The Heritage Foundation · 1 month ago
Director, Media and Public Relations
Washington, DC
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$120K/yr - $140K/yr
10+ years expThe Heritage Foundation is a prominent policy think tank, and they are seeking a Director of Media and Public Relations. This role is responsible for promoting the Foundation's policy solutions and ideas across various media platforms, managing a team, and developing effective communication strategies to enhance the organization's public presence.
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Responsibilities
As a member of management, lead the department’s overall planning activities, developing specific and measurable department goals that advance Heritage’s vision and mission and complement or support the goals of other departments
Establish department priorities, prepare and monitor the department budget, provide overall direction for staff activities, and lead by example. Use department resources effectively to achieve Heritage objectives
Enhance the professional and career development of department staff through effective training, mentoring, and performance evaluations. Reward and motivate staff by using bonus and merit increase budgets effectively, and by developing promotion opportunities
Recommend department staffing levels, recruit qualified staff to fill approved positions. Prepare job descriptions and advertisements and handle interviews
Position, promote, and defend The Heritage Foundation and its related brands by developing and executing media relations strategies that advance policy priorities
Systematically develop, maintain, and cultivate relationships with key influencers at traditional and emerging media platforms in high-ROI markets domestically and internationally
Lead a robust, local, national and international opinion editorial and commentary placement operation
Monitor ongoing policy debates for focused, high-impact opportunities to go on offense and, where necessary, take appropriate defensive action
Guard the Heritage reputation as a key crisis communication leader and grow the Heritage brand as the leading policy think tank in the world
Develop and lead training program to coach Heritage experts as effective communicators who are able to deliver strong, consistent, and winning arguments that advance policy ideas in all public communications contexts
Serve as a key communications adviser for senior management and coalition partners, providing strategic analysis and detailed reporting on the evolving ideas landscape, intelligence reports and competitive analysis to secure, solidify and multiply Heritage’s leadership position into the future
Offer communications training and education through original programs and curricula for the Heritage enterprise and coalition members in partnership with the Truluck Center for Leadership Development and other organizations
Act as content and operations lead for major partnerships with media organizations
Work with Communications VP and department’s Communications Managers to set messaging priorities daily and weekly and generate storytelling and creative content concepts to promote policy priorities to a growing audience
Collaborate with colleagues throughout the Heritage enterprise to gain an understanding of how conservative policies can best be advanced in the media
Lead enterprise- and coalition-wide messaging development operation
Advise research departments on effective framing of ideas presented in Heritage reports, issue briefs, backgrounders, and major research projects and publications
Direct and approve all Heritage statements to the media, and ensure those statements are widely distributed to print, broadcast, and digital outlets, as well as posted on Heritage.org and social media
Ensure media pitches are aligned with Heritage policy messaging points, media relations standards, and institutional priorities
Provide leadership for each research institute’s Communications Managers, the national media team and the editorial team to set messaging priorities, resolve conflicts, and communicate those decisions internally at Heritage
Work with Daily Signal staff to ensure their stories are reaching print, broadcast, and digital outlets, and their reporters and editors are being pitched for media interviews
Qualification
Required
BA/BS
Minimum 10 years of media relations experience, including a focus on developing public policy media relations strategies
Key management skills, including strategic planning and goal setting, budgeting, staffing, performance counseling, mentoring, and career planning are required
Excellent writing, presentation and public speaking skills; An articulate advocate of Heritage's vision and mission
Microsoft Office and Outlook
Understand and support the Heritage mission and vision for America, and the department's goals and objectives
Promote policies consistent with Heritage's priorities; speak with one voice
Strong working knowledge of political and policy processes and players in Washington, D.C., including Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, regulatory agencies, and influential media players
Ability to incorporate market research and data analytics as well as work with multiple brands to target unique audiences in the advancement of policy and media relations initiatives
Discipline to stay focused on important policy debates and high-return, high-impact opportunities; rather than follow every issue and news cycle opportunity
Superior writing, editing and public speaking skills; an articulate advocate of Heritage's vision and mission
Experience working in and a strong commitment to creating a high-performance, results-driven culture
Commitment to getting the job done and willingness to work hours required
Demonstrate an interest in public policy, strategy, and project management execution
Outstanding attention to detail
Strong verbal and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to provide and receive direction and feedback
Comfort in social and professional settings with editors, producers, and reporters
Familiarity with AP style
Intimately familiar with print, online and broadcast media needs, processes, and priorities, and how to meet those needs with Heritage resources
Creative thinker able to market Heritage media products to the media and to conceive new products and marketing methods by using existing and acquired resources
Benefits
Best-in-class health care
Vision and dental insurance
Employer-sponsored retirement funding
“take what you need” PTO and sick leave
14 weeks of paid leave for new moms
6 weeks of paid leave for new dads
Company
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation conducts and provides researches related to social issues, demographics, conservative policies, and more. It is a sub-organization of Heritage Action.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Ed Feulner
Founder and Chairman, Asian Studies Center
Recent News
bloomberglaw.com
2025-11-08
Business News
2025-11-03
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