Director of Public Relations

Position: Director of Public Relations

Location: Young America’s Foundation’s National Headquarters / Reston, Virginia

Opening: Immediate

Reports to: President of Young America’s Foundation

Mission: Young America’s Foundation is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.

Job Summary: The director of public relations will advance Young America’s Foundation’s mission through strategic communications with our core constituents—students, supporters, alumni, and allies in the Conservative Movement.

To that end, the director of public relations will develop and maintain effective relationships with key allies in the media and Conservative Movement. The director will advance and promote Foundation programs, including conferences and campus events, programs at the Reagan Ranch, the Reagan Boyhood Home, the National Journalism Center, and other events and initiatives under the direction of Young America’s Foundation’s leadership.

The director will report directly to the President and work closely with the Foundation’s leadership team, as well as the Foundation’s social media and marketing team, to maximize YAF’s positive exposure and outreach nationwide.

The director will highlight the Foundation’s work advancing conservative ideas among young people and showcase our leadership in this field, ensuring YAF’s public relations efforts enhance the Foundation’s brand and increase student and supporter engagement.

Working with the vice president of student programs, the director will help develop and distribute online and printed resources for student audiences—including brochures, yaf.org and email communications, and online communications.

The director will also work closely with YAF’s leadership at the Reagan Ranch and Reagan Boyhood Home to expand the reach of these two historic Presidential properties. The director will promote YAF’s work to preserve these sites, underscoring the Foundation’s unique role in sharing President Reagan’s legacy with future generations.

Additional Responsibilities include:

• Working with YAF’s leadership team to create and implement a short and long-term public relations strategy to ensure maximum positive Foundation exposure
• Overseeing YAF’s media relations with guidance from the Foundation’s leadership
• Drafting press releases, reports, op-eds, and talking points to advance YAF’s mission nationwide and in local media markets
• Growing and maintaining the Foundation’s press list by building relationships with media contacts in television, new media, print, and radio
• Managing media inquiries by responding or recommending appropriate team members for the interview
• Managing and preparing surveys, polls, and reports for release to the media
• Working with The New Guard assistant editor to utilize stories to drive traffic to yaf.org
• Working with YAF’s social media team to build the Foundation’s following across online platforms
• Editing Foundation publications
• Coordinating with YAF’s development and program teams to ensure the Foundation’s messaging to supporters and students is accurate, timely, and consistent
• Accurately documenting and reporting on bias against conservative students, especially when related to Foundation-sponsored events
• Staying informed of current public relations trends in the Conservative Movement and the greater business community
• Working at/on and helping organize Foundation programs, ensuring visual representation of events is high quality for television and photography
• Ensuring press is present and handled appropriately at major YAF events
• Interacting with students, friends, and supporters of the Foundation at all Foundation-related programs and events

Requirements:

• 3+ years in a communications/public relations role
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
• Self-starter who can effectively prioritize and manage multiple events and tasks
• A strong interest in promoting conservative ideas to young people
• Team player
• Excellent oral, written, organizational, and copyediting skills

Occasional travel will be required, and a car is strongly recommended. Previous involvement with Young America’s Foundation is a plus.

This is not a remote position. The candidate is required to work full-time at YAF’s National Headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

This job description is representative of the expectations of the position described. Additional duties, reporting relationships, and/or position criteria may be assigned. YAF reserves the right to revise this job description at any time.

Salary will be based on experience and previous salary history.

E-mail cover letter, resume outlining the requirements, samples of previous work, professional references, and salary history to:

Jessica Jensen, Vice President & Chief of Staff

Young America’s Foundation

jobs@yaf.org

800-USA-1776

*Incomplete applications (i.e., those suggesting references upon request) will not be considered.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we can only contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only complete and direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.