BarkleyOKRP isn’t looking for someone to just pitch stories. We’re looking for someone who sees the angles no one else is chasing, and knows how to get them told. As Manager, External Communications, you’ll work side by side with our VP of External Communications to help shape the narrative around one of the country’s most talked-about independent agencies.
If you read the ad trades before your morning coffee, get a rush from landing a great story, and can turn agency updates into headlines that actually matter, this job is for you.
What You’ll DoMedia Relations + Thought Leadership
- Live in the trades. Know what’s trending, and where BarkleyOKRP should show up next
- Hunt down story ideas from inside the agency, write sharp pitches, and help get them placed in top ad/marketing outlets, business press, and podcasts
- Build genuine relationships with reporters, editors, and podcast hosts (not just send them press releases)
- Help craft and place thought leadership, including op-eds and bylines, with agency leaders
- Prep execs with media briefs, bios, and smart talking points
- Track and report on PR and thought leadership results to help inform strategy
- Monitor industry and cultural trends to flag potential risks or opportunities for leadership
Awards + Events
- Research, track, and draft submissions for industry awards and recognition programs
- Help draft and manage speaker proposals for agency leadership at major conferences and events
- Collaborate with the agency's Marketing Communications team to amplify awards, panels, and the talent behind them.
- Coordinate logistics and provide behind-the-scenes support for events, including executive preparation, schedules, materials, and day-of execution
Executive Social
- Help grow and elevate executives’ presence on LinkedIn
- Draft, edit, and publish executive social content that aligns with our brand voice, amplifies thought leadership, and engages the right audiences
- Source and shape content ideas from internal updates, media coverage, events, and cultural moments
- Track engagement and performance to refine content approach and report back to executives
- 3–5 years in PR, communications, or journalism (agency or in-house; experience in advertising/marketing trade media a strong plus)
- A love for the advertising/marketing world, especially indie agencies that do things differently
- Killer writing and editing skills, plus the instincts of a great storyteller
- Comfort talking to reporters, awards contacts, and event organizers
- Hyper-organized but quick on your feet: you can manage five things at once without dropping any
- Curious, proactive, and always thinking about what’s next
- We believe being radically diverse and inclusive is the key to becoming one of the world’s great creative idea companies. By embracing everything that makes our partners who they are and what makes them unique to the world around them, we create the conditions and capacity to help creative, original thinking thrive.
- BarkleyOKRP is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging as part of our corporate strategic goals, supported by a formal DEI+B program, Employee Resource Groups, Director of Diversity leadership and agency commitment to The Brand Lab, Creative Accelerator, Fellowship, MAIP, and BLAC.
What We Do
Barkley is an independent creative idea company.
Potent modern brands are whole brands — they need creative ideas across a wide spectrum, from business to marketing — all built around a core, long idea we call a Red Thread. This spectrum is our playground.
We are committed to knowing modern consumers better than anyone, and we're out to prove creativity can solve any problem.
We're known for our ❤️ and hustle, and we’re always looking for whole brand thinkers.
