Potomac Flacks

Corporate Comms Vet Boggs Joins Charter as Group VP, Policy Communications

Charter Communications, Inc. announced Avery Boggs has joined the company’s Government Affairs team as Group Vice President, Policy Communications. Based in Washington, D.C., Boggs is responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies to achieve the company’s policy objectives at the federal, state and local levels. She replaces Tamara Smith who has taken on a newly created role of Group Vice President, Partnerships and Strategy at the Charter-owned Spectrum Networks.

Boggs joins Charter from PLUS Communications where she served as Executive Vice President for Marketing and Strategy Development. At PLUS, she worked cross-functionally to develop strategic plans to achieve clients’ public policy goals and objectives. Prior to her work at PLUS, Avery was Senior Vice President at the Revolution Agency leading multi-media campaigns for clients including Hewlett Packard, Facebook, H&R Block and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce among others. She began her career in public affairs as a Communications Strategist at Strategic Partners in Media, formerly The Stevens and Schriefer Group, where she guided production, message development and research for a variety of elected officials and trade associations.

A lawyer by training, earlier in her career Boggs served as Associate Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She holds a B.A in Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Atlantic Media, Vice President of Branding and Communications (Washington, DC)

Government Executive Media Group (GEMG) is Atlantic Media’s B-to-B division, providing authoritative information and analysis to managers across the federal, defense and state and local sectors of government. GEMG serves Fortune 500 companies, emerging tech companies, and other clients through creating and executing best-in-class marketing programs across digital, events, research and custom content services.

We are seeking an entrepreneurial, innovative, and driven individual to join our team. The Vice President of Branding and Communications will be a critical player in achieving GEMG’s aggressive growth plans and will work closely with senior management stakeholders. This creative leader will oversee strategic communications, sponsor marketing and PR for its publishing brands: Government Executive, Nextgov, Defense One and Route Fifty.  The ideal candidate has skills, experience, and expertise in developing and executing strategic communications plans in the corporate, government and/or technology arenas.  This is an opportunity for someone who thrives under pressure and is able to multitask. Experience in public sector market (federal IT, defense or state and local). The position manages a team of three.

Responsibilities Include:

• Sponsor marketing strategy and planning. Collaborate with senior leadership to define GEMG sponsor marketing objectives and apply marketing best practices and ROI analysis to develop efficient marketing and communications plans to achieve those objectives.
• Communications and PR strategy.  Develop strategic plans and messaging strategy for GEMG overall and its four brands: Government Executive, Nextgov, Defense One and Route Fifty.
• Creative Proposal Development. Lead the creation of compelling proposals for GEMG’s advertisers including concept and copy development and design.
• Tactical campaign management. Oversee the creation and execution marketing campaigns to address specific targeted opportunities.  Plan and execute advertising, email campaigns, advertiser events, social media outreach, and content marketing efforts (e.g., articles, blogs, etc.)
• Prospect and lead development.  Define and execute marketing strategies to reach new advertising prospects and to drive in-bound advertising inquiries and leads for a twelve-person sales team.
• Marketing collateral and sales tools. Define, write and direct design of digital and printed marketing materials, media kits and sales tools to support GEMG brand positioning and sales efforts.
• Advertiser-focused partnerships and trades. Develop strategic partnerships and trade agreements that drive brand visibility and generate leads in the government contracting community. 
• Market intelligence. Analyze federal government trends and issues as well as customer research, market conditions and competitor information to develop relevant and timely insights for use in marketing efforts.   
• Promotional events.  Develop strategic advertiser events to increase interaction with key audiences in the sponsor community.   
• Press. Manage the promotion and booking of GEMG journalists. Pitch stories to/working with business, trade, and media press. 
• Marketing operations management. Manage and refine sponsor marketing processes to ensure quality and efficiency. Also manage all marketing vendor relationships.
• Reporting and measurement. Monitor, review and report on all marketing activities and results.   
• Budget management. Manage all marketing expenditures within approved budget.

The ideal candidate has:

• Proven track record in developing and executing successful marketing campaigns
• Exceptional writing skills, specifically in persuasive copywriting
• Strong skills in analytical and strategic thinking; ability to understand and use relevant information about market issues and audience interests to develop compelling messaging
• Creativity and a high degree of organization skills
• Experience in government market preferred
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Strong skills in MS PowerPoint, Word, and Excel
• Basic knowledge and familiarity with relevant design software preferred (InDesign, PhotoShop, etc.)
• Poise and grace under pressure

TO APPLY: Click here.

Trump White House aide Dorr Joins Sinclair Broadcasting

Kaelan Dorr, Director of Congressional Communications at the White House, has departed to become Executive Political Producer for “Bottom Line with Boris Epshteyn” on Sinclair Broadcasting.

Dorr is a veteran of the Republican ad firm Jamestown Associates, as well as a former field organizer for the Republican Party of Iowa and a staffer for the Bob Johnson for Congress campaign.

He is a 2014 graduate of Elon University. (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Atlantic Media, Communications Manager

Government Executive Media Group (GEMG) is the public sector division of Atlantic Media and the leading media resource serving the government and defense market.

We are seeking an experienced communications professional to join the Atlantic Media communications team in Washington, D.C. Working across all GEMG teams and departments, including sales and marketing, editorial, events, and research, the communications manager will develop strategies to support business initiatives, proactively promote editorial content, and protect the reputation of a nearly 50-year-old business-to-government media company. The ideal candidate will diligently maintain important internal and external relationships, devote strong attention to detail, and thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

The Communications Manager responsibilities include:

• Leading the development and implementation of a strategic communications plan to support GEMG's business objectives;
• Generating impactful content to reach clients, media, readers, and internal stakeholders alike;
• Forming leverageable relationships with key stakeholders in the business-to-government industry;
• Coordinating promotion for pivotal company initiatives such as events and new product launches;
• Drafting materials on behalf of GEMG leadership to reinforce thought leadership within the industry;
• Proactively promote all GEMG journalism across all relevant media.

Attributes of the ideal candidate include:

• A can-do attitude and a willingness to learn, support, and collaborate with a fast-moving team
• Courage and a high level of motivation that welcomes challenges and is not deterred by setbacks
• Strong listening and presentation skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to multi-task
• An ability to plan comprehensively, work both independently and collaboratively, and manage and prioritize projects to satisfy competing deadlines

The job is based in Washington, D.C. and reports to the Senior Vice President of Global Communications at Atlantic Media and GEMG’s Chief Executive Officer.

Atlantic Media Values:

Across Atlantic Media, generally, the firm looks for two “pillar gifts” in its candidates.  In all of us, these are more aspirational than actual, but they are central in our intentions.

• Force of Intellect - Atlantic Media seeks a discipline and rigor of thought as manifested, often, in exceptional academic performance and, later, success in a professional environment.
• Spirit of Generosity - Equally, Atlantic Media seeks what we term a spirit of generosity – a natural disposition towards service and selfless conduct.

TO APPLY: Click here. (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: NBC Universal, Director, Communications, USA & Syfy (New York, NY)

Reporting to the Vice President Communications, the Director, Communications will lead select show campaigns for both USA Network and Syfy and work with the Sr. team to develop communication strategies and lead successful consumer program publicity campaigns.

Responsibilities:

• Develop publicity campaigns and strategies for USA and Syfy programs and talent.
• Pitch and secure key interviews, including electronic, radio and on-location press visits to support the launch and momentum for assigned series.
• Create, edit and supervise the roll-out of all press materials and assets including all written press materials, electronic and traditional press kits, show clips and content, photos, digital extras and social content.
• Create and supervise all press related event opportunities including satellite media tours, press junkets, festival and panel appearances, press receptions and red carpet events.
• Create and implement out of the box event ideas to generate press for assigned shows.
• Act as media strategist, campaign planner and spokesperson for assigned shows.
• Develop positive relationships with talent, producers, PR agencies and representatives, agents, managers, production staffs, media and programming executives.
• Media train and prep talent for interviews and speaking opportunities such as the bi-annual Television Critics Association Tour and Comic-Con.
• Monitor competitive environment via daily review of competitive/industry news, and interface with other departments and entertainment cable channels on an as needed basis.
• Manage assigned show publicity budget with an eye on ROI.

Qualifications/Requirements:

Basic Qualifications

-Bachelor’s Degree

-Minimum 7 years television publicity and hands-on media relations experience, with increasing levels of responsibility for campaign management.

Eligibility Requirements

-Interested candidate must submit a resume/CV through www.nbcunicareers.com to be considered

-Willingness to travel and work overtime; some evening and weekend work required

-Must be willing to work in New York

-Must be willing to submit to a background investigation

-Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States

• Candidate must have proven track record of delivering a wide range of press coverage, and strong media relationships with both consumer and trade entertainment reporters.
• Excellent writing and editing skills are a must – writing samples required.
• Experience pitching, booking and covering national and local media interviews necessary. Desired Characteristics
• Candidate must have proven track record of delivering a wide range of press coverage, and strong media relationships with both consumer and trade entertainment reporters.
• Excellent writing and editing skills are a must – writing samples required.
• Experience pitching, booking and covering national and local media interviews necessary.
• Must be a self-starter who is able to work autonomously, while keeping teammates and manager abreast of all activities.
• Individual must exhibit strong interpersonal, pitching, and presentation skills.
• Ability to juggle and meet numerous deadlines and work on multiple simultaneous campaigns with varying timelines
• Candidate must be proactive and able to multi-task, a creative and independent strategic thinker who displays strong external and internal communication skills.
• Must demonstrate an ability to cultivate and nurture relationships with members of the media, network executives, producers and talent.
• Superior organization and creative skills.

TO APPLY: Click here. (PF tipster)

Former Journalist and Obama Aide Douglass Named Global Head of Communications at Bloomberg

Bloomberg LP today that Linda Douglass will be joining Bloomberg Media Group as Global Head of Communications in September.

Douglass will oversee communications strategy and press relations for Bloomberg Media’s global multi-platform products, including digital, print, television, video, radio, and live events.

Douglass is a veteran in the fields of communications, media, and journalism.

She served most recently as the Senior Vice President for Global Communications at Atlantic Media, where she oversaw communications strategy for such initiatives as the digital transformation of The Atlantic and the launch of Quartz.

Prior to that, Douglass worked for President Obama in various roles, including Director of Communications for the White House Office of Health Reform and senior advisor to his 2008 presidential campaign. She has had a long career as a broadcast journalist, covering politics and government.

Douglass has worked as a journalist in Washington D.C. and, earlier, in Los Angeles. She was a Washington-based correspondent for CBS News, specializing in health care and campaign finance.

She later joined ABC News, where she spent eight years as the Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent, receiving the Everett Dirksen Award for Excellence in Coverage of Congress.  (PF tipster)

AP’s Pickler Joins Glover Park Group

Strategic communications and government affairs firm The Glover Park Group (GPG) today announced that Nedra Pickler has joined as a Managing Director.  Pickler will work in the Strategic Communications practice, providing strategic and media counsel for the firm’s clients.

Pickler, a veteran journalist, joins GPG after spending 17 years at The Associated Press (AP), most recently serving as a White House reporter covering the second term of the Obama Administration. Pickler previously covered the second Bush Administration. In both of those roles, she covered breaking news, questioned both presidents extensively and reported from abroad on presidential trips across five continents.

Pickler also served as federal courts reporter in Washington, DC, and covered presidential campaigns for the AP during both the 2004 and 2008 election cycles. Pickler was part of the AP team nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign and received several awards from the AP during her tenure, including the John L. Dougherty Award for coverage of the Ford-Firestone tire scandal, and was twice the recipient of the global Beat of the Week award for breaking news reporting. She started her career in the Michigan bureau of the AP. (PF tipster)

Job of the Week: Washington Post, Communications Coordinator

The Washington Post seeks an organized, energetic and detail-oriented Communications Coordinator to provide support to the Public Relations team.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: event planning, research, report generating, database management, entry-level publicity, set up and producing TV and radio live shots, and telephone coverage. The right candidate must be able to anticipate project needs, take initiative, discern priorities and meet deadlines, and must be willing to work occasional evenings and weekends. Candidate should understand event management, be able to provide outstanding customer service, be an enthusiastic professional and be able to build strong internal and external relationships.

Required Skills:

- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

- Careful attention to detail with good follow-through.

- Ability to manage multiple projects and work assignments from a variety of staff, including helping to plan and execute events.

- Willingness to work at events after hours or to work extended hours when required; assist with managing on-site production and cleanup for events as necessary.

- Strategic thinker who can adapt and prioritize moment to moment.

- Customer service-focused; can easily establish rapport and develop credibility from internal employees and external business partners.

- Dynamic self-starter with strong decision making skills.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including writing, proof reading and speaking.

- Expertise with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.

Experience:

- Bachelor’s Degree - 0-3 years related experience

TO APPLY: Visit here.

**Interested candidates must attach cover letter with application. (WashingtonPost.com)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Washington Examiner, Social Media Strategist

                                         

Overview

Seeking a dynamic, creative social media strategist for a pivotal role in the Washington Examiner’s digital first editorial team. The ideal candidate will be part strategist, evangelist and analyst. The ability to successfully leverage skills to engage with and educate our target audience on multiple social media platforms, as well as leverage social media to help achieve specific business and marketing goals is critical.

Responsibilities

Develop and refine social strategies and tactical social initiatives and campaigns in alignment with marketing objectives and target audiences

Create and manage social media editorial calendar to drive social activity around key messaging

Manage social media profiles across a variety of platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Reddit, Google+, etc. as well as our site

Write and curate content and create images optimized for engagement on social media profiles

Identify influencers and opportunities for engagement to drive meaningful dialogue, engagement and growth

Monitor the brand across social channels

Measure, analyze and report on outcomes based on engagement and growth

Research current trends in social media, and apply what you learn to social media efforts

Monitor, identify, interpret and capitalize on social media trends

Work with technology team to support social media asset development including social network pages, profiles, apps and widgets.

Requirements

Five+ years experience working in social media.

Deep understanding of the social landscape, proven competency across multiple platforms and experience managing social media pages with proven success.

Passion and enthusiasm for digital marketing.

Measurable examples of success in social media against business goals.

Fluency in social data, analytics and metrics.

Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, work well under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Superb written and oral communication skills

Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail

Ability to create high-quality work within short timeframes.

TO APPLY: To learn more and/or apply for this position, send cover note and resume to Cristina Giroux at [email protected].  (PF tipster)

AP National Political Editor Sidoti is new BP Head of Communications

Liz Sidoti, who has spent nearly the last 15 years with the Associated Press, most recently as National Political Editor, will join BP as Head of Communications, within the new Communications and External Affairs team, effective December 31.

A native of Kent, Ohio, Sidoti joined the AP in Cincinnati in 1999, and spent four years covering the Ohio Statehouse. Before AP, she reported for The Columbus Dispatch, The Repository in Canton, Ohio, and the Record-Courier in Portage County, Ohio.  She is a graduate of Ohio University.  (PF tipster)