Vice President of Media Engagement

Job Description

Job Description

Reports to: Senior Vice President of Communications
Status: Full-time; Exempt
Location: Washington D.C. This is a hybrid workplace, with Mondays and Wednesdays in the office and three days remote, as well as the occasional need to work in person for events and special projects. 
Overtime Status: Exempt 
Salary: $180K-$200K

TO APPLY: Please use our recruiting partner's portal 

ABOUT GROUNDWORK COLLABORATIVE

Launched in 2018, Groundwork Collaborative (Groundwork) is driven by the idea that We Are The Economy: when all of us are doing well, that is when our economy thrives. We fight for progressive economic policy and narrative change that builds accountable public power, breaks up concentrations of private power, and centers people too long left out of prosperity. Taken together, these actions can help build a stronger and more resilient economy.

Groundwork’s unique structure – part strategic communications organization, part think tank, and part issue advocacy organization – enable us to drive narrative and policy change with credibility, expertise, and impact. We work across four core audiences – the media, policymakers, economic experts, and grasstops leaders – using targeted policy campaigns, timely research, and compelling messaging to advance a truly inclusive economic worldview.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Groundwork Collaborative is seeking a Vice President of Media Engagement to lead the organization’s press and earned media operation and expand the reach and influence of its economic narrative work. This is a new senior leadership role within Groundwork’s communication team, created to bring together two powerful assets: a growing in-house press operation and the Economic Speakers Bureau, which is helping diversify the expert voices sharpening coverage and conversation about the economy.

The Vice President will build the strategy, relationships, systems, and team necessary to ensure that Groundwork’s research, experts, campaigns, and ideas consistently break through in a dynamic, rapidly evolving media environment. They will translate Groundwork’s broader communications and organizational priorities into high-impact media strategies—from proactive narrative campaigns and major report launches to rapid response and opportunities to shape breaking news.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Communications, the Vice President will directly manage Groundwork’s press team and provide strategic leadership for the Economic Speakers Bureau. They will serve as a senior member of the communications team and a trusted advisor to executive leadership, working closely with Policy, Advocacy, Research, Partnerships, and Digital staff to build integrated campaigns that move both policy and narrative.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Groundwork’s press and earned media strategy

• Set the vision, strategy, priorities, and operating approach for Groundwork’s press and earned media work, ensuring a proactive, coordinated, and high-impact presence across national broadcast, print, digital, podcast, newsletter, and emerging media.
• Translate Groundwork’s organizational and communications strategies into targeted media campaigns, proactive narrative opportunities, rapid response, and sustained press engagement.
• Identify the moments, messengers, stories, and platforms that can move economic debates and expand Groundwork’s reach.
• Build systems for prioritizing opportunities, coordinating across teams, and measuring the impact of Groundwork’s media work.

Build and lead a high-performing press operation

• Directly manage and develop a press team of 2-4 staff, providing strategic direction, editorial leadership, coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities.
• Establish clear goals, workflows, and decision-making processes that enable the team to operate effectively in a fast-moving news environment.
• Serve as a senior editor and strategic thought partner on press materials, including releases, media advisories, statements, talking points, briefings, op-eds, and other communications products.
• Advise the SVP of Communications and senior leadership on emerging media opportunities, risks, trends, and developments in the information ecosystem.

Lead and grow the Economic Speakers Bureau

• Provide strategic leadership for the Economic Speakers Bureau (ESB), ensuring that its growing network of economic experts is effectively integrated into Groundwork’s broader communications and narrative strategy.
• Partner with the ESB pitching and booking operation to expand and steward a diverse, high-quality roster of expert spokespeople, and maximize opportunities for them to shape economic media coverage.
• Ensure experts receive the preparation, messaging support, and strategic guidance needed to be effective media voices.
• Oversee the continued growth of the ESB’s national operation as well as its Spanish-language and New York-based expert cohorts.
• Develop strategies to expand ESB’s reach across traditional media and emerging platforms, including podcasts, newsletters, and creator-driven media.
• Establish clear goals and measures for assessing ESB’s reach, effectiveness, and impact.

Build and sustain a powerful media network

• Cultivate trusted relationships with journalists, editors, producers, bookers, hosts, newsletter writers, podcasters, and other influential voices throughout the national media landscape.
• Develop and maintain relationships with both established media institutions and emerging outlets and platforms, with an eye toward reaching audiences in an increasingly fragmented information environment.
• Represent Groundwork externally among media partners, coalition allies, and other stakeholders.

Drive integrated organizational campaigns

• Partner closely across organizational verticals and within communications team to develop and execute integrated communications strategies for reports, campaigns, major announcements, events, partnerships, and other organizational priorities.
• Ensure seamless coordination and cross-amplification between press, digital, and other communications channels.
• Help Groundwork respond quickly and strategically to breaking economic and political developments.

Organizational leadership responsibilities

• Lead projects that span multiple verticals, coordinating across teams to keep strategy and execution aligned.
• Serve as a cross-organizational connector between Communications, Partnership and Influence, and Policy, Advocacy, and Research.
• Represent Communications in senior leadership discussions, stepping in for the SVP as needed.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about Groundwork’s mission and bring many of the following skills and experiences:

• 10-15+ years of progressive experience in advocacy, political, nonprofit, government or other external communications roles, with a strong track record of generating high-impact press coverage at the national level.
• A demonstrated track record of generating high-impact national press coverage and using earned media strategically to advance organizational goals.
• Experience building teams, systems, and infrastructure, with a track record of creating effective operations in a fast-paced environment. 
• Deep relationships across the national media landscape, including with broadcast bookers and producers, print and digital reporters, editors, and emerging voices in new and alternative media.
• Strong people management skills and a demonstrated commitment to coaching, developing, and motivating high-performing teams.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to turn complex economic policy into compelling, accessible media content under deadline pressure.
• A deep understanding of the news cycle and what makes a story break through, and the ability to anticipate opportunities before they emerge.
• Fluency in the evolving media ecosystem, including newsletters, podcasts, and media content creators, and have smart ideas for how to reach audiences in a fragmented information environment.
• Strong strategic instincts and the ability to connect day-to-day media opportunities to broader organizational goals and narrative strategy. 
• Well-versed in wonky economic topics like inflation, tax policy, or labor markets, and are energized by translating them into messaging that resonates with broad audiences.
• Strong organizational skills, sound judgement, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining focus on the highest-impact opportunities. 
• Familiar with the progressive economic policy, think tank, and advocacy community in Washington, D.C. and on Capitol Hill.
• A commitment to a just, inclusive, and robust economy that delivers opportunity and dignity to all.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or overseeing a speakers bureau, surrogacy program, expert network, or similar initiative.