Job Description

The Senior Brand Strategist in Public Affairs is a key member of The Washington Post’s Marketing team within the Client Solutions department. They are in-house experts in public affairs advertising and messaging and responsible for developing innovative brand partnerships that support The Washington Post’s journalistic mission. Working closely with the Public Affairs Sales Team, this role develops original media strategies, program narratives, and strategic platforms and ideas to share across the Washington DC decision maker marketplace. 

This role will report into the Head of Advertising Marketing and is based at The Post’s headquarters in Washington, D.C..

Motivation

You are an expert in the public affairs audience marketplace, with a sophisticated understanding of advocacy and corporate public policy advertising.

You are an expert at determining brand challenges and creating differentiated solutions that set The Post apart from competitors.

You are competitive and take pride in your ability to understand what our clients need and translate that into solutions that win business

You are adept at working across teams from ad sales, product, operations, product, editorial, research, and more in pursuit of solutions that best serve our client’s needs.

You have your own style and approach for creating proposals that help our partners in the public affairs marketplace, but also across industries that seek to communicate with government and national leaders.

You are inspired by the opportunity to realize the mission of a purpose-driven organization and to future-proof the business model that supports it.

You are a quick thinker who can move multiple projects forward at once.

You can balance proactive projects in addition to day-to-day proposal development.

You are adept at identifying the need for and developing training, materials and/or processes that benefit an entire team.

Responsibilities

Be a subject matter expert on The Washington Post’s brand and products.

Leads the development of high-value, complex and strategically-led client proposals leveraging branded content, live events and newsroom collaborations and sponsorships. 

Utilize research, audience insights and data to articulate and support strategies and creative ideas

Show a clear and convincing connection between a client’s brand challenge and proposed partnership solutions

Leverage a solid understanding of the public affairs media landscape, including expertise in politics and policy and its effect on messaging activity. 

Create and design thoughtful, strategic, and engaging proposals, typically in visual presentation format, that clearly and concisely communicate ideas/concepts that map back to key advertiser objectives and KPIs

Work with agility and flexibility across multiple client proposals and opportunities

Takes initiative on proactive projects outside of daily tasks and proposal work, particularly on things that will benefit the team as a whole

Qualifications

7+ years developing go-to market advertising strategies in the public affairs sector

Possess a steady hand, competitive drive, and solutions-oriented mindset

Expert at building trust and relationships across teams

Have experience in client facing scenarios, including pitching ideas directly to clients.

Highly organized with strong verbal, written, and visual presentation skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and Dropbox, including PowerPoint and Google Slides

Capable of distilling considerable amounts of information into easy-to-grasp key points

Ability to prioritize, multitask, and work in a fast-paced deadline-driven environment

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

Nine paid holidays and two personal days

20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

Robust mental health resources

Backup care and caregiver concierge services

Gender affirming services

Pet insurance

Free Post digital subscription

Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

The salary range for this position is:

The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.

The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed. 

The innovation doesn’t end in the Newsroom – dozens of teams power The Washington Post.  We are now hiring the next innovator – how will you Impact Tomorrow?

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