Online News and Media Lead

Online News and Media Lead

Position Objective: Use your social media skills and interest in news, current affairs, and public discourse to change the world for animals by building and maintaining relationships with news media influencers and journalists who shape online news conversations and public opinion. PETA is seeking an Online News and Media Lead to use social media as a press outreach tool, identify timely media opportunities, grow new relationships with news media influencers, and represent our campaigns to them on various platforms, including X, Instagram, Substack, TikTok, and YouTube. You’ll focus on press outreach in online spaces, serving as a key connector between our campaigns and the journalists and influencers covering them, rather than producing direct content.

Primary Responsibilities And Duties

• Monitor breaking news, current events, and trending conversations by journalists and new-focused influencers related to animals, animal liberation, and PETA’s campaigns, to spot outreach opportunities.
• Independently manage outreach projects from idea development through execution and follow up.
• Respond quickly and strategically to news moments by drafting outreach messages, replies, or pitches aligned with PETA’s media strategy.
• Analyze outreach outcomes and refine strategies based on engagement, responsiveness, and impact.
• Adapt to new plans and opportunities quickly, adjust media outreach strategies, and enact plans based on success and analytics.
• Initiate and maintain relationships with reporters, news focused digital show hosts, and other news influencers across social media platforms (including X, Substack, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more), and work closely with media relations and marketing staff to oversee engagement.
• Research, develop, and coordinate timely, news driven story ideas that promote animal liberation messages and translate PETA’s campaigns into compelling, relevant coverage for digital audiences.
• Support placement of PETA experts in longer form digital interviews (e.g., podcasts, YouTube shows) to build credibility and sustained audience engagement.
• Collaborate with other media relations staff to broaden the reach of traditional pitching efforts and campaign launches.
• Maintain database records of media contacts, interactions on various platforms, and supplemental information.
• Keep informed about PETA’s work, social media presence, and traditional media coverage.
• Professionally represent PETA's campaigns to the media and the general public.
• Exercise sound judgment, professionalism, and confidentiality at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Minimum of three to five years of professional experience in media relations, journalism, digital PR, public affairs, or a closely related field.
• Strong interest in news, current events, and public discourse, with the ability to strategically identify what makes a story newsworthy and how to connect campaigns to timely news hooks.
• Not only do you have a solid working knowledge and understanding of X, Substack, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, but you also know best practices for contacting news influencers on these platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain professional relationships with journalists or news influencers.
• Experience with listening and engagement tools such as Sprout Social, Muck Rack, Dash Hudson, Upfluence, and/or Sprinklr.
• You must have the proven ability to prioritize work, take initiative, handle multiple tasks, work well under pressure, and follow through to meet deadlines. Social media moves at the speed of light, so you must be able to produce high-quality work within short timeframes.
• Excellent writing skills, particularly for concise, persuasive outreach and pitching.
• Willingness and ability to be on call during weekend and evening hours.
• Proven ability to deal with a variety of people in a professional manner.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound judgments and work independently with a high level of autonomy.
• Demonstrated thorough knowledge of animal liberation issues and campaigns.
• Support for PETA's philosophy and the ability to professionally advocate PETA's positions on issues.

The salary range for this position is $52,500 - $80,168.40 annually. The ultimate salary within this range that will be offered to a qualified candidate will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and the cost of living in the area in which the candidate will live and work.

A list of benefits available to qualified employees is available here.

Application Deadline: Applications for this position will be accepted until June 10, 2026.

We may fill this job opening before the deadline if we find a qualified candidate.

Key skills/competency

• Media Relations
• Journalism
• Digital PR
• Public Affairs
• Social Media Strategy
• News Monitoring
• Relationship Building
• Content Pitching
• Influencer Outreach
• Animal Liberation Advocacy