Media Relations Specialist - Travel & Hospitality

ABOUT THE JOB

The Media Relations Specialist is a strategic and proactive role focused on executing comprehensive public relations campaigns for travel, hotel, and restaurant partners. This individual will craft compelling brand stories, and secure top-tier media placements across print, broadcast, online, and podcast platforms. Key responsibilities include developing annual and quarterly PR and marketing plans, building robust relationships with local, regional, and national journalists, coordinating media events and familiarization trips, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure integrated marketing success. The ideal candidate brings 2-5 years of PR experience (preferably in an agency setting) and thrives in a dynamic environment where innovation, authentic storytelling, and measurable results are highly valued.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner & Account Management

• Serve as the primary PR strategist on a dedicated set of accounts, managing campaigns from end-to-end. Own client-facing communications, leading regular check-ins to report on PR outcomes and strategic metrics.
• Execute weekly incremental updates, monthly detail reports, monthly media trackers, and target media list maintenance.
• Serve partners impeccably, continually identifying opportunities to connect and elevate their brand.
• Attend and participate in partner meetings, events, broadcast segments, and programming.
• Update and present partner marketing briefs.
• Share editorial lead-time calendars (including deadlines for holiday and seasonal roundups) with partners.
• Participate in new business campaigns and present at new business meetings as needed.
• Contribute to conversations on strategy, goals, and results with cross-disciplinary leaders and team members.

PR Strategy & Media Relations

• Create comprehensive PR strategies and pitch plans for partners to maximize exposure and return on investment.
• Build annual creative marketing plans for partners covering programming, packages, and events.
• Ideate, source, and liaise on programming details between hotel/restaurant partners and Programming Specialists/Strategists.
• Draft stories, messaging, talking points, and organize press kits and multimedia library materials for media.
• Qualify media interest, create custom new media vehicles, and coordinate media shoots and broadcast segments.
• Establish and maintain strong media relationships with local, regional, and national journalists and broadcast producers.
• Conduct proactive media outreach across print, online, broadcast, podcast, and non-traditional channels. Maintain high-frequency outreach, generating a steady volume of personalized media pitches week over week.
• Develop, execute, and monitor media pitching strategies. Proactively identify narrative opportunities and turn brainstorms into actionable, result-driven press outreach.
• Compile universal editorial calendars and distribute two seasonal, holiday, and travel-focused media roundups per month.
• Conceptualize and execute PR events, including media briefings, familiarization trips, stays, product drops, and itineraries.
• Conduct community outreach (e.g., concierges, residential groups), establish memberships (CVBs, neighborhood orgs), and maintain a quarterly community calendar.
• Assist with media training where necessary.
• Clear Performance Metrics: Success in this role is driven by consistent, high-volume media outreach and securing regular media placements for your clients.

Agency Collaboration & Growth

• Interface with cross-disciplinary team members to drive integrated marketing campaigns.
• Help evolve and amplify Kinship’s own agency brand across communication vehicles, marketing materials, and digital platforms.
• Achieve defined goals and KPIs associated with job responsibilities.
• Lead special projects or internal functions assigned by leadership to support the agency.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: 2–5 years of experience executing PR campaigns (preferably in an agency setting).
• Industry Passion & Expertise: Deep knowledge of and engagement in culture, food, and travel industries, staying current on market trends, personalities, and products.
• Media & Tool Proficiency: A nuanced understanding of media relations, media database curation, and modern PR tools and applications. You know how to leverage modern tools to streamline brainstorming, reporting, and refine copy, while bringing the essential human touch required for media pitching and relationship building.
• Analytics & Reporting: A strong grasp of PR measurement, KPIs, and campaign reporting.
• Storytelling & Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and messaging skills tailored for diverse media formats and marketing disciplines.
• High Autonomy & Self-Direction: You thrive when given ownership over your account portfolio. You are comfortable taking full initiative, managing your own calendar, and navigating day-to-day priorities.
• Professional Attributes: A candid, innovative mindset with a desire to continuous learning, career development, and bringing fresh ideas to elevate the agency and its clients.
• Entrepreneurial & Ownership Mindset: You treat your client roster as your own business unit. You proactively problem-solve, pivot strategies when needed, and bring creative pitching ideas to the table independently.
• Direct Client Contact & Dedicated PR Lead: You enjoy being the primary contact for PR strategy and execution. You naturally build strong relationships directly with clients and confidently lead communications regarding their account activity.
• Comfortable in a Fast-Paced, High-Yield Environment: You excel at balancing multiple deliverables simultaneously–from drafting media pitches and press releases to executing outreach strategies across multiple client accounts.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

Health, Vision & Dental Coverage, Half-Day Fridays, Generous Paid Time Off, Company-Paid Life Insurance, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Paid Parental Leave, Professional Development Opportunities

Physical Demands & Travel (ADA)

This is a sedentary role that primarily involves sitting and typing/using a computer for extended periods. Occasional travel to partner sites is required as needed.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EOE STATEMENT

Kinship provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SALARY RANGE: Starts at $55k DEO

LOCATION: Remote: Dallas, TX preferred