Media Relations Specialist
Please Note: There will be an in-office presence expectation at 241 Ralph McGill Blvd, Atlanta, GA four (4) days per week and/or as additionally required, including on call & emergency response scenarios.
Travel within the state of Georgia up to approximately 25% of the time will also be expected. (You will be reimbursed for mileage if not using a rental car or corporate vehicle.)
Position Overview
Georgia Power is seeking a strategic and highly capable Media Relations Specialist to help shape how our company is understood by customers, communities, and stakeholders across the state. This role plays a critical part in protecting and enhancing Georgia Power’s reputation by building trusted relationships with news media, supporting proactive storytelling, and responding effectively during high visibility and time sensitive moments.
The success of this role depends on the candidate’s ability to build and maintain relationships within the business across the state. The ideal candidate brings strong news judgment, excellent writing and interpersonal skills, and a desire to deeply understand the business to translate complex operational work into clear, credible stories.
Key Responsibilities
Media Relations & Spokesperson Support
- Serve as a day-to-day media contact for assigned topics, regions, or business units, working closely with the media relations manager and senior communications leaders
- Respond to inbound media inquiries with accuracy, urgency, and sound judgment, including during storms, emergencies, or emerging issues
- Participate in an on‑call media rotation and tracking 24 hours a day, seven days a week when scheduled and during emergencies/storms.
Proactive Story Development & Pitching
- Develop and pitch proactive, hyperlocal story ideas that reflect Georgia Power’s operational priorities, community investments, reliability efforts, and customer benefits
- Maintain a forward-looking pipeline of story opportunities informed by ongoing engagement with internal partners
- Identify emerging media trends, seasonal moments, and news hooks to recommend timely outreach
Business Immersion & Internal Partnership
- Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders across operations, reliability, customer service, generation, transmission, and community engagement
- Regularly engage with assigned business units through meetings, site visits, and time in the field to surface authentic, credible story ideas
- Serve as a communications partner who understands the business well enough to anticipate opportunities and risks
Issues, Crisis & Event Communications
- Support reactive communications during storms, outages, regulatory developments, or other high-profile issues
- Assist in drafting statements, FAQs, talking points, and background materials under tight deadlines
- Support media engagement around major announcements, infrastructure projects, and public events
Executive & Subject Matter Support
- Help prepare leaders and subject matter experts for media interviews by developing background briefs, anticipated Q&A, and reporter profiles
- Provide clear, trusted counsel on messaging, tone, and interview dynamics
Content, Tracking & Measurement
- Draft and edit press releases, media advisories, newsroom stories, and briefing materials
- Track media coverage, pitch outcomes, and relationship activity to inform future strategy and continuous improvement
Success in This Role Looks Like:
- Proactive media coverage is generated consistently through strong pitching and sustained reporter relationships
- A healthy, forward looking story pipeline exists for assigned regions or business units
- Internal partners view this role as a trusted communications advisor who understands their work and helps tell their story
- Media inquiries are handled accurately, promptly, and professionally—even in high-pressure situations
- Relationships with reporters are strong enough that Georgia Power is seen as a credible, responsive, and reliable source
- Field engagement and business immersion regularly result in compelling, operationally grounded stories
- Media efforts clearly connect Georgia Power’s work to customer benefit, reliability, and community impact
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field
- 3-5 years of experience in media relations, journalism, public affairs, or corporate communications
- Demonstrated experience working with news media and responding on deadline
- Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to simplify complex topics
- Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism in high visibility situations
Preferred
- Experience serving as an organizational spokesperson
- Familiarity with utilities, energy, infrastructure, environmental policy, or regulated industries
- On camera or broadcast interview experience
- Experience supporting crisis or issues communications
- Knowledge of Georgia media markets
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong understanding of newsroom operations and what drives coverage
- Excellent verbal communication skills and executive presence
- Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines
- High emotional intelligence and collaborative working style
- Comfortable operating in fast‑moving or ambiguous situations
Behavioral Attributes
- Demonstrates Georgia Power values: Safety First, Act with Integrity, Intentional Inclusion, and Superior Performance
- Calm, credible, and steady under pressure
- Proactive, self-directed, and accountable
- Curious about the business and motivated to continuously improve communications outcomes
Why This Role Matters
This role helps define Georgia Power’s public voice—telling the story of how we serve customers, invest in communities, and keep the lights on every day. It offers meaningful visibility, responsibility, and the opportunity to make a real impact on how the company is perceived across Georgia.
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the Company is recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeogiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Southern Company (NYSE: SO ) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com .
Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf . Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.
Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.
Job Identification: 18625
Job Category: Communications & External Affairs
Job Schedule: Full time
Company: Georgia Power
