Manager, Community & Media Relations

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | Kansas City, MO The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is seeking a dynamic and strategic Manager, Community & Media Relations to lead the museum’s external communications and shape how our story is told locally, nationally, and beyond.

This is a high-impact role at the intersection of media, community, and leadership—ideal for a communications professional who thrives in a fast-paced, highly visible environment and is passionate about storytelling, reputation management, and cultural engagement.

About The Role Reporting to the Senior Director, Brand Marketing & Content Strategy (with a dotted line to the CEO), this role leads the museum’s media relations and public relations strategy and serves as the primary media spokesperson.

You will play a key role in elevating the museum’s voice, advising senior leadership, and ensuring alignment between communications, institutional priorities, and public perception.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and execute media relations and public relations strategy, including press outreach and influencer engagement
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on messaging, media engagement, and reputational risk
• Act as the museum’s primary spokesperson and media contact
• Build and maintain strong relationships with media, community partners, and stakeholders
• Lead crisis communications planning and response
• Oversee media-facing events and external engagements
• Guide development of external content to ensure consistency with brand voice
• Track and analyze media performance and engagement metrics
• Support community engagement efforts and strategic partnerships

What You Bring

• 7+ years of experience in media relations, public relations, or communications
• Proven success developing and leading external communications strategies
• Experience advising senior leaders and managing high-visibility communications
• Strong media relationships and a track record of securing meaningful coverage
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Ability to navigate complex, fast-paced environments with sound judgment and discretion

What Sets You Apart

• Strategic thinker with strong executive presence
• Skilled at influencing and building relationships across all level,s
• Calm and confident in high-pressure or crisis situations
• Passion for arts, culture, and community engagement
• Strong understanding of the evolving media and digital landscape

Additional Details

• Reports to: Senior Director, Brand Marketing & Content Strategy (dotted line to CEO)
• Team: 0–1 direct reports (with potential to grow)
• Compensation: Annual Starting Salary Range - $85,490 to $96,129
• Schedule: Primarily Monday–Friday with flexibility for evenings and events
• Travel: Minimal (0–5%)

About Us The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art invites all people to explore the art in its care, and through its vast collections, the depths, and complexities of human experiences.

We strive to create a sense of belonging, where staff and volunteers can do meaningful work connecting people to art. We create an informed, invested group of staff and volunteers through shared values and open, direct, and respectful communication. We embrace IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Sustainability) in every aspect of our ideals and aspirations, as we believe these values to be paramount to success.

Each staff member and volunteer will embody the institution’s commitments and agrees to exhibit behaviors that align with them. We hold one another to these expectations so that, together, we may know, own, energize and sustain our culture and the institution for generations to come.

Non-Discrimination The Nelson-Atkins is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

For individuals with disabilities who would like to request accommodation, please contact the People & Culture department. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art conducts pre-employment background checks as part of our selection process. Salary information is a general guideline only. The Museum considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.