Director - Media Relations

This director role at NP Strategy is ideal for accomplished leaders in strategic communications and public relations who excel at media relations. It offers the opportunity to contribute actively to the success of a dynamic and flourishing team. This position could offer direct management of team members and requires an expertise in building and maintaining media relationships. This role is ideally for someone who would work in our offices in Charlotte, N.C. or Columbia, S.C.Client Management:Serve as the primary client lead, managing both existing and incoming NP Strategy clients with a focus on media relations.Lead the development and implementation of strategic communications plans, emphasizing media relations strategies alongside stakeholder engagement, messaging, event planning, and overall communications.Support clients in crisis situations with messaging and media relations.Write and prepare client-ready communications tailored for media outreach, such as editorials, press releases, talking points, and media advisories.Develop compelling story pitches and proactively reach out to media contacts, securing opportunities for client coverage.Partner with team members to ensure all client deliverables meet NP Strategy's high standards.Meet annual billable and collections goals.Media Relations Focus:Cultivate strong relationships with local, regional, and national media, including journalists, editors, and producers, to amplify client messages across different platforms.Advise clients on effective media interactions, assisting with message development and preparing them for interviews.Proactively pitch news stories and manage media inquiries, leveraging your knowledge of the media landscape to position clients effectively.Maintain a pulse on current media trends, industry-specific publications, and emerging outlets to maximize coverage for our clients.Team Management:Lead, mentor, and manage assigned team members, helping to build their media relations skills, service capabilities, and leadership strengths.Conduct monthly check-ins with team members, offering constructive feedback and guidance on their work.Actively involve yourself in the team's career growth, advocating for their success within the company.Work closely with NP Strategy leadership to identify team member training needs and development opportunities, with a focus on enhancing media relations expertise.Assist team members at the manager level and below in mastering the NP Strategy way of client and media engagement.Be flexible and willing to work after hours if needed for urgent client or media relations needs.Professional and Business Development:Use professional development funds to advance your core skills, with an emphasis on media relations, strategic pitching, and crisis communications.Offer strategic business development advice to the team, generating new business leads and cultivating opportunities for existing clients, especially in media-centric projects.Identify and pursue cross-selling opportunities, developing new projects and media-focused initiatives.Build working relationships with Maynard Nexsen attorneys to explore joint opportunities and cross-sell services.Annually sign new clients, renew client contracts, and expand existing relationships, particularly with those requiring strong media outreach.Actively engage with the community to strengthen NP Strategy's local and regional presence.