The Martin Group, a leading integrated communications firm with offices across New York State, is seeking a Public Affairs Manager for the agency’s growing public affairs practice. The successful candidate will act as the day to day contact for various regional and statewide accounts, while overseeing various issue and advocacy campaigns, in addition to overseeing periodic media relations, content creation, and integrated marketing efforts. This position will require an understanding of NYS government, as well as familiarity with legislative and regulatory process, as well as municipal lawmaking. Candidate should be an effective communicator with experience in shaping public opinion, crafting messaging, advising executives and elected officials regarding key issues of the day, and delivering public affairs strategy from inception through execution and completion.
Our agency adheres to a focus on “a different brand of thinking.” The selected candidate will be successful in this role through evidence of passion for client success and valuing connection with every contact, while delivering what is promised to internal and external contacts, demonstrating creativity in delivering solutions, and remaining committed to personal growth and development.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Acts as the day to day contact for various public affairs clients, overseeing account support and management, writing and research, content and creative service needs, and the use of vendors and outside consultants as needed to carry out client requirements to impact issues and maintain a favorable public image for brands, municipalities, associations, and non-profits
- Helps clients achieve success through personalized service and an understanding of their businesses and industries, as well as their policy and political challenges and opportunities
- Writes compelling and on-brand messaging and advocacy content for traditional, digital, and social channels, as well as an aptitude to provide general insights on managing social media campaigns and efforts
- Assists PR colleagues in leading related media relations outreach initiatives, inclusive of pitching, handling media queries, and managing relationships between clients/executives/brands and regional/national media
- Attends networking gatherings, policy forums, and media events, as well as meetings with clients, partner organizations, and elected officials to discuss aspects of issue campaigns and activities
- Leads or supports colleagues in the creation of advocacy materials, press releases, media advisories, scripts, speeches, talking points, blog content, social media postings, advertising copy, and other internal/external public affairs content
- With support from more senior members of the public affairs team, provides strategic counsel to clients and associations
- Leads or supports colleagues in delivering presentations or policy briefs to clients and other audiences
- Creates and manages client public affairs and issue campaign budgets and works with the larger agency PR/PA department to ensure that all projects are completed within the budget and time alotted
- Establishes high-level influencer, elected official staff, and community business relationships, as drivers for agency effectiveness, including key political print, broadcast, and digital journalists
- Executes research projects related to evaluating issues, legislative status, regulatory law, media opportunities, media interview preparation, and related byline article/Op-Ed placements
- Participates in new business presentations periodically
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Plans advocacy day schedules, Capital briefings, or press conferences for clients
Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of inner-workings of NYS and municipal governments, as well as current news and digital trends and tactics, with the ability to mobilize audiences/constituent participation and engagement, and develop content and editorial pieces
- Communicates effectively in person, via email, and via the telephone with both the client and the agency’s PR/PA team on specific projects
- Ability to write content, copy and messaging in variety of styles, voices and tones, adaptable to different target audiences and constituencies, product categories and branding initiatives
- Strong presentation skills
- Ability to consistently meet deadlines, surpass client expectations, and demonstrate competence and discretion at all times.
- Ability to be proactive, reliable, reasonable and accurate with an attention to detail
- Proficient with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other Social Media sites
- Proficient with Microsoft Office, WordPress, Hootsuite, Dropbox, and other such tools
- Collaborates effectively internally and cross departmentally to reach Agency objectives
Requirements:
- Bachelors Degree in Political Science, Government, Law Studies, Communications, PR, Marketing, or equivalent work experience suggested
- Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in the policy and public affairs field
- Previous agency experience highly-preferred, as well as aptitude and familiarity with time tracking, account budgeting, Cision, and agency/advocacy software and tools
*Candidates with diverse background experiences or innovative perspectives highly encouraged to apply
This position is no longer open. Please check our
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The Martin Group shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed (religion), color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, marital status or domestic violence victim status, and shall also follow the requirements of the Human Rights Law with regard to non-discrimination on the basis of prior criminal conviction and prior arrest.