Vice President, Earned Media Strategy

Vice President, Earned Media Strategy

About the Opportunity:
The Weber Shandwick team is seeking a Vice President, Media Relations with deep consumer media expertise to lead earned media strategy and execution for top-tier CPG, Food & Beverage, and Consumer Lifestyle brands. This senior role offers the chance to shape large-scale, integrated campaigns across multiple consumer categories and work closely with influential clients and agency partners.

The ideal candidate thrives on the thrill of the pitch, excels at building and nurturing media relationships, and lives and breathes pop culture, trends, and sports. You’ll be a key strategic leader driving brand narratives that break through and resonate culturally.

About You:
You’re a media powerhouse with deep, trusted relationships across top-tier business, lifestyle, entertainment, news, and sports media — and a proven track record of leading earned media strategies for major consumer brands. You instinctively turn business goals into narratives that spark cultural relevance and deliver results, including elevating executive visibility through smart, high-impact storytelling.

Passionate about pop culture, entertainment, and sports — from racing and basketball to soccer, football, and golf — you know where brand and fan conversations intersect. You’ve successfully positioned brands around major cultural moments like the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup, and World Cup, bringing creativity and cultural resonance to the forefront.

Fluent in both traditional and emerging platforms like podcasts, Substack, and creator networks, you stay ahead of what’s next. You understand how and where to place top-tier-worthy stories — from thought leadership to breakthrough brand campaigns.

A strategic thinker who thrives in high-pressure environments, you bring calm clarity to complex, integrated programs. As a collaborative leader and mentor, you grow talent, build client trust, and inspire teams to deliver standout earned work rooted in insight and cultural impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Lead the development and flawless execution of comprehensive earned and integrated media campaigns for large-scale consumer clients
• Build and maintain strong relationships with top-tier media across national, regional, and digital outlets — spanning business, lifestyle, food & beverage, mainstream news, sports, entertainment, and commerce verticals
• Craft compelling, culturally relevant narratives that tap into sports and pop culture trends — including racing, basketball, soccer, football, golf — and major events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and more
• Oversee earned media campaigns across various formats — from product launches and thought leadership to celebrity partnerships and high-profile brand initiatives
• Monitor media trends and provide timely insights to clients and teams, identifying earned opportunities grounded in what’s timely, buzzy, and impactful
• Counsel senior clients, executives and spokespeople on media strategy, positioning, and media training
• Confidently present strategic plans and campaign results in client meetings, inter-agency collaborations, and new business pitches
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure earned strategies are aligned with broader marketing and brand goals
• Manage resources, timelines, and deliverables with precision, ensuring top-tier execution and a client-first mindset
• Mentor and lead junior team members, fostering growth, ownership, and earned media excellence

Competencies:

• Business Acumen — Align earned media strategies with client business goals and marketing priorities
• Client Service — Build trust and rapport with senior client stakeholders and agency teams
• Proactivity — Continuously pursues innovative media opportunities and storytelling approaches
• Collaboration — Foster strong relationships internally and externally to drive cohesive campaign execution
• Critical Thinking — Analyze challenges, anticipate media and client needs, and deliver insightful solutions
• Leadership — Effectively mentor and guide teams while managing complex projects and expectations

What We’re Looking For:

• 8+ years of public relations or communications experience, with increasing responsibility leading earned media for major consumer brands
• Strong track record of top-tier media placements and well-established relationships across lifestyle, business, entertainment, sports, and pop culture media
• Subject matter expertise in CPG, food & beverage, men’s lifestyle, and entertainment; bonus points for experience in the beer industry, global media, and social impact
• Demonstrated success managing earned campaigns featuring Tier A talent, including celebrities, musicians and athletes
• Skilled in developing and executing thought leadership, product launches, brand campaigns, celebrity partnerships, and sports sponsorships and events
• Experienced in media training and counseling senior clients and executives
• Able to integrate earned strategy seamlessly with digital, social, and paid media efforts
• Proven problem-solver with strong judgment under pressure and ability to make decisions with limited information
• Excellent client service skills with confidence advising senior stakeholders and working within large, marketing-driven organizations
• Effective communicator (written and verbal) with strong presentation skills and experience leading new business efforts
• Collaborative team leader with a track record of mentoring talent and managing multiple fast-paced projects with clarity and control

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money - $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• MyDays – Flexible holiday schedules
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Employee Family Leave
• Family Building Benefit

NYC Salary range: $125,000 - $165,000

Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee’s/applicant’s background, pertinent experience, and qualifications.

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Weber Shandwick recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status.

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