Associate Manager, Public Relations

Associate Manager, Public Relations

Coppell, TX

What does it mean to be a BrinkerHead? It means creating moments that make everyone feel special — whether you’re supporting our restaurants, celebrating wins with your team, or sparking ideas that keep Guests coming back. We play like a team, take pride in our culture, and know that life’s too short not to work happy.

At Brinker’s Restaurant Support Center (RSC), every role fuels the success of our brands — Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy® — and directly impacts Team Members and Guests. From bold ideas to everyday support, we help create a fun atmosphere, great food and drinks, and the kind of hospitality that keeps everyone coming back. Here, you’ll discover opportunities for career growth, belonging, wellbeing, and plenty of chances to work hard and have fun.

Brinker International is an equal opportunity employer. We’re proud to provide a welcoming, respectful environment where everyone can thrive.

Job Summary

Chili’s is looking for a PR storyteller who knows a good story when they see one – and knows how to turn it into a moment people want to talk about. 

The Associate Manager, Public Relations will support the development and execution of PR strategies and programs that keep Chili’s top of mind, generate buzz and bring our brand personality to life across media and culture on earned channels. This is a hands-on role for someone who is plugged into what’s happening in the world, loves a good headline and is always looking for the next great story opportunity. 

From a viral social moment to a headline-making news story to the latest pop-culture conversation, this person will help keep a pulse on what people are talking about and identify opportunities for Chili’s to authentically join the conversation. They’ll work closely with the PR team, agency partners and teams across the organization to turn timely insights into media opportunities. 

This person will also support proactive storytelling around Chili’s business priorities, menu news, campaigns, activations and brand initiatives, helping ensure we’re telling the right stories to the right audiences at the right time. 

We’re looking for someone who is curious, culturally aware, resourceful and ready to roll up their sleeves. You don’t need to know everything, but you should be eager to learn, comfortable moving quickly and excited by the opportunity to help make Chili’s part of the conversation.

What You’ll Do

• Support the PR team in developing and executing PR campaigns, programs and initiatives that drive brand awareness and support business priorities. 

• Keep a constant pulse on the news cycle, pop culture, social media, food and restaurant trends, competitors and emerging conversations to identify timely opportunities for Chili’s to join the conversation. 

• Spot potential “Chili’s moments” – from viral trends and cultural conversations to breaking news, entertainment moments and unexpected opportunities and help turn them into smart, relevant PR ideas. 

• Work closely with teams across the organization and agency partners to bring integrated brand campaigns, projects and big ideas to life. 

• Partner with Social/Marketing, Internal Communications and other teams to identify and maximize PR opportunities across the business. 

• Help develop creative, compelling PR materials including press releases, media pitches, media alerts, backgrounders, talking points and other communications that sound like Chili’s. 

• Help pitch stories and coordinate media interviews with Chili’s spokespeople and subject matter experts. 

• Respond to and help manage incoming media requests through the PR inbox and media hotline. 

• Monitor and track media coverage, company and competitor news, social conversations and relevant industry trends; distill key takeaways and proactively share insights with internal teams. 

• Support PR measurement and reporting, helping the team understand what’s working, what’s resonating, and where we can find new opportunities. 

• Bring fresh ideas to the table around emerging media, creators, social trends, pop culture and new ways to tell the Chili’s story. 

• Support PR events, gifting programs, in-restaurant tastings, activations, and other brand moments. This includes bringing ideas to life from planning through execution and being ready to jump in wherever the moment calls for it. 

• Be comfortable getting into the restaurants and owning the details that make a brand moment great – from leading tastings and partnering with restaurant teams to ensuring food, presentation and the overall guest experiences are on point.

What You Bring to the Team

• 1+ years of public relations, communications, marketing, journalism or related experience; agency or in-house experience preferred. 

• A genuine interest in PR, media, pop culture, social and what makes people talk. 

• A strong understanding of – and curiosity about – the news cycle and the cultural moments shaping conversations. 

• You naturally keep up with what’s trending and can connect a cultural or social moment to a relevant brand opportunity. 

• Strong writing and communication skills. You can make a story compelling without making it complicated. 

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to keep projects moving, even when there are a lot of balls in the air. 

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where the plan can change because something better just happened. 

• Highly collaborative and comfortable working with teams across a business, agency partners and external media. 

• A self-starter who takes initiative, asks smart questions and isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves. 

• High energy, positive attitude and a genuine desire to make an impact. 

• Restaurant, hospitality, consumer or lifestyle experience is a plus, but not required. 

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, marketing, journalism or a related field preferred. 

• Travel limited.

Why Brinker 

At Brinker, we believe life is short, so work happy! That means creating an environment where you can grow your career, feel a sense of belonging and wellbeing, and have fun along the way.

Here’s how we make that real for our BrinkerHeads at the RSC:

• Flexibility that fits your life: Hybrid schedules with weekly flex days to work from home.
• Enjoy our brands: Generous dining discounts at Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy®.
• Wellbeing at work: On-site gym and fitness classes like yoga and boot camp.
• A culture worth celebrating: From company-wide events to a casual, collaborative atmosphere, you’ll find plenty of ways to connect, work hard, and play hard.

Check our Careers page and LinkedIn for more exciting opportunities!