Manager, Media Relations & Special Projects

Providence is a full-service communications firm headquartered in Bakersfield, California. Providence specializes in developing strategic communications plans with extensive expertise in public affairs campaigns designed to produce successful project permitting. Our firm provides public relations support, website development and manages multiple social media accounts for our clients daily. Our current clients include those in the agriculture, water, oil and gas, transportation, healthcare, nonprofit, retail and telecommunications industries.

The Manager, Media Relations & Special Projects, based in our Bakersfield office, serves as a senior-level contributor responsible for driving media visibility and leading strategic initiatives that elevate both client brands and Providence’s profile. This role blends advanced earned media strategy, leadership across multidisciplinary teams, and high-impact project management. The ideal candidate is a seasoned communicator and strategist with agency experience, a robust network of media contacts, and a proven ability to craft and execute high-stakes messaging and initiatives.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, including all important aspects of the job - whether performed daily, weekly, monthly, or annually; and any duty that occurs at irregular intervals. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Manage and nurture client relationships, ensuring that media and communications initiatives align with their business objectives and strategic goals
• Act as a trusted media advisor to clients, offering proactive insights that enhance visibility, reputation, and stakeholder engagement
• Develop and execute strategic media relations plans that generate earned coverage across relevant local, state, and national platforms
• Lead cross-functional teams—including creative, digital, content, and outreach—to deliver integrated communications projects on time and within budget
• Write and edit press releases, media pitches, executive remarks, opinion pieces, and other public-facing content
• Monitor campaign performance and media KPIs, analyze results, and provide data-informed recommendations to optimize future outreach
• Coordinate and lead special strategic projects and initiatives—such as major announcements, reputation management, and executive communications
• Supervise and mentor junior staff, conducting quarterly check-ins and annual performance reviews while fostering professional growth
• Identify upselling opportunities within existing accounts and support new business development efforts through pitch strategy and proposal development
• Ensure seamless collaboration between departments by communicating priorities, resolving challenges, and aligning shared outcomes
• Stay informed on industry trends, media shifts, and competitor strategies to deliver innovative, forward-thinking solutions for clients and the agency
• Own and manage all media lists, email marketing and press release programs (company and client), ensuring accuracy, strategic segmentation, regular updates, staff training and effective integration into campaign efforts
• Manage contractors and freelancers as needed, ensuring clarity of scope, alignment with project goals, and quality of deliverables
• Other duties as assigned

• Serve as the lead strategic advisor for assigned client accounts, ensuring communications and media strategies align with their evolving business goals and timelines
• Own and drive project life cycles—from proposal through execution—by building scopes, managing deadlines, and ensuring internal accountability across departments
• Lead cross-functional internal teams and external collaborators, setting clear expectations, defining deliverables, and managing workloads to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery
• Foster long-term client relationships by deeply understanding their industry, key stakeholders, and organizational objectives
• Provide high-level counsel on earned…