Plans, organizes, directs and executes community relations, tourism earned media, visitor services, promotional events and partnerships.

• Supervises and manages staff including assignment, scheduling, interviewing, hiring, evaluation, training, and discipline of assigned staff.
• Leads the public relations agency and internal team to develop innovative and strategic earned media relations plans for local, regional, national, and international media outreach initiatives consistent with marketing plans.
• Develops and implements various media and community relations programs to clearly and consistently communicate and promote positive local, regional and national media coverage and increase travel to the destination.
• Works with agency, partners and internal teams to research, coordinate and implement comprehensive earned media strategies to increase and maximize revenue through increased visitation in the leisure, group, meeting and sports related travel segments.
• Manages earned media and oversight of media activities including securing journalists, influencers, bloggers and writers to attract positive media attention; provides monthly billing approval.
• Sets goals and PR strategy; tracks trends, earned media coverage, and local sentiment; analyzes campaign results and market trends; recommends changes to strategies based on analysis and feedback.
• Oversees external vendors to ensure projects are completed within set deadlines and budgets.
• Fosters a team that will cultivate and execute new concepts, channels, and partnerships to position the organization as an innovative leader in the tourism industry.
• Plans itineraries, coordinates with local stakeholders (i.e., hotels, attractions, restaurants, retailers, civic and service organizations) and conducts media familiarization tours and press trips.
• Develops and grows the Partner Program to solidify local relationships; ensures fair and equitable partner exposure.
• Cultivates productive working relationships with lodging partners to maximize reporting of room nights and economic impact of groups, meetings, sports and local events.
• Acts as a liaison to local and regional destination marketing organizations and other entities regarding regional tourism product development and media relations; Participates in appropriate professional associations.
• Fosters the destination brand and reputation through visitor information services and ensures the distribution of meaningful and relevant information.
• Updates, maintains and distributes media kits; creates, designs, edits and distributes publications (e.g., news releases, newsletters, promotional materials, presentations, blogs) consistent with brand identity.
• Manages the database of travel writers, editors and related media associates and regularly communicates all pertinent information.
• Develops and enhances educational initiatives to keep tourism industry partners, government officials, and local citizens informed and educated about tourism as an economic development tool.
• Maintains accurate project records, statistics, and data on ROI of earned media programs and provides appropriate information for weekly and monthly reports.
• Attends and participates in regional, national and international trade shows outside of normal business hours.
• Performs related duties as required.

Education, Training, and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing or closely related field; supplemented by five (5) years of progressively responsible public relations experience; two (2) years of which are in a management capacity; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Experience hosting journalists and media is required. Demonstrated ability to build and foster community relationships is required. Proficiency in public speaking and giving presentations is required. Demonstrated ability to effectively manage time and work independently with minimal supervision required. Knowledge of local area and events is preferred. Experience in a destination marketing organization is preferred.

Licenses and/or Certifications: Requires a valid driver license.

Physical Requirements: Requires the ability to operate modern office equipment, to include computers, copy/fax machines, and any related peripherals. Must be able to exert 25 to 50 pounds of force occasionally and 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount frequently to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects. May require bending, stooping and twisting. Physical demands are essentially those of sedentary work.

Language Ability: Requires ability to read a variety of technical data, policy and procedure manuals, codes, professional journals, etc. in moderately complex terminology. Requires the ability to prepare forms and reports using prescribed formats and adhering to all rules of grammar, spelling, diction and punctuation. Requires the ability to communicate with a broad array of individuals from various professional backgrounds. Must be able to communicate effectively in Standard English and to articulate information to others.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; to interpret a variety of technical instructions in written, mathematical or diagrammatic form; to learn and understand relatively complex principles and techniques; to make independent judgments in absence of supervision; to acquire knowledge of topics related to primary occupation. Requires the application of principles of influence systems and synthesis functions.

Numerical Aptitude: Must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide; determine weight; calculate decimals and percentages; compute discount, profit and loss, ratio and proportion; interpret graphs.

Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond receiving instructions. Must be able to perform under moderate levels of stress, imposed by frequent deadlines, peak workloads or public contact. Requires the ability to exercise consistent tact and courtesy when in frequent contact with various professionals, county staff, and the general public.