The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The LA28 Games will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Olympic and Paralympic experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Vice President of Media Relations and Public Affairs

The Vice President of Media Relations and Public Affairs will create and implement best-in-class strategic communications programs to drive the reputation of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This role leads day-to-day media relations with local, national and international press, partnering with stakeholders across Los Angeles, in California and around the world to drive public support for the Games in Los Angeles. This role develops and maintains critical senior communications relationships with key LA28 partners including venue operators, sport federations, public agencies, elected offices, community groups, sponsors and rights-holding broadcasters.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, direct and execute strategic communications plans for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, engaging local, national and international editorial platforms
• Develop and implement communications strategies that support a seamless Games delivery, integrating plans with LA28 marketing initiatives, government relations and community relations
• Conduct regular engagement with public officials’ offices to drive communications alignment on key aspects of the LA28 Games including venue plans, transportation, sustainability, security, economic impact and community benefit
• Develop and implement communications strategies that support LA28 revenue drivers including sponsorship sales, partnership activation, licensing, hospitality and ticketing
• Lead high-profile media relations with top-tier local and national news and business media on a wide-range of topics, providing regular editorial updates, background briefings and on-the-record interviews to journalists around the world
• Lead public speaking strategy and engagement for the LA28 Games, working with executives, subject matter experts and external stakeholders to share the LA28 narrative publicly to drive awareness and understanding, using both proven tactics and new ideas that reach beyond traditional platforms
• Prepare executives and subject matter experts for high-stakes public meetings and events including writing speeches, developing briefs and curating presentations
• Lead media events, including press conferences, photo shoots and media briefings, from inception to conclusion developing media materials, pitching reporters and driving positive editorial coverage
• Partner with internal departments to uncover key stories, elevate public knowledge and manage communications around key issues including athlete programs, Olympic and Paralympic sports, venues, transportation, sustainability, security and local benefit
• Develop LA28 editorial library and lead creative and written content development including press releases, fact sheets, infographics, images and b-roll
• Oversee and implement social media strategy to support news and leadership, integrating with the broader brand social strategy
• Support crisis communications and issue response
• Work with credentialed press at local stakeholder events and key global sports events to communicate the LA28 story
• Direct members of the LA28 communications team, providing day-to-day support, project oversight and mentorship
• Collaborate with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee to support the Olympic and Paralympic movement in the U.S. and around the world
• Direct, brief and manage agency partners and freelancers to support communications efforts, as needed

Background and Requirements:

• 15 years of experience in strategic communications, public relations, public affairs or related field
• Proven strategic planner with communications campaign success for global brands or entities that have both commercial and purposeful dimensions
• Demonstrated leadership skills in communications with deep understanding of what makes news, what engages audience and how organizations build positioning and long-term narratives to drive public support
• Expert in national news and business media landscape with insights and experience across traditional and new editorial platforms
• Clear understanding of public engagement and how to effectively work with public agencies and elected official offices to communicate effectively
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills with clear, concise and impactful storytelling abilities and an expert ability to craft communications in a manner that affirms and is inclusive of a diverse group of communities and individuals
• Proven track record of fostering, building, and maintaining successful relationships with external and internal clients including high-profile stakeholders
• Experience working across a matrixed organization, managing multiple internal and external stakeholders simultaneously while serving a global mission
• Experience working with public agencies and community groups
• Knowledge of the sports business landscape and how editorial and stakeholder communications can support revenue generation
• Ability to think differently and challenge the status quo with desire to be on the forefront of innovative content and stories
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging (DEIB), and a thorough and advanced knowledge of the intersection between Media Relations, Public Affairs, and DEIB related concepts and principles
• Leader and doer who can thrive in both small-scale and large-scale environments with proven experience managing high-performing teams
• Optimistic and collaborative multi-tasker who can manage a dynamic environment with numerous critical stakeholders simultaneously
• Crisis management experience and ability to quickly, calmly and accurately address questions and concerns under high-pressure scenarios
• Excitement for the role and opportunity to help shape the future of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement

Position Requirements:

Education:

• An undergraduate degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, business, English or a related discipline

Expectations:

• Confident self-starter – Ability to make quick decisions, gathering input from key stakeholders and advancing the ball forward with pace
• Collaborative and flexible approach – Ability to roll with the transitional nature of the organization as it grows and establishes itself over the next 5 years
• Influencing skills – ability to distill information and drive understanding and buy in across multiple stakeholders and executives
• Team player – ability to scale up and down and drive both communications vision and flawless execution
• Passion for sport; passion for Los Angeles

The annual base salary range for this position is $200,000.00 - $267,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.