The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

OVERVIEW:

The Manager of Public and Media Relations is responsible for garnering earned media for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis that creates awareness, builds credibility and public perception, and drives attendance. The incumbent is a member of the Communications team within the Brand Strategy and Sales division and acts as the lead in planning, managing, and implementing public and media relation strategies. The manager helps craft and disseminate compelling stories, pitch to journalists, manage media inquiries, and builds positive relationships with the media and community. 

The Children’s Museum is fiercely devoted to our Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) efforts. Together we are building and sustaining an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates differences. 

REPORTS TO: Director of Communications

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Serves as a member of the team strategizing and developing integrated marketing plans to support key museum initiatives that include goals, budgets, and tactics that support earned revenue growth, build museum visibility, attract diverse audiences, generate community goodwill, and engage existing audiences. Plans, manages, and implements public and media relations strategies that garner local, regional, and national media coverage.
2. Works closely with the social media team to create, time, and coordinate engaging PR stories, streamline messaging, and cultivate influencer relationships. Collaborates with colleagues to ensure the appropriateness, timing, and accuracy of external communications.
3. Writes effective press alerts, press releases, and ready-to-run stories incorporating photos, video and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in support of the museum’s experiences and initiatives.
4. Works in concert with experience development, advancement, and creative marketing colleagues to ensure deployment of high-quality timely content. Researches, compiles, and maintains event and exhibit information, photos and video for stories, press releases, sound bites and materials to submit to media calendars and pitch to media and influencers.
5. Writes talking points for exhibits and events, considering media, social media, customer service, and in person interactions that align with and extend the museum’s voice and brand. Contributes to internal communications by suggesting and sharing out appropriate information to identified channels.
6. Proactively cultivates and builds relationships with members of the local, regional, and national media as well as museum advocates such as State Tourism, Indianapolis Downtown, Visit Indy and Indianapolis Arts Council.
7. Proactively identifies new and diverse media opportunities for garnering positive media exposure in current and new markets. Maintains a database of media contacts and their preferred method of contact. Fields media questions and requests for information.
8. Selects, prepares, and supports museum staff and volunteers for media interviews. Leads media training.
9. Works with internal colleagues to coordinate media relations around community events to maintain and grow external visibility and revenue. Represents the museum in the community and serves as a spokesperson on behalf of the museum as appropriate.
10. Actively participates as a member of the museum’s crisis communications team. Works to identify, strategize and plan for communicating sensitive topics and content and partners with experts and advisors to craft appropriate message as needed.
11. Acts as the primary keeper of current, accurate social media and digital content organization-wide, including leading content-based meetings, updating exhibit and event one-sheets, communicating internally, and maintaining the electronic master calendar.
12. Stays abreast of emerging trends in the social media field and implements best practices into comprehensive brand, advertising, and marketing campaigns to maximize positive impact.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or another related field, preferred.
2. Three (3) years of experience in a public, professional writing, and/or media relations role.
3. Demands an experienced professional communicator with creative writing skills, good judgment, and the ability to express thoughts clearly and succinctly verbally and in writing.
4. Demonstrated experience interacting with people from a wide diversity of backgrounds and cultures. Must be highly effective in team dynamics, as well as the skills to negotiate professionally and effectively, and have a full understanding of media needs and relationships.
5. Demands maturity and the experience to recognize and respond appropriately to sensitive and confidential information and ability to work in high-stress situations. Must possess excellent, problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical skills and the ability to work autonomously.
6. Must possess excellent working knowledge of Windows applications including Word, Excel, and other essential software platforms for PR, like Muck Rack.
7. Requires the ability to accommodate a very flexible schedule, including working events during evening hours, weekends, early mornings and holidays.
8. Proficiency in Spanish preferred.

ADA REQUIREMENTS:

1. Requires the ability to review press releases, view computer monitor, create and maintain reports, photos, artwork and other necessary documents.
2. Must be able to communicate extensively and effectively with members of the media, staff, volunteers, and visitors, via telephone, one-on-one conversations, various meetings and public presentations.
3. Requires extensive use of computer keyboards and smartphones. Must be able to process large volumes of paperwork and negotiate local travel.
4. Requires the ability to navigate throughout the museum; must be able to sit or stand for extended periods of time. As needed, must be able to lift and carry a minimum of 20 pounds.