Press Secretary, Commerce

Indiana Economic Development Corporation provided pay range

This range is provided by Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

About Indiana Economic Development Corporation
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Bring your biggest and boldest ideas to life as an employee of the IEDC. We are a fast‑paced and forward‑thinking team charged with pursuing economic development opportunities for current and future Hoosiers in our state and around the world. Our culture embodies the spirit of being bold and working collaboratively to create the economy of the future.

The IEDC is organized as a public private partnership led by the Secretary of Commerce and governed by a board chaired by the Governor of Indiana.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has been recognized as one of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Top Workplaces by Indianapolis Star.

Role Overview
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Fast-paced Indiana Office of Commerce seeks to hire a seasoned Press Secretary. This highly motivated candidate must be a critical thinker and excellent communicator, with the ability to work with all stakeholders to establish strong rapport and relations with the community and press.

The primary role of the Press Secretary is to act as the primary spokesperson for the Commerce Vertical, managing its relationship with the media to ensure that Commerce objectives, achievements, and messages are communicated in a strategic, efficient, and coordinated way across all media. The Press Secretary will also prepare the Secretary and other spokespeople for all engagements, interviews and appearances, and advise leadership on public image.

The Press Secretary will monitor all media coverage, develop and direct the Commerce Vertical’s media strategy, respond to media inquiries, write, distribute and pitch stories, send press releases, manage press events, and aggressively ensure accurate and positive press coverage of all Commerce activity and achievements. The Press Secretary will also direct and manage strategic crisis communications protocol as necessary.

Salary Statement
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The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $108,000 annually.

A Day in the Life:

• Media relations
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  Serve as the main point of contact for journalists, respond to inquiries, and provide information to the press. Build relationships with new and existing media contacts, continuously grow press list and identify new media outlets and reporters to cover our stories. Articulate complex policies in an understandable way to foster transparency and public trust.
• Strategic communication
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  Develop and implement communication strategies that promote the Governor's Commerce goals. Work with EA to assess interview or site visit requests to Secretary or other staff.
• Media Inquiry management
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  Correspond with reporters to determine angle of story, work with Chief Communication Office and Governor’s office to determine most appropriate response. Confirm with accuracy of response with relevant staff. Respond to social media comments, when necessary.
• Content creation
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  Compose and edit press releases, quotes, statements, talking points, speeches, background documents, and other materials for publication. Proactively pitch stories and interviews to individual reporters, and place op-eds in targeted media outlets.
• Principal support
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  Prep and accompany the Secretary on all external engagements; confirm all programmatic elements in advance to ensure a successful event appearance.
• Crisis management
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  Manage timely media responses during crises, maintaining accessibility, transparency, and credibility under pressure.
• Media monitoring
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  Track media coverage to monitor public opinion and respond as needed.

What You'll Need for Success:

Education:

• A bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field is required.
• Minimum 5-8 years’ experience working with the press.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are paramount.
• Proven ability to think strategically about how to present information and manage public perception.
• Proven deep understanding of the media landscape, including traditional and…