mock media strategy or walk through a past campaign in detail, with questions probing how you handled difficult reporters or crisis situations.
Where can I find and apply to media relations specialist jobs?
You can find and apply to media relations specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience and specialization, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 72 Media Relations Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs