Senior Public Relations Specialist

About The Kennedy Center

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation’s cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra.

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law.

Mission Statement: As the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts.

Why Join Us

We offer a comprehensive range of benefits to all full-time employees including:

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA
• Flexible work arrangements
• We like to have fun! Check out the Kennedy Center National Dance Day 2022 staff video!

Job Description

**Please submit a cover letter for consideration**

The Senior Public Relations Specialist (Classical) is primarily responsible for managing the strategic communications and public relations efforts for Washington National Opera. Additionally, this position will contribute to the execution of public relations strategy supporting the WNO’s pre-professional and education programs, the Cafritz Young Artists and the WNO Opera Institute; National Symphony Orchestra, the Renée Fleming VOICES series, Sound Health, and other vocal and/or classical presentations. The Senior Press Representative will be a key partner to the Classical constituent organizations of the Kennedy Center, delivering high-impact international, national, and local earned media coverage to elevate the profile of the respective organizations and projects.

With an ever-shifting media landscape and a limited number of press exclusively covering classical music, this role will also pursue non-traditional media coverage and digital-first storytelling opportunities.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Publicity, Media Relations, and Strategy: This position will develop and execute publicity plans by devising potential story ideas, crafting pitches, and shepherding stories to completion. This candidate will have established media connections and will continue to develop and nurture journalist and digital-first relationships (ex. content creators, podcastsers, and other non-traditional media). This person has excellent PR instincts and can think strategically, and will gain more experience working with the WNO and other classical teams to envision and work towards generating significant and meaningful visibility for the Classical constituents and programs in his/her/their portfolio.
• Internal/External Communication: The Senior Press Representative will feel comfortable working in a complex, highly matrixed environment. This position will be a key partner to the Kennedy Center’s Classical constituents by communicating plans and delivering in a timely manner. This role will work closely with internal creative and media teams to help bring digital-first projects to life.
• Writing and Project Management: Collaborate closely with WNO’s team to collect and edit materials for WNO printed and digital programs. This position will be a project manager for all WNO programs. This position will also write, edit, and distribute WNO press releases throughout the season. The Senior Press Representative will also review marketing content and copy for PR positioning.
• Classical-Adjacent Assignments: As an integral member of the Kennedy Center PR team, work related to other Kennedy Center events, initiatives, and special projects, such as Kennedy Center Honors, the Mark Twain Prize, the REACH, and other festivals, series, and performances will be assigned as needed.

Key Qualifications

• At minimum of 5 years of public relations experience, including responsibility for high-level strategic communications and messaging
• Long and short-term PR planning ranging from national to grassroots efforts
• Strong media contacts in both the arts and non-arts; social media/digital-first experience a plus
• An appreciation and understanding of opera and/or symphonic music and its inner workings is ideal
• A solution-oriented, creative, and independent spirit and collaborative nature

Hiring Insights