PR & Influencer Manager

Location: New York

Reports to: Head of PR & Influencer

About Us

DeMellier is a London-based brand that was founded with the vision of doing things differently: to design handbags that would make women feel empowered, made ethically and sustainably, while giving back to those who need it most. These principles guide everything we do. All our pieces are crafted ethically in Europe using the finest sustainably sourced materials. We champion equality, and for every piece sold, we fund vaccines and medical treatments aimed at saving the life of a child in need. So far, through our permanent charity initiative, ‘A Bag, A Life’, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, we have funded over 2.5 million vaccines. Join us and be part of an award-winning, purpose-driven brand that fosters creativity, collaboration, and meaningful impact within the luxury industry.

The Role 

As DeMellier's PR & Influencer Manager, US, you will lead the brand's press and influencer activity across the US, combining strategic thinking with hands-on execution – driving earned media, strengthening influencer relationships, and increasing brand awareness across key markets, with a strong focus on New York and LA. Working closely with the Global Head of PR & Influencers, leveraging your existing network and proactively developing new relationships, you will own day-to-day relationships with senior editors, creators and tastemakers, identify opportunities to build brand visibility and drive measurable results across press and social channels that contribute to both brand equity and commercial growth.You will manage a team of PR Coordinators and Assistants, providing strategic direction, coaching and support, while remaining actively involved in execution. Semi-regular travel to London is required as part of this role, as well as regular in-market travel, including attending events, conducting market visits, building relationships with key media and influencer contacts, and representing the brand at industry moments.

Job requirements

• 5+ years’ experience in PR and influencer marketing, ideally within the luxury or premium fashion space.
• Strong press and influencer relationships in the US (particularly across New York and LA), with a pulse on emerging talent and media trends.
• Demonstrated experience personally building press relationships, securing earned media coverage and managing influencer partnerships within luxury or premium fashion.
• Proven success in building high-impact, non-paid influencer programmes and generating earned media coverage. Comfortable operating at both strategic and executional levels, with a willingness to personally drive outreach, relationship-building and high-priority projects when required.
• Proficient Traackr, Cision, and ideally Airtable. Skilled at managing and mentoring junior team members. Analytical and organised, with the ability to balance creativity and performance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Passionate about luxury fashion and DeMellier’s brand purpose.

Job responsibilities

Press Relations

• Develop and execute DeMellier's press strategy across the US to drive earned media coverage across fashion, lifestyle and business titles.
• Build and maintain strong direct relationships with senior editors, journalists, stylists and VIP stylists to ensure consistent, high-quality coverage.
• Leverage Cision to track media coverage, report on PR performance, maintain accurate media lists, and support continuous improvement of press strategy and results.
• Partner with the Content Editor to brief and distribute press releases, product information and media assets.
• Create and maintain a forward-looking press calendar with seasonal angles, product news and brand storytelling opportunities.
• Conduct regular market visits and face-to-face meetings to strengthen relationships and identify editorial opportunities with key press & influencer contacts.
• Represent the brand across the US market, acting as a senior ambassador for DeMellier within the media landscape. 

Influencer Strategy & Gifting

• Own DeMellier’s influencer strategy across the US, prioritising authentic, long-term relationships that drive both brand equity and measurable impact.
• Manage the influencer gifting programme, directing a team of PR Assistants and Coordinators to ensure timely, high-quality outreach aligned with monthly targets and product priorities.
• Use Traackr to identify and evaluate creators and tastemakers based on brand fit, engagement, content quality and potential business impact.
• Monitor and report on influencer performance using key metrics such as reach, EMV, potency, and engagement, with a focus on drawing clear links between activity and business outcomes.
• Coordinate closely with the Merchandising team to align product send-outs with launches, priorities and stock availability.

Events & Brand Activations

• Lead the planning and execution of press days, influencer appointments and gifting suites, in collaboration with the Events Manager, ensuring they are strategically designed to support launches and storytelling moments.
• Manage all event elements from guest list strategy and location selection to presentation and post-event reporting.
• Support wider brand moments and campaign activations when there is a PR or influencer component, collaborating with the broader Marketing and Creative teams.

Affiliate & Wholesale Support

• Collaborate with the performance marketing team to ensure influencer outreach supports affiliate goals and identifies creators with high conversion potential for future gifting.
• Support the Wholesale team with press and influencer outreach around store launches, retail moments or territory-specific marketing activities.
• Provide toolkits, messaging and brand support to wholesale partners when relevant.

Budget & Tools

• Manage the PR and influencer budget, overseeing spend, issuing POs and ensuring all activity is cost-effective and well-documented.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Airtable, ensuring visibility across teams and stakeholders.
• Produce regular reporting across influencer and press performance using Traackr, Cision and internal analytics tools, feeding insights back into strategy

Job benefits

• Annual Leave package increases the longer you stay with us
• Enhanced company maternity policy Employee
• Discount: 50% off Stock and up to 90% off Seasonal Sample Sales
• Free gift DeMellier bag on successful probation