Position Description: Media Relations Specialist

Contracting Resources Group, Inc. (CRG) is a Woman-Owned Small Business, specializing in several core markets within the Federal Government. Our professional services depth includes communications, acquisitions management, program management and evaluation, and IT solutions. CRG is a leading management consulting firm, in part because of our ability to attract the highest quality team members through our emphasis on culture, competitive compensation, and benefits packages. Since 2002 CRG has consistently received top performance ratings from customers and teaming partners and industry awards, including Inc. Magazine's 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Companies in America, the Department of Labor HireVets Platinum Medallion award, and the Washington Business Journal and Baltimore Sun's Best Places to Work awards.

Description: The purpose of the position is to conduct media relations activities to advance Defense Health Agency objectives and priorities by building understanding and support among key external audiences. Duties include:

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with Headquarters level subject matter experts (SMEs), leaders, staff, and public affairs personnel as well with SMEs and public affairs personnel at lower echelons.
• Identifies communications, risks, opportunities, goals, and objectives within assigned area.
• Researches, plans, executes, and assesses media relations activities to advance organizational priorities and objectives.
• Identifies, researches, and pitches sometimes complex topics to a variety of local and national media outlets.
• Establishes and maintains productive relationships with the media.
• Plans, executes, and assesses media engagements, to include conducting subject matter expert (SME) and senior leader prep/training.
• Writes and coordinates Public Affairs Guidance, talking points, questions and answers, issue papers, press releases, media advisories, SME prep materials, and related products.
• Assesses media engagements, communicates findings to leaders, and makes recommendations for future courses of action to advance organizational goals.
• Coordinates media relations activities with internal information, community outreach, social media, and other communication functions as part of an overall strategic communication effort.
• Ensures products comply with Section 508 of the Individuals with Disabilities Act requirements.

Required Qualifications:

Mastery of current and emergent theory and practice of communication and public affairs that enables the specialist to function as a technical authority within the assigned area with responsibility for the research, planning, execution, and assessment of proactive media relations activities. 5+ years of experience conducting and/or leading media relations activities related to a variety of topics. Direct experience supporting the Department of Defense, the Defense Health Agency DHA, and/or the Military Health System (MHS) is preferred.

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Affairs, Public Administration, or related field.
• Experience in identifying, researching, and effectively pitching complicated topics to a variety of outlets, both trade and mainstream media,
• Experience in establishing and maintaining relationships with the media.
• Experience planning, executing/facilitating, and assessing media engagements, to include conducting thorough subject matter expert (SME) and senior leader prep/training.
• Experience in writing and coordinating Public Affairs Guidance, talking points, questions and answers, issue papers, press releases, media advisories, SME prep materials, and related products.
• Experience in oral and written communications.
• Experience in assessing media engagements and communicating findings/recommendations for future directions to leaders.
• Experience identifying and recommending media engagement courses of action to advance organizational goals.
• Experience coordinating media relations activities with internal information, community outreach, social media, and other communication functions as part of an overall strategic communication effort.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and virtual environment both independently and as a team.

Preferred but not required:

• PRSA certification
• Experiencing with media intelligence suites (e.g. CISION, Qualtrics, Sprout Social)
• Experience/understanding of DoD, DHA, and/or MHS organization, operations, and structure

Location: Defense Health Agency Headquarters, Falls Church, VA. Remote access may be authorized for unclassified work and at the discretion of the COR.