Vice President, Earned Media Strategy

Vice President, Earned Media Strategy

New York, New York, United States

About the Opportunity:

The Weber Shandwick team is seeking a Vice President, Earned Media Strategy to serve as the central strategic leader for earned media. This role is pivotal in orchestrating integrated campaigns for top-tier CPG, Food & Beverage, and Consumer Lifestyle brands. You will be the key architect of earned media strategies, working in close partnership with cross-functional teams, influential clients, and agency partners to shape large-scale campaigns that drive cultural conversation.

The ideal candidate is a master storyteller and a natural collaborator who excels at uniting diverse teams around a powerful narrative. You will be the strategic hub, ensuring that earned media is not a silo, but the core of a cohesive, multi-channel brand experience.

About You:

You are a strategic integrator with a proven track record of leading earned media for major consumer brands. Your deep and trusted relationships with top-tier media are matched only by your ability to foster collaboration across internal teams. You instinctively translate broad business goals into sharp, compelling narratives and excel at uniting diverse groups, from creative and paid media to social and analytics, around a single, powerful earned concept.

Passionate about pop culture and media trends, you thrive on connecting the dots between what's happening in the world and where a brand has the credibility to play. You see beyond the press release, envisioning how an earned-centric idea can come to life across paid, owned, and social channels.

You are a strategic thinker who brings clarity and purpose to complex, integrated programs. As a collaborative leader, you are adept at building consensus, navigating multi-disciplinary teams, and inspiring them to deliver standout earned work that is deeply rooted in insight and cultural impact.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the strategic hub for earned media, architecting comprehensive campaigns and ensuring their seamless integration across all marketing disciplines (paid, social, digital, influencer, creative).
• Lead the development and flawless execution of earned-centric ideas, partnering with cross-functional teams to build unified and powerful brand narratives.
• Translate insights from analytics, social listening, and digital teams into actionable earned media strategies that are timely, relevant, and impactful.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with top-tier media across business, lifestyle, food & beverage, news, and entertainment verticals.
• Craft culturally relevant narratives that tap into emerging consumer and media trends.
• Counsel senior clients, C-suite executives, and spokespeople on media strategy, narrative positioning, and integrated campaign opportunities.
• Confidently represent the earned media strategy in client meetings, inter-agency work sessions, and new business pitches, articulating how it connects to the broader marketing ecosystem.
• Manage resources, timelines, and deliverables with precision, fostering a collaborative and client-first environment.
• Mentor and lead junior team members, cultivating their skills in strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration.

Competencies:

• Integrated Leadership: Excel at building bridges and fostering collaboration between internal teams (paid, social, creative, analytics) and external agency partners to create seamless, multi-channel campaigns.
• Business Acumen: Align earned media strategies with client business goals, demonstrating a clear understanding of how earned media drives broader marketing priorities.
• Client Service: Build trust and rapport with senior client stakeholders by providing strategic counsel that extends beyond traditional media relations.
• Proactivity: Continuously identify and pursue innovative, integrated media opportunities and storytelling approaches.
• Critical Thinking: Analyze challenges and data from multiple sources to anticipate needs and deliver insightful, holistic solutions.
• Mentorship: Effectively guide teams and individuals, inspiring them to embrace a collaborative and integrated mindset.

What We're Looking For:

• 8+ years of public relations or communications experience, with increasing responsibility and a focus on leading integrated earned media programs for major consumer brands.
• Proven experience working within an integrated agency model, with a deep understanding of how earned, paid, social, and digital media work together.
• A strong track record of top-tier media placements and well-established relationships across lifestyle, business, entertainment, and pop culture media.
• Subject matter expertise in CPG, food & beverage, and consumer lifestyle.
• Demonstrated success managing campaigns that feature talent, celebrities, and influential creators as part of a broader, integrated strategy.
• Experience in media training and counseling senior clients and C-suite executives.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate a strategic vision to diverse audiences and lead new business efforts.
• Proven problem-solver with strong judgment under pressure.
• A collaborative team leader known for mentoring talent and managing multiple fast-paced projects with clarity, control, and a spirit of partnership.

Salary Range: $125,000 USD – $165,000 USD

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.