Our Mission: Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.

The Public Relations & Communications Director’s primary responsibility is to position the Field Museum locally and globally as a forward-thinking scientific leader on a mission to explore, protect, and celebrate nature and culture, while creating overall awareness of and excitement for the institution’s mission and work across various audience communities and attracting an increased number of visitors to engage with the Museum and its resources. This Director knows the challenge is much greater than pitching stories to media outlets. Their responsibility is to be a creative and disruptive thinker for the organization; someone who find relevant ways to put the Museum at the center of many different conversations; one who know how to craft innovative external messages that capture the public’s attention and imagination and make them talk; a person who can help grow and ultimately transform the Museum’s reputation among audiences in the Chicago community and beyond.

The Public Relations & Communications Director understands that we cannot wait for audiences to come to us – we must find new ways to grab their attention as we navigate the global pandemic and an increasingly competitive landscape. The ideal candidate will be an energetic relationship-builder who is hyper-vigilant in seeking out unique opportunities and can get creative with limited resources, to help the Museum share its mission and programs.

This position sits within the Marketing Team and reports to the Senior Director of Marketing & Communications.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Initiates oversees, and contributes to the development and execution of the total Public Relations campaigns for the Museum, including the promotion of exhibitions, programs, scientific work, and other institutional developments to the public and media
• Oversees strategy for the Museum to create and share content via earned and owned channels to promote the visitor experience and share science storytelling
• Supervises and participates in all aspects of the Museum’s PR efforts, including managing media contacts and pitching, writing PR campaign materials, direction of PR graphics and production, press events, and special film and photo sessions
• Supervises scientific research “news flash” program for sharing the Museum’s scientific work in new ways to new audiences to build the brand, as well as support its recognition and promotion within the scientific community
• Identify and lead science advocacy and leadership opportunities for the Museum to grow its reputation as a scientific force based on mission-related filters
• Through participation in the Field Content Plan and ongoing collaboration with the Marketing & Advertising Director and stakeholders throughout the Museum, identifies key opportunities for the Museum to position the Field as a scientific leader and an advocate for building a brighter future, and collaborates with Marketing and content colleagues across the Museum to ideate and execute appropriate initiatives to maximize those opportunities.
• Contributes to Field Content Plan and Marketing efforts to ensure consistent messaging across all channels and uphold communications and brand standards across the organization
• Understands and manages the delicate balance between traditional media channels and emerging media and technologies and supervises work between the PR and digital teams to maximize the impact of PR through digital channels
• Provides ongoing communications/media training for Museum staff and serves as liaison as needed for staff media opportunities
• Serves as primary spokesperson for the Museum and is responsible for ongoing issues management needs, as well as crisis and emergency communication to the media and general public
• Collaborates actively with colleagues in Exhibitions, Learning, Science, and Institutional Advancement to recognize varying stakeholder needs based on Museum goals and priorities and develop media approaches to achieve them
• Help further the Museum’s and Marketing team’s inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility initiatives as related to visitor experience and institutional news
• Supervises full-time Public Relations staff, Content Strategy team, and outside consultants as needed, including public relations firms, independent consultants, and freelancers
• Manages the departmental budget and finds ways to be creative within budget limitations Maintains currency with new media and industry trends, and brings necessary knowledge, skills, training, and opportunities back to The Field
• Partner with the President’s Team and Senior Advisory Leadership Team (SALT) to support efforts promoting institutional visibility and brand reputation; collaborate on reputation and issues management efforts
• Support internal communications efforts

Qualifications

• BA in English, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or related field and 10+ years of experience in PR/Media and Community Relations
• Proven ability to create/manage content for traditional and nontraditional media channels
• Superior written and verbal communication skills as well as attention to detail are critical
• Demonstrated budget planning and management experience. Ability to champion ideas, build consensus, and listen to others
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams for individual and group growth
• Skill to draw relevant connections between the Museum’s work and contemporary trends and public concerns, as well as staying abreast of science, conservation, and societal issues as related to our mission
• Willingness to experiment with new tactics, measure, learn, and improve
• Ability to develop and implement strategic plans in a multiple-priority environment
• The capacity to remain calm, thoroughly evaluate situations, and create response plans under pressure A dynamic personality, with the skill to evoke excitement and enthusiasm in others is essential

The Field Museum is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We strive to create a working environment that is free of sexual, racial, and ethnic discrimination, and one that promotes human dignity and mutual respect among all staff. As such, it is the policy of the Field Museum to hire without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

The Field Museum strives to ensure that our career website and recruiting process are accessible to all. If you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application, or if you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to accessibility@fieldmuseum.org.