Public Relations Manager jobs in Virginia

Child Care Aware® of America, our nation’s leading voice for child care, works with more than 450 state and local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) to ensure that families in every local community have access to quality, affordable child care.

Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. Our mission is to advance a child care system that effectively serves all children and families. Joining our efforts provides a powerful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of families and to advocate for the approximately 1.5 million child care providers in the United States. The child care workforce is 94% women; 40% people of color; and 22% foreign-born. And despite the invaluable service they provide, 36.7% of them live below 200% of the federal poverty line. Join CCAoA to help us realize our vision that every family in the United States has access to a high-quality, affordable child care system.

Summary of Position: The Senior Manager of Public Relations at Child Care Aware® of America will manage media, communications, and public relations strategies that advance the organization’s mission. This role involves crafting and executing sophisticated media outreach and strategic communications plans, emphasizing compelling issue-based storytelling and creating narrative change. The Senior Manager will elevate the profiles of key leaders as authoritative voices in the child care field, manage robust press relations, and ensure cohesive messaging across the organization and platforms. This role requires a seasoned communicator with expertise in strategic communications and a demonstrated ability to influence public and policy discourse on child care issues.

• Strategic Communication and Public Relations Management:
  • Collaborate with organizational leadership to identify and execute strategic communication opportunities that support advocacy goals.
  • Oversee public relations activities including media outreach, press releases, and social media management to elevate the organization’s profile in policy discussions.
• Media Relations and Content Development:
  • Serve as the primary contact for media inquiries, proactively developing story ideas and managing media relations to optimize coverage and enhance public perception.
  • Produce and manage high-quality, engaging content such as press materials, speeches, and talking points that align with the organization's mission and policy focus.
  • Build and maintain relationships with PR counterparts in coalition groups, integrating advocacy efforts and enhancing collective impact on policy discussions.
• Leadership and Spokesperson Support:
  • Prepare and staff organizational leaders for public appearances and media engagements, positioning them as thought leaders in the child care field.
  • Coach and prepare organizational spokespersons for media interactions, ensuring message consistency and effectiveness.
• Performance Analysis:
  • Analyze the effectiveness of PR campaigns and manage the public relations budget, ensuring strategies are cost-effective and impactful.
  • Utilize tools like HubSpot to track media interactions and measure key performance indicators related to media relations.
• Campaign and Presentation Collaboration:
  • Collaborate closely with Policy and Advocacy teams on integrated communications, campaigns and messaging.
  • Develop content for and manage external presentations, coordinating with subject matter experts and executive office teams.

•  Flexible Task Engagement: Willingly takes on additional responsibilities and adapts to evolving priorities as needed to support team objectives and organizational goals.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or related field.
• At least 5-7 years working in a national organization, preferably in the communications department and deep experience in issue-based storytelling.
• Experience working with national media.
• Strong writing and organizational skills.
• Working knowledge of social media strategies and best practices.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Experience with PR software, e.g., Cision, PR Newswire.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong multi-tasking skills and attention to detail with the ability to see “the big picture” of projects, but also undertake the details in a timely manner to achieve project objectives.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong proclivity for collaboration with staff at all levels. Ability to work closely and effectively with senior leaders/executives.
• Demonstrated planning skills and excellent analytical skills.
• Extensive skills with Microsoft Office products.
• Experience with HubSpot or similar CRM tools, is a plus.
• Ability to work independently, in teams, and with members of the media.
• Ability to offer creative ideas and solutions about media strategies to overcome challenges.
• Ability to translate reports to an easy-to-understand format for social media and members of the press.
• Ability to travel
• Ability to collect and analyze relevant metrics to show success and growth opportunities.