The Houston Texans are in a season of growth and are seeking an individual for the position of Senior Football Communications Manager.
Our Texans Teammate Habits:
Dedication to the team
Be adaptable
Passion for work
Win with integrity
Own the outcome
Culture: We attract the best and brightest professionals by nurturing core ideals such as character, hard work, discipline, and teamwork. We reward performances and demand a total commitment to excellence and a will to win in everything that we choose to do.
Basic Function:
Manage the day-to-day media relations activities of the Club’s football operation.
Job Function (Duties & Responsibilities):
- Serve as primary contact to manage all media requests and press availability for players, coaches and football personnel.
- Work with Senior Director of Communications to manage media requests and press availability for Head Coach and Executive Vice President and General Manager.
- Oversee PR strategy for offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators.
- Create and execute growth PR strategies for all assistant coaches and players to increase positive sentiment surrounding our team.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with local and national sports media.
- Identify and pitch story ideas to media and broadcast partners that align with the team’s brand.
- Ensure consistency in football messaging and serve as a trusted guide in media activities.
- Cultivate relationships with players, football executives and staff, and key internal stakeholders.
- Provide media coaching and training for players, coaches and football personnel to ensure effective and strategic communication with the local and national media at large.
- Develop talking points and key messaging for players and coaches ahead of media engagements.
- Work with football ops to secure exclusive behind the scenes content, mic’d up opportunities and more to aid the goals of our Texans social and digital teams while ensuring it aligns with the organization’s vision and goals.
- Review and approve all football related social and digital media content posted on the Club’s channels.
- Work with internal content teams to create compelling football-related narratives that showcase the team, players and coaches.
- Work with Senior Director of Communications to manage all logistics for press conferences and major team events such as the NFL Draft, Training Camp and Playoffs.
- Serve as the team rep for Pro Bowl, Super Bowl, NFL Draft and other events for our players requiring media involvement.
- Prepare the daily interview schedule and serve as primary contact for all football-related media requests.
- Supervise and delegate tasks, such as interview coordination, weekly release and media guide writing, special events and more, to communications staff.
- Be present with media at all open practices and football-related events.
- Administer and enforce Media Policies for offseason and in-season.
- Manage open locker room sessions during the week and on gameday.
- Assist in conducting weekly production meetings for home and road games.
- Lead player and team intros pregame and help align Football Operations and Game Operations on gameday.
- Serve as the PR staff’s on-field sideline contact for all home and road games.
- Prepare players for potential questions during postgame availability.
- Facilitate postgame interviews with players and broadcast network partners.
- Oversee planning and logistics, collaborating with all parties involved, for team’s annual Media Day and annual Team Photo.
- Serve as primary contact for NFL Films and opponent PR staff each week.
- Lead efforts for pitching weekly and monthly team awards to NFL office.
- Manage Communications Coordinator(s) and lead their training, mentoring and development.
- Work with Senior Director of Communications to manage crisis communications and issues management for football.
- Work with Senior Strategic Communications Manager to lead the training, mentoring and development of the department’s full-season interns.
- Work with Senior Strategic Communications Manager to support business operations priorities and events.
- Perform various other tasks that may be assigned from time to time by the Senior Director of Communications.
Subject to reasonable accommodations, position requires routine face-to-face personal interaction with other Club personnel; therefore, job responsibilities must be physically performed in the Club offices and not in a telecommuting manner.
Skills Required:
- Strong relationships with national and local football media.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messaging under tight deadlines.
- Deep knowledge of NFL media policies, football operations, and game rules.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Availability to travel and work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.
- Strong understanding of digital and social media’s role in modern sports communication.
- Ability to maintain confidential and/or proprietary information.
Education/Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited college or university preferred.
- High School Diploma required.
- 5+ years of experience in media relations, public relations, or sports communications, with a focus on football.
Title: Senior Football Communications Manager
FLSA Status: Exempt
Department: Media Relations
Reports to: Senior Director of Communications
Please note that while resumes of all candidates will be considered, as a way for the Texans organization to acknowledge and reciprocate the tremendous support given the Team by local fans and the local community in general, qualified candidates with permanent addresses in the Houston metropolitan and surrounding areas will be given first consideration whenever possible.
If your skills and experience match our available position requirements, a Human Resources representative will contact you directly. Due to the volume of resumes received by the Houston Texans, we are unable to provide updates on the status of individual applications.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
