Senior Public Relations Specialist
About This Role
Discover. A brighter future.
With us, you'll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it - we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.
Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.
Job Description
Responsible for managing external communications functions with a particular emphasis on business technology communications. Includes media relations, business team support, social media engagement, executive communications, conference and event support, market and industry research, media monitoring and creation of direct content. Oversees daily media coverage, coordinates agency activities, manages key vendor relationships and works directly with company's marketing teams on directing public relations initiatives and campaigns. Actively manages and escalates risk and customer-impacting issues within the day-to-day role to management.
Responsibilities
- Develops and leads public relations initiatives while providing PR counsel across business technology and other lines of business. Compiles competitive marketplace intelligence, monitors daily news within each industry, develops project timelines and manages public relations efforts that support business unit goals.
- Continually provides proactive PR ideas to generate positive visibility and awareness. Attends briefings with marketing teams and helps prepare press releases, key messages, and question and answer documents.
- Meets with external public relations agencies to keep projects organized and on track.
- Conducts and oversees media outreach and research for each supported business unit. Fields calls from reporters and proactively pitches story angles for products and services and takes the lead with the preparation of documents for spokespersons to use in media interviews.
- Ensures all reporter deadlines are met. Reviews article databases, writes evaluations of coverage, and provides PR coaching to company spokespeople.
- Monitors daily media coverage and helps compile a list for distribution throughout the company.
- Leads strategy and communication with key department vendors, including vendor supervision and contract processing. Writes drafts of the plans including timelines and checklists and ensures the entire department understands deliverables and next steps.
- Attends internal team meetings to discuss public relations plans.
Minimum Qualifications
At a minimum, here's what we need from you:
- Bachelor's Degree in Communications or related field.
- 4+ years of experience in Journalism, Public Relations, agency account representation, communications coordinator, or related experience.
- In lieu of a degree, 8+ years of experience in Journalism, Public Relations, agency account representation, or related corporate environment experience.
**Ideal candidate would be in the Chicago/Riverwoods vicinity**
What are you waiting for? Apply today!
All Discover employees place our customers at the very center of our work. To deliver on our promises to our customers, each of us contribute every day to a culture that values compliance and risk management.
Discover is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Discover is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other legally protected status. (Know Your Rights)