Senior Associate Director, PR

Please Note: To best support our clients and teams, we're seeking candidates located in the Eastern Time Zone. Because we work closely with partners in these regions, being in closer proximity helps us stay connected and collaborative. Occasional travel to client locations or team events may also be part of the role.

About KHM
Karsh Hagan Madden (KHM) is an independent marketing agency formed through the merger of Karsh Hagan and Madden Media with 5 decades of creative and strategic legacy with 1 unified shop!

We blend bold storytelling with precision media, PR, geospatial targeting, and observation-led strategy to help brands close the gap between how they are seen and how they are felt. Madden built our reputation in destination marketing and tourism. Karsh has spent years building brands in healthcare, banking, higher education, and retail alongside it. Together, we believe the strongest brands build communities, and our goal is to differentiate them in a world where consumers want something that means something to them.

Find out more at https://khm.agency/

About You
You are an effective communicator who builds strong relationships both internally and externally and feels confident representing Madden within the destination marketing and public relations industry. You're excited to join a collaborative, supportive team and are a confident leader who enjoys helping others learn, grow, and do their best work.

You bring your unique talents and perspective to the table while inspiring, empowering, and enabling those around you to deliver great work. You thrive in a dynamic environment where every day brings new opportunities and challenges, and you know that a great strategy is only as strong as the team bringing it to life.

About the Job
We're looking for a Senior Associate Director, PR (SAD) who can develop and sustain strong media relationships on behalf of our clients, lead client strategy, and support the broader PR team in bringing that strategy to life.

In this role, you'll work alongside a collaborative team to develop and execute PR and media relations strategies that inspire travelers to discover and experience destinations and communities across the United States. You'll serve as a trusted client partner, strategic leader, and mentor while helping create PR campaigns that generate meaningful attention and measurable impact.

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop compelling PR strategies that turn travel stories into headlines, spark curiosity across media channels, and draw attention to the communities we serve.
• Build and nurture strong media relationships with everyone from top-tier journalists to niche travel bloggers, positioning yourself and our clients as trusted resources.
• Develop and lead award-winning PR campaigns that blend data and creativity to generate meaningful press coverage and measurable community impact.
• Collaborate across creative, media, strategy, and other disciplines to ensure campaigns come together with a unified voice and vision.
• Stay on top of industry trends, breaking news, and cultural moments to identify timely opportunities for our clients and keep Madden's PR efforts ahead of the curve.
• Oversee crisis communications with confidence and composure, providing thoughtful counsel and helping clients navigate challenges while maintaining trust.
• Measure and report on PR performance beyond traditional metrics, using meaningful data to demonstrate the value and impact of our work.
• Manage, mentor and inspire members of the PR team, encouraging creativity, accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Ideate buzzworthy activations and media missions-from memorable stunts to immersive press trips-that get people talking and position communities as must-cover stories.
• Cultivate trusted client relationships by serving as a proactive strategic partner, providing smart counsel, and ensuring clients feel seen, heard, and excited about the work.

What You Need to Succeed

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading strategic PR and media relations initiatives.
• Strong media relationships and an understanding of the evolving media landscape, ideally within travel, tourism, destination marketing, or a related industry.
• Experience developing creative, integrated PR campaigns and collaborating across multiple disciplines.
• A strategic mindset paired with the ability to turn ideas into actionable plans and successful execution.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills with a genuine interest in helping others learn and grow.
• The ability to confidently counsel clients, navigate challenging situations, and manage crisis communications.
• A data-informed approach to measuring PR performance and demonstrating meaningful results.
• Curiosity, creativity, and an ability to recognize timely opportunities within industry trends, news, and culture.
• The ability to thrive in a collaborative, fast-moving environment while balancing multiple clients, priorities, and deadlines.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30%.

Don't Meet Every Requirement?

That's okay! At Karsh Hagan Madden, we believe diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences make us stronger. If this role excites you but your skillset doesn't line up perfectly with the qualifications above, we still want to hear from you. Who knows-you might bring something to the table we didn't even know we needed.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Medical, dental, vision, and additional benefits to support you and your family.
• 401(k) with Traditional and Roth options, plus a company match.
• Flexible PTO and paid holidays.
• The tools and technology you need to do your best work.

Come for the Work. Stay for the People

• At Karsh Hagan Madden, we're passionate about doing great work-and having fun while we do it. Here's what you can expect:
• A supportive team that's invested in your success.
• Opportunities to grow through mentorship, professional development, and meaningful new challenges.
• A collaborative culture where curiosity, creativity, and fresh ideas are always welcome.
• The chance to make an impact, contribute your unique perspective, and help shape great work.
• A workplace that values who you are, the ideas you share, and your potential to grow.

About the Interview Process

We like to keep it simple and transparent. Here's what the process may look like:

Round 1: A friendly chat with our Recruiter to get to know you and share more about the role.

Round 2: An interview with some of the awesome teammates you'll collaborate with.

Round 3: A conversation with the Team Lead(s) to dive deeper into the role and team fit.

Note: Depending on the position, there might be a small assignment along the way to showcase your skills and creativity. Don't worry-we'll let you know in advance!

Heads up: At this time, we do not offer Visa sponsorship or relocation services.

KHM is an Equal Opportunity Employer.