Public Relations Specialist

Partner with Aquent to join a leading premium platform in the dynamic dating and relationships space, currently undergoing a significant brand transformation. This is a unique opportunity to directly shape public perception and drive narrative change for a brand that impacts millions of people globally. Your work will be the operational engine behind our communication strategy, making a tangible difference in how our story is told and received. We are seeking a highly motivated and ambitious professional to join our in-house communications team. This pivotal role offers substantial surface area for growth, placing you at the forefront of the brand’s evolution. You will not be coordinating from the sidelines; instead, you will be a proactive force, pitching journalists, crafting compelling narratives, managing our member casting book, and stepping into the spotlight as a spokesperson when needed. This is an ideal role for someone ready to accelerate their career, take ownership of key beats, and contribute directly to a high-impact function, making a tangible difference in how our story is told and received globally.

Responsibilities

Draft press releases, media alerts, pitch emails, op-eds, Q&As, fact sheets, executive bios, and briefing books; Pitch journalists, editors, podcast bookers, producers, bloggers, and influencers directly on assigned beats; Build and grow personal media relationships across relevant beats including dating, lifestyle, business, consumer tech, and culture; Respond to inbound media requests with speed and route information across the company; Identify and act on PR opportunities through industry platforms daily; Contribute to trend-hijacking efforts by identifying news-cycle insertion opportunities and drafting pitches; Edit and proofread all communications to AP-style standards; Run the day-to-day operations of the member casting book; Continuously recruit diverse members across age, profession, geography, relationship status, and story type; Vet members for media-readiness, briefing them on outlet, journalist, angle, and message tracks before every press interaction; Match members to journalist requests and coordinate availability; Manage all NDAs, consent forms, and post-interview follow-ups; Maintain a tagged, searchable, and current casting book; Be available to participate in interviews and serve as a named or unnamed spokesperson for the brand when needed; Substitute for senior leadership or executives when unavailable, or when the story benefits from a team perspective; Maintain personal media-readiness, keeping talking points current, completing media training, and being comfortable on camera and in audio; Coordinate with senior PR leadership and legal on any spokesperson appearance with reputational sensitivity; Serve as the day-to-day operational liaison with our outside agency partners; Run agency status calls, track deliverables, and follow up on open items; Quality-control agency-drafted materials; Share approved messaging, campaign updates, and brand guidelines with agency partners; Surface agency performance issues to senior PR leadership with specifics; Help build the pipeline of podcast, interview, and speaking opportunities for our executives; Draft briefing materials, narrative arcs, and message tracks for executive appearances; Research relevant awards and prepare submissions; Coordinate stage and panel opportunities at relevant conferences; Monitor news, newsletters, social media, and competitor PR daily across dating, relationships, lifestyle, business, and tech; Maintain a running calendar of recurring cultural moments and pre-build pitches; Track competitor PR activity and flag opportunities to contest share of conversation; Maintain media lists, pitch calendars, journalist contact databases, and CRM tracking; Maintain the PR asset library, including approved imagery, boilerplates, key messaging, executive bios, and media kits; Monitor daily media coverage using industry-standard tools; Compile weekly coverage summaries and contribute to monthly PR reports; Maintain SOPs and process documentation for recurring workflows; Help maintain crisis communication resources and contact lists

Requirements

3 to 5 years of experience in public relations (agency or in-house), journalism, or communications; Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent professional track record; Demonstrated track record contributing to or personally securing media coverage (regional, trade, or national outlets); Strong writing and editing skills with a portfolio of work you can point to; AI fluency, with experience using AI tools like those for research, drafting, media list building, and coverage analysis, and the ability to describe your AI workflows; Working knowledge of industry-standard PR and project management tools, plus AP style; Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with a proven ability to deliver on time and manage multiple priorities; Willingness and ability to participate in interviews and serve as a spokesperson on the company’s behalf when needed; Comfort working remotely on a small, fast-moving team.

Nice to have

Experience at a top consumer or lifestyle PR agency; Newsroom experience as a reporter or junior editor; Existing relationships with dating, relationships, lifestyle, business, or consumer tech beat reporters; Experience with member, customer, or talent casting for media stories; Experience with influencer coordination or modern earned-and-paid integration; Comfort with reputation management for brands that carry public-perception baggage; Experience working at an entrepreneurial or founder-led company.

Benefits

subsidized health, vision, and dental plans; paid sick leave; retirement plans with a match; free online training through Aquent Gymnasium