Job Details
Communications & Media Relations Manager
2025-06-01 Port of Portland, OR Portland,OR
Description:
Minimum Qualifications
Supplemental and Selection Information
Application Instructions:
To ensure full consideration, you must submit a complete application, including a resume and cover letter.
Selection Process (tentative schedule):
Working Conditions
We offer a flexible hybrid schedule that combines work-life balance with team collaboration. You'll be in the office Tuesday through Thursday to engage with colleagues and support our business lines, with the flexibility to work from home on Mondays and Fridays.
Compensation
Our organization adheres to established salary ranges for each position to ensure equitable pay practices. However, final offers are determined based on various factors, including the candidate's experience, qualifications, and considerations of internal pay equity.
About us:
At the Port of Portland, we use everything we have - our three airports, three working marine terminals, six business parks, and all the resources, expertise, and experience behind them - to move with purpose, connecting people with powerful opportunities and creating value for our region. We know that every person we hire, business we work with, contract we sign and decision we make is a chance to make someone's life better. And we'll use our power and influence to unlock new opportunities and ensure more people share in our region's success. With YOUR help - together with our partners, customers, and community - we'll help drive meaningful change!
Do you have questions about this job?
Contact us: ...@portofportland.com
Safety: The Port promotes safety as a Core value and we seek to eliminate harm through a culture of active prevention, curiosity, evaluation, and action. We comply with safety and health policies and procedures and consistently look for improvements that support operational excellence.
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Port of Portland is dedicated to maintaining and improving a work environment, which extends equal opportunity to all individuals, regardless of their race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation. Employment decisions shall be made in such a manner as to further the principle of equal employment opportunity and to comply with state, federal and local laws. We affirm through this policy statement our continuing commitment to the principles of nondiscrimination and affirmative action. At the Port, we don't just accept difference; we value and support it to create a culture of inclusiveness and fun. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Veterans Preference: Under Oregon law, qualified veterans may be eligible for veterans' preference when applying for Port of Portland positions. If you are a veteran and would like to be considered for a veteran's preference for this job, please provide the qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.
Background Checks and Drug Testing: The Port of Portland will conduct background checks and/or drug tests for positions where such tests are required by regulation and for other safety-sensitive positions.
ADA Accommodation: Accommodations will be considered for applicants or candidates with a qualifying disability that prevents them from participating in this process. Accommodations will be made where the Port can reasonably do so without imposing an undue hardship on the business or compromising the integrity of the recruitment process. An applicant with any disability who believes that they need an accommodation should contact Human Resources: call 503-###-#### or email ...@portofportland.com.
At the Port of Portland, we strive to offer a holistic and comprehensive benefits package for employees and their families. We care about your health by offering highly-subsidized healthcare plans that include alternative care. We look out for you and for family by paying for life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage. We participate in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement program. We provide access to additional coverage and benefits including pre-tax spending accounts, voluntary term life insurance, a deferred compensation plan, and critical illness and accident insurance policies.
We go above and beyond by offering an award-winning wellness program for all employees to engage in. Employees can tend to their physical and mental health, earn rewards, and create community. Our employee assistance program supports the Port's commitment to emotional and mental well-being by providing mental health services, discounts on local gyms, and pet insurance for companions.
Our commitment to work-life balance ensures you have time to spend with loved ones and do the things you enjoy. We offer generous vacation time that accrues with length of service, sick leave that never expires and can be used for dependent care, health maintenance and mental health, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave - all in addition to 10 paid holidays. As an added bonus - because we know employees use their time off differently - once a year we give employees the opportunity to convert sick leave to personal leave, and to convert vacation leave to either cash, a retirement plan contribution, or a contribution to a Health Savings Account.
Please note: Some benefits vary by job type/group, so please be sure to review your comprehensive benefit guide and/or collective bargaining agreement upon hire to confirm what is available to you.
01
How many years of experience do you have in communications, media relations, or public affairs?
02
Have you provided media support during emergency or high-pressure situations (e.g., crisis communications, operational disruptions, weather events)?
03
Have you ever served as a spokesperson on behalf of an organization, responding to media inquiries, in recorded interviews, or in on-camera interviews?
04
If you answered "Yes" to Question #2 or #3, please briefly describe the organization and the scale of the communications involved. Enter "N/A" if this does not apply to you.
Required Question
Salary: $77,500.00 - $108,834.00 Annually
Location : Portland 97218, OR
Job Type: Full-Time Administrative
Job Number: 02100
Division: Public Affairs
Department: Corporate Communication
Opening Date: 05/29/2025
Closing Date: 6/11/2025 12:00 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
The Position
Join the Port of Portland as our next Communications and Media Relations Manager!
Are you a sharp, curious communicator who loves making complex or technical topics engaging, or trying out-of-the-box ways to drive media coverage? Can you stay cool under pressure while fielding media inbounds, or lead crisis communications with clarity and confidence? We're looking for a Communications and Media Relations Manager who's equal parts strategist and storyteller-someone who can bring the Port of Portland's work at PDX to life for our local community, travelers, and influencers.
You'll lead communications and media relations for one of the most admired airports in the country, while amplifying big and small projects across our three airports. Whether it's getting reporters interested in how we built the new PDX, making sure travelers have the latest updates, or responding to an emerging policy issue, you'll be at the center of real- time, high-impact communications
Your role:
As Communications and Media Relations Manager, you'll be a trusted voice for PDX and the Port. Through storytelling on owned channels, generated media coverage, and media response strategies, you'll help people in our region better understand the Port's mission and impact - including how we steward PDX airport - and serve as PDX's lead media spokesperson. You'll work with a collaborative communications team to develop engaging content, work alongside subject matter experts and internal stakeholders, build relationships with reporters and external partners, and help prepare executive leadership to speak on behalf of the Port. You'll also lead the Port's media and communications response in the event of an emergency or crisis at PDX, with support from the rest of the communications team.
If you're ready to use your communications and media expertise to keep PDX travelers informed and raise awareness about the Port of Portland, we'd love to hear from you.
Essential Job Duties
- Develop and implement communications and media relations strategies for Port and PDX priorities, focusing on PDX, general aviation, and environmental work.
- Collaborate with Corporate Communications team to create storytelling content for multiple channels to help external audiences understand the Port's role in the region and how its shared prosperity mission shows up in projects big and small projects. You'll also create content and drive media strategies to keep PDX travelers informed.
- Develop messaging and written materials for proactive and reactive strategies, helping ensure strong, measurable message pull through across a variety of formats and channels. Includes writing key messaging and talking points, press releases, statements, briefings, 1-pagers, or web content.
- Serve as spokesperson for the Port of Portland and PDX; develop relationships with regional reporters, nationalpress and community publications.
- Leademergency response communications. Provide 24/7 media assistance on a rotating, on-call basis, including for weather-related issues and emergency response. Ensure that all media relations team members are trained on media inquiry protocols and emergency response procedures.
- Prepare executives for media interviews and other external speaking engagements; provide leaders and internal stakeholders with strategic communications support.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in public or media relations, communications, marketing or journalism, or related field; or the equivalent combination of education and/or relevant experience.
- Minimum of 5-7 years' experience in media relations, issue management or political work
- Ability to pass and maintain a Criminal History Records check and Security Threat Assessment for a PDX Security Badge is required.
- Proven ability to develop and lead proactive media relations strategies that increase brand visibility and public understanding.
- Collaborative workstyle and demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with cross-functional stakeholders, subject matter experts, media, and external partners.
- Expertise in shaping public narratives and developing key messages that resonate with diverse audiences.
- Comfortable and confident conducting on-camera interviews and managing real-time press inquiries.
- Strong understanding of public policy issues affecting the region and how to communicate them in a nonpartisan, accessible way.
- Skilled at translating complex or technical information into clear, compelling content for multiple platforms.
- Ability to make sound decisions under pressure, with excellent time management and prioritization skills.
Supplemental and Selection Information
Application Instructions:
To ensure full consideration, you must submit a complete application, including a resume and cover letter.
Selection Process (tentative schedule):
- A minimum qualification evaluation of education, training, and experience of submitted application packets will take place by Human Resources during the week of June 16th.
- A Subject Matter Expert (SME) Panel will perform an evaluation of experience and training taken from your employment application materials.
- Our goal is to schedule virtual first round of interviews with candidates who successfully passed the SME evaluation during the week of June 23.
Working Conditions
We offer a flexible hybrid schedule that combines work-life balance with team collaboration. You'll be in the office Tuesday through Thursday to engage with colleagues and support our business lines, with the flexibility to work from home on Mondays and Fridays.
Compensation
Our organization adheres to established salary ranges for each position to ensure equitable pay practices. However, final offers are determined based on various factors, including the candidate's experience, qualifications, and considerations of internal pay equity.
About us:
At the Port of Portland, we use everything we have - our three airports, three working marine terminals, six business parks, and all the resources, expertise, and experience behind them - to move with purpose, connecting people with powerful opportunities and creating value for our region. We know that every person we hire, business we work with, contract we sign and decision we make is a chance to make someone's life better. And we'll use our power and influence to unlock new opportunities and ensure more people share in our region's success. With YOUR help - together with our partners, customers, and community - we'll help drive meaningful change!
Do you have questions about this job?
Contact us: ...@portofportland.com
Safety: The Port promotes safety as a Core value and we seek to eliminate harm through a culture of active prevention, curiosity, evaluation, and action. We comply with safety and health policies and procedures and consistently look for improvements that support operational excellence.
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Port of Portland is dedicated to maintaining and improving a work environment, which extends equal opportunity to all individuals, regardless of their race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation. Employment decisions shall be made in such a manner as to further the principle of equal employment opportunity and to comply with state, federal and local laws. We affirm through this policy statement our continuing commitment to the principles of nondiscrimination and affirmative action. At the Port, we don't just accept difference; we value and support it to create a culture of inclusiveness and fun. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Veterans Preference: Under Oregon law, qualified veterans may be eligible for veterans' preference when applying for Port of Portland positions. If you are a veteran and would like to be considered for a veteran's preference for this job, please provide the qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.
Background Checks and Drug Testing: The Port of Portland will conduct background checks and/or drug tests for positions where such tests are required by regulation and for other safety-sensitive positions.
ADA Accommodation: Accommodations will be considered for applicants or candidates with a qualifying disability that prevents them from participating in this process. Accommodations will be made where the Port can reasonably do so without imposing an undue hardship on the business or compromising the integrity of the recruitment process. An applicant with any disability who believes that they need an accommodation should contact Human Resources: call 503-###-#### or email ...@portofportland.com.
At the Port of Portland, we strive to offer a holistic and comprehensive benefits package for employees and their families. We care about your health by offering highly-subsidized healthcare plans that include alternative care. We look out for you and for family by paying for life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage. We participate in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement program. We provide access to additional coverage and benefits including pre-tax spending accounts, voluntary term life insurance, a deferred compensation plan, and critical illness and accident insurance policies.
We go above and beyond by offering an award-winning wellness program for all employees to engage in. Employees can tend to their physical and mental health, earn rewards, and create community. Our employee assistance program supports the Port's commitment to emotional and mental well-being by providing mental health services, discounts on local gyms, and pet insurance for companions.
Our commitment to work-life balance ensures you have time to spend with loved ones and do the things you enjoy. We offer generous vacation time that accrues with length of service, sick leave that never expires and can be used for dependent care, health maintenance and mental health, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave - all in addition to 10 paid holidays. As an added bonus - because we know employees use their time off differently - once a year we give employees the opportunity to convert sick leave to personal leave, and to convert vacation leave to either cash, a retirement plan contribution, or a contribution to a Health Savings Account.
Please note: Some benefits vary by job type/group, so please be sure to review your comprehensive benefit guide and/or collective bargaining agreement upon hire to confirm what is available to you.
01
How many years of experience do you have in communications, media relations, or public affairs?
- Less than 3 years
- 3-4 years
- 5-7 years
- 8+ years
02
Have you provided media support during emergency or high-pressure situations (e.g., crisis communications, operational disruptions, weather events)?
- Yes
- No
03
Have you ever served as a spokesperson on behalf of an organization, responding to media inquiries, in recorded interviews, or in on-camera interviews?
- Yes
- No
04
If you answered "Yes" to Question #2 or #3, please briefly describe the organization and the scale of the communications involved. Enter "N/A" if this does not apply to you.
Required Question