Potomac Flacks

DREAM JOB OF THE WEEK: NFL, Senior Communications Strategist (New York, NY)

The Senior Communications Strategist will be responsible for proactively developing plans and strategies aimed at publicly positioning the NFL to key audiences through all communication channels, both traditional and emerging media. They will work closely with communications department leadership to create messaging to reflect the league's wide variety of priorities and expedite organizational decision-making.

Additionally, the strategist will:Provide crisis communications counsel to leagues executives.

• Devise strategy and long term vision to strategically position the NFL in the sports marketplace.
• Provide guidance to senior leadership, including executive vice presidents and COO to achieve desired reputational results and develop metrics to measure success.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in related field and a minimum of 8+ years of experience in communications or journalism with expertise in storytelling, issue management and long term planning
• Successfully demonstrated ability to lead, participate in, and support cross-departmental activities.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, excellent organizational skills and strong interpersonal skills.

• Excellent working knowledge of the PR field including documented experience working in public, fast paced, high-pressure situations.

Other Key Attributes / Characteristics:

• Strategic Leader: The successful candidate will think and act strategically as a valued member of the communications department and other NFL units.
• Trusted Advisor: He/she will serve as a credible PR resource to clubs and league executives
• An individual with intense and dedicated work habits. Someone who takes initiative, speaks his/her mind, and sets high standards in all he/she does.
• An individual comfortable working in a diverse environment
• A creative, imaginative individual who has the business acumen, curiosity and ability to define innovative strategy and deliver against it.
• A person with the highest moral and ethical standards, who can be relied upon to always act in the best long-term interests of the League.
• A person with the capacity to be a hands-on, sleeves-up team player.
• Superior judgement and communication skills, as well as political sensitivity both internally and externally
• Experience in corporate communications, sports or entertainment is preferred.

TO APPLY: Click here.

RELATED: NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart to step down at NFL after Super Bowl.

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)

Durbin Flack Gleischman Moving to U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Office

Politico’s Mike Allen reports that Max Gleischman is the new Communications Director and spokesperson for U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power.  Gleischman had been serving as Communications Director for Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL).

Allen replaced Nayyera Hag, who was serving as acting director following the departure of Erin Pelton.  (Politico)

Exclusive: Former Bush administration aide Ditto Hangs a Shingle

Trey Ditto, a former Deputy Press Secretary in the Bush administration at the U.S. Department of Education, launched his own firm, Ditto Public Affairs (DPA), based in Brooklyn, NY.

DPA will serve various clients in the health care, financial services, technology, entertainment, legal and public policy industries.

Trey was formerly a V.P. with Emanate PR.

Joining him is Nicolle Gallo, who joins from the public affairs team at Edelman in D.C.  Previously she worked for Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), the New Jersey Republican State Committee and Governor Chris Christie's (R-NJ) gubernatorial campaign in communication roles.  (PF tipster)

EXCLUSIVE: Qorvis’ Reid Moving to NYC for IAVA

After three years on international flights advising clients in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, Qorvis Communications Partner John Reid is heading from DC to New York City to become Chief Communications Officer for The Iraq Afghanistan Veterans Association (IAVA).

The not-for-profit advocacy group focused on the newest generation of veterans is rapidly expanding its national outreach and membership. Reid, 43, is former communications director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and then-U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) and as VP at the infancy of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC with founder Matt Mackowiak.

Reid is known to many from his time as President of the Senate Press Secretaries Association and previously spent 10 years as a Richmond, VA television news anchor. Recently he’s volunteered as an advisor to groups seeking GOP Congressional votes for the passage of ENDA legislation.

Reid starts work in New York next week.

He s a graduate of Baylor University and a native of Richmond.  (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Buzzfeed, Press Manager (NYC)

BuzzFeed is seeking an aggressive, hard-working, experienced Press Manager to join our editorial team in New York. The person will be responsible for promoting reporters, editors and content focused on entertainment, celebrity, lifestyle and pop culture — but should also be a generalist who's able to grow with our expanding editorial team. The role will report to the Press Director and work closely with the Executive Editor. 

This job is based in our NYC offices, and offers competitive compensation and a stock option program.

Responsibilities

• Bring significant rolodex of lifestyle/entertainment TV producers and reporters and use contacts to expand BuzzFeed lifestyle press coverage
• Manage press for entertainment, celebrity, lifestyle and pop culture sections to promote content and editors/reporters, focusing on TV
• Work with Events Coordinator on company and entertainment and vertical-centric events
• Work with Events Coordinator on panels and industry events 

Qualifications

• Strong editorial sensibility
• Proven ability to pitch and secure placements at major media outlets
• Excellent organization skills and strong written and verbal communication skills
• Accessibility after hours and on weekends
• 4 - 6 years experience in PR and preferable media PR 

TO APPLY: Click here.  (PF tipster)

Christie, Senior VP of Corp Comms for New York Times Company, Departs as Position is Eliminated

Robert Christie, the senior vice president of corporate communications for The New York Times Company since 2010, has departed as his position was eliminated.  He joined NYT from the Wall Street Journal.

Eileen Murphy, the vice president of corporate communications, will lead the communications department.  (NYT’s Media Decoder blog)

Former Clinton White House Press Secretary Siewert Name Global Head of Corporate Communications for Goldman Sachs

First reported in Politico’s “Playbook,” John F. W. Rogers, Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board of Goldman Sachs, released an announcement in an internal memo the news that Jake Siewert has joined the firm as a Managing Director and Global Head of Corporate Communications.

Jake served as Counselor to the U.S. Treasury Secretary from 2009 to 2011, during which time he advised the secretary and also acted as his liaison to the business community.  From 2001 to 2009, Jake worked at Alcoa.  From 1993 to 2001, Jake held several positions in the Clinton administration, including serving as White House Press Secretary.  He began his career in Washington in 1991 as Communications Director for the Democratic Governors Association.

He is a 1986 graduate of Yale University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a degree in the Humanities.  (Politico’s “Playbook”)

Former Boxer Aide Ravitz Departs NY Dept of Ed for News Corp

First reported by PolitickerNY, "New York Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott announced that Natalie Ravitz, the Communications Director for the New York City Department of Education (DOE), left her positition Feb. 10 to take a job at News Corporation as Chief of Staff to Rupert Murdoch.

"Ravitz marks the second high profile poaching of a DOE staffer by News Corp. Last year, Mr. Walcott’s predecessor, Joel Klein, left to head up a new education division at the media conglomerate.

"Ravitz came to the New York City Department of Education after serving as Communications Director U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)."

Ravitz holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the London School of Economics.  (PolitickerNY & PF reporting)