Job Description: 

State of Washington Tourism

www.industry.stateofWAtourism.com

Position: Public Relations Manager

Salary: $70,000 – $75,000 annually

Status: Permanent, exempt

Reports to: Director of Marketing

Closing Date: Open until filled

Company Location: Virtual office with potential for a future office location in the Puget Sound area.

If you are interested and you meet the selection criteria, please respond with a resume and cover letter. Applicants must be a Washington State resident or willing to relocate at their own expense. Send resume and cover letter to michelle@stateofwatourism.com. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Position Description

State of Washington Tourism (SWT) is the destination marketing organization for the state of Washington, promoting travel to and within the state through advertising, public relations, travel trade relationships, social media, and additional avenues. The public relations manager will lead media relations, hosting and responsive media tasks for the organization. They will oversee daily tasks of SWT’s Public Relations Agency and work closely with the director of marketing to align on broad public relations goals and accountabilities. In partnership with the public relations agency, the manager will generate story pitches, write press releases and proactively report on public relations results. Strong knowledge of Washington State’s tourism assets, visitor experiences and appeals is essential for this position. Candidates must possess exceptional writing and editing skills.

Job duties

  • Initiate and foster positive domestic and international media relationships on behalf of SWT
  • Represent SWT at media events and tradeshows
  • Respond to media inquiries and gather accurate information and resources to fulfill media requests
  • Write communication updates for tourism PR professionals around the state
  • Writes press releases on SWT initiatives and tourism developments in the state
  • Create and edit media itineraries
  • Create and maintain media kits and press materials
  • Host individual media and media familiarization tours (FAMs) to help secure positive coverage of the state of Washington as a visitor destination
  • Curates and maintains database of media contacts
  • Maintains knowledge of PR best practices to meet evolving media needs
  • Develops and leads annual internal public relations plan
  • In partnership with the director of marketing, sets strategic public relations goals and KPIs on a quarterly and annual basis
  • Assists in corporate communications for the organization
  • Handles responsive public relations tasks including sourcing information and photos, providing fact-checking and connecting writers to quality interview sources

Requirements/Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree from an academic institution in public relations, journalism, communications, English or similar field, OR equivalent work experience
  • 2-4 years of experience in public relations, communications or journalism
  • Strong grasp of AP Style and writing/editing conventions
  • Excellent communication skills with a passion for thinking creatively to solve problems.
  • Knowledge of PR and media best practices
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to form quick connections with members of the press, ascertain and fulfill media needs to ensure positive coverage.
  • Strong organizational skills, with a proven track record of project management
  • Excellent computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred

  • Experience in travel or hospitality PR
  • Knowledge of destination publicity or experience in the industry
  • Experience managing photo and video assets
  • Corporate communications experience
  • Experience hosting media
  • Experience using a CRM/database system to track coverage and generate reports

About the Organization State of Washington Tourism is a 501[c]6 organization established by industry stakeholders with the sole mission of sustaining Washington State destination tourism marketing. The SWT began as an industry advocacy organization following the 2011 closure of the Washington State tourism office by the state legislature. Years of subsequent work to re-establish an industry-led statewide tourism marketing program culminated in 2018 when Governor Jay Inslee signed enabling legislation with a 2:1 private-public sector matching fund program.

The SWT was contracted as the state destination marketing organization later that year. The SWT procures and administers funds for state destination tourism marketing activities and creates and implements a strategic statewide destination marketing plan.

This innovative public-private funding model, coupled with the process of re-building the state tourism marketing program and competitively re-positioning the destination, offers an exciting landscape for the SWT team, not to mention the opportunity for professional development and growth as the organization progresses.

State of Washington Tourism supports social justice, human rights, cultural preservation and public safety for all. As such, all travelers should feel welcome and safe, and host communities and travel and tourism suppliers should be respected by their guests. At its best, travel offers inherent social and cultural exchange that fosters understanding and acceptance. SWT seeks to advance these values throughout its marketing, communications and travel advisory programs.