Public Relations Specialist
At Mainland, great PR is not passive. It is built by people who care, pitch, follow up, build relationships and create opportunities.
We are looking for a hungry, high-energy Public Relations Specialist who wants to grow fast, pitch often and be rewarded for results. This is a role for someone who likes the hunt. Someone who is naturally outgoing, competitive, responsive and motivated by the chance to turn effort into wins.
Mainland works with franchise brands, multi-unit businesses, restaurants, consumer brands and growth-minded companies that need visibility, credibility and momentum. Our job is to help clients find their “Why You, Why Now” and turn that into meaningful media coverage, interviews, thought leadership, awards, speaking opportunities and business-building attention.
The right person for this role is not waiting for assignments. They are looking for angles, finding reporters, following up, making calls, sending smart pitches and pushing stories forward. You should want to get better every week. You should want to win. And you should be excited by the opportunity to earn more by creating real PR outcomes.
What You’ll Do
Pitching & Media Relations
Pitch media consistently across local, trade, business, franchise, consumer and industry outlets.
Build targeted media lists and identify the right reporters, editors, producers, podcast hosts and influencers for each story.
Develop timely, relevant story angles that make clients more interesting to the media.
Send smart, customized pitches that are clear, compelling and tied to the right audience.
Follow up with urgency and persistence through email, phone, LinkedIn and other appropriate channels.
Build real relationships with media contacts, not just one-time transactions.
Track pitching activity, follow-ups, responses, interview opportunities and coverage wins.
Story Development
Learn each client’s business, audience, goals and competitive landscape.
Help identify strong “Why You, Why Now” angles for franchise, consumer and business media.
Support the development of media pitches, press releases, media alerts, award submissions and speaking submissions.
Turn client updates into stories that reporters and audiences care about.
Bring ideas to the table every week.
Results & Accountability
Own your activity and your outcomes.
Understand your weekly pitching numbers, interview targets and media pipeline.
Move quickly when opportunities come in.
Communicate clearly with the internal team on what is moving, what is stuck and what needs to change.
Use feedback, data and results to improve your pitching and performance.
Celebrate wins, learn from misses and keep going.
Team & Culture
Operate with urgency, energy and a “give a shit” mentality.
Be responsive to teammates, clients and media.
Show up prepared, organized and ready to contribute.
Stay coachable and open to feedback.
Bring positive energy to a fast-moving agency environment.
Take pride in the details, the work and the results.
What You Bring
1–3 years of PR, communications, journalism, media relations or agency experience preferred.
A strong desire to pitch media and generate coverage.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
A naturally outgoing, relationship-driven personality.
Strong organization and attention to detail.
A competitive mindset and comfort being measured against goals.
The ability to work quickly across multiple clients and deadlines.
Curiosity, creativity and persistence.
A willingness to pick up the phone, follow up and make things happen.
Experience with franchising, restaurants, consumer brands, local media, business media or agency work is a plus.
What Success Looks Like
You are consistently pitching and following up.
You are generating media responses, interviews and coverage.li>
You know your pipeline and next steps.
You bring fresh ideas to the team.
You are responsive, organized and accountable.
You are building relationships with reporters and media contacts.
You are improving every month.
You make the team and the clients feel momentum.
Who Thrives Here
People who like to hustle.
People who want to be measured.
People who are motivated by winning.
People who are not afraid to follow up.li>
People who like talking to people.
People who are creative, persistent and resilient.
People who want to earn more by producing more.
People who care enough to push.
Compensation
This role starts at
$52,000 base salary , with the opportunity to earn up to an additional
$25,000
through performance-based incentives tied to pitching activity, interviews, coverage wins and other measurable PR outcomes.
Total earning opportunity:
up to $77,000 .
We believe people who create results should have the opportunity to share in the upside. If you are hungry to pitch, build relationships and turn effort into wins, this role gives you a clear path to grow your income and your career.
Why Mainland
Mainland is a fast-moving growth agency built for people who want to do meaningful work, move quickly and get better. We are not looking for passengers. We are looking for builders.
If you want a role where effort matters, results are visible and your work can directly impact your compensation and career growth, this could be the right fit.
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Marketing And Public Relations Specialist
Mainland, Chicago, IL, USA
Pay: 60.000 - 80.000
Job type: Full Time