Manager, Communications

Job Description:

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, this candidate is responsible for building and executing the company's public relations, media relations, and content development initiatives to advance the company's brand and manage its overall messaging to external key stakeholders, including prospective clients, industry press, and top-tier talent. These initiatives and activities include public relations strategy, media relations, story mining, executive thought leadership, content creation, and press release, op-ed, and case study writing. The communications manager will play a critical role in positioning the firm as the definitive thought leader in the AEC space across both regional business markets and national trade publications-directly influencing prospective clients, attracting talent, and commanding the respect of industry leaders. He/she collaborates with team members from graphics, multimedia, and marketing to plan, execute, and measure regional and nationwide public relations and media campaigns, both annually and initiative-specific.

All work for this position requires strong writing skills, sound professional judgment and discretion, outstanding relationship management, and the ability to multitask and manage multiple projects simultaneously. The ideal candidate is creative and collaborative and will be a solutions-oriented self-starter with the desire to grow.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, Marketing, Communications, English, or related fields.
• 7-10 years' experience in a public relations, media relations, or communications role.
• Experience in a fast-paced B2B or professional services national or global corporation; architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) experience preferred but not required.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills required.
• Exceptional oral, editing, and written communication skills
• Intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn about the changing media and marketing landscape within the construction industry
• Proven track record of building media relations programs and press lists from the ground up, with verifiable success in cold-pitching journalists
• Strongly desire a baseline understanding of commercial construction and the key trends/conversations in the broader AEC and CRE industries
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is required; proficiency in Adobe CC a plus
• Working knowledge of WordPress, media database and monitoring tools, and presentation development programs
• Proficiency in managing the creation of PR materials, PR tools, PR measurement
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects with changing priorities
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage complex projects across a variety of functions

JOB FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead PR efforts and manage media relations to generate interviews, speaking engagements, and articles for key company leaders
• Interview project managers, superintendents, and technical experts to translate complex innovations into compelling, media-ready narratives
• Develop sharp, high-level story angles that tie project successes and executive insights to broader national economic, technology, and industry trends for national trade publications (e.g., ENR, Construction Dive)
• Craft localized story angles for regional business journals, local news outlets, and metro-area press to support regional business development goals
• Proactively network with key industry press and establish company executives as go-to sources for journalists
• Build, segment, and maintain a proprietary database of local, regional, and national AEC journalists, editors, and podcasts
• Ghostwrite authoritative op-eds for leadership, draft narrative-driven press releases, and craft compelling project case studies
• Identify and capture project moments, including anecdotes and field photos, to fuel external PR pitches and media placements
• Measure and monitor the quality, effectiveness, and ROI of public relations and media relations strategies and tactics; provide recommendations for improvement
• Contribute content and collaborate with our paid, shared and owned channels and support the implementation, including analysis of platforms
• Aggressively monitor AEC industry trends, regulatory changes, competitor news, and external media to identify real-time commentary opportunities and provide relevant information to company leadership
• Manage incoming media requests and coordinate with relevant stakeholders, as needed
• Develop strategic editorial content from technical experts and seek channels to communicate externally through publications, speaking engagements, roundtable discussions, webinars, etc.

In accordance with Virginia Senate Bill 215 (SB 215), the base salary range for this position is:

$95,000.00 - $140,000.00

Compensation in other cities and states may vary. HITT Contracting offers a competitive total benefits and compensation package including performance-based bonuses, premium health care coverage including vision and dental, employer-matched 401(k), wellness reimbursement program, paid holidays and time-off, and other voluntary benefits and leave types. The determination of salary is based on the candidate's individual professional experience, qualifications, education, skills, and training.