TITLE: Director, Media Relations REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Vice President, Public Affairs BASIC FUNCTIONS: Direct media relations and social media engagement strategies to amplify the Academy’s voice, child health priorities, and advocacy initiatives to broad public audiences. Develop messaging for AAP policy statements and other priority topics to align AAP communications for multiple audiences, including AAP members, media, parents, and others. Develop and oversee implementation of rapid response strategies for breaking news topics in mass media and social media platforms. Oversee assigned budgets and staff. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Develop communications plans for AAP policy statements and other official reports and major initiatives, including drafting key messages. Coordinate the creation of media pitches, social media messages, web articles, member communications, multimedia assets, and graphics in collaboration with Public Affairs content creators to support major policy releases. 2. Direct AAP media relations activities, including rapid response to media inquiries, production of weekly media mailing and news releases, and development and maintenance of media lists. 3. Direct media relations activities related to the journal, Pediatrics. 4. Direct social media engagement for AAP, AAP News, and Healthy Children platforms, including supervising team of staff creating content and strategy. 5. Direct media intelligence operations, including routine tracking of news coverage of AAP, monitoring of trending news topics, and social media analysis of conversations impacting AAP, pediatricians and child/adolescent health. Alert department leadership of potential crisis situations and advise on media and social media engagement strategies. 6. Direct the creation of talking points and other information to support AAP spokespersons and leadership in media and social media engagements. Maintain and update spokesperson resources. 7. Direct activities surrounding the AAP Press Room during National Conference & Exhibition and other meetings. 8. Direct activities for AAP media spokespersons and social media pediatricians, including media tours and other engagements as warranted. Oversee maintenance of spokesperson and influencer databases. 9. Manage vendors in development of special projects such as virtual media tours, mat releases, influencer campaigns, or other projects. 10. Develop and conduct media training for AAP spokespeople, including board members, committees, sections, councils and other identified groups and individuals. Collaborate with relevant staff on development of social media training for spokespersons. 11. Oversee the creation and maintenance of SOP documents for media relations and social media processes. 12. Oversee the development and management of assigned budgets and prepare forecasts and variance reports as requested. Monitor expenses and recommend cost reduction opportunities. 13. Develop and maintain relationships with media representatives. 14. Supervise assigned staff. Encourage a work environment that promotes inclusion and belonging of all staff. Support ongoing staff development, help set objectives, and evaluate performance, and promote and enhance staff capacity in skills necessary to achieve goals. Ensure staff operate in a fiscally prudent manner, maintain confidentiality, operate with the highest ethical standards, and provide excellent service to members and volunteers. 15. Perform all other duties as assigned. EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, English or related discipline or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience required. EXPERIENCE: At least six years’ related experience in news, feature, public relations and/or or corporate communications writing required, with at least three years in national public relations. Supervisory and budget management experience required. Experience working in a medical association and with health-related content preferred. ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, project management, organizational, critical thinking, decision making leadership, negotiation, and verbal/written communication skills required, with particular strength in journalistic and promotional writing styles. Strong technical acumen essential with proficiency in content management systems, web applications, internet technologies, and MS Office and the ability to learn and apply new technologies to advance work activities; experience with SharePoint content management system, publishing platforms, budgeting software (eg, Acumatica), and virtual meeting platforms (eg, WebEx, Teams) preferred. Must be creative, pay close attention to detail, take initiative, work both independently and as part of a team, manage multiple projects simultaneously within strict deadlines, collaborate effectively with various internal and external constituents, and promote and maintain a positive and cooperative team-oriented work environment, with a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Some travel and evening/weekend work required, as well as the ability to be flexible with work schedule to accommodate physicians’ availability. Hybrid work environment of 40% of work time in the office per month. To learn more about the organization, see a full job description, and/or apply for the position, please visit https://www.aap.org/employment. The AAP offers an excellent work environment, competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package. As a reaffirmation to our employee-focused culture, since 2005 the AAP has been named one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Chicagoland area. Additionally, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Individuals with Disabilities, and Veterans that values the strength diversity brings to our workplace. Reasonable Accommodation: Individuals with a disability in need of a reasonable accommodation regarding the job application process may call 630-626-6297. Please note, only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will receive a response.