PR & Communications Strategist (Short-term Contract)

Job description

Location: Remote or New York, NY (as needed) Engagement Type: Independent Contractor (1099) Fixed Fee Range : $3200-$3600 Final compensation will be determined based on experience, skills and agreed-upon scope and monthly deliverables rather than tracked hours. This is a fixed-fee project, not an hourly engagement. You will be paid out monthly on a net 30 day schedule Projected Timeline : Start September 2026 / Estimated end September 2026 (approx. 4 weeks) Estimated Hours: Must be available on EST hours Approx. 40 hours total, not to exceed 40 without prior written approval (~10 hours per week) Extension: This is a discrete, one-month scope. A second phase covering messaging architecture and pilot roadmap development may follow in October, subject to client alignment. Extension is possible but not guaranteed , and is not part of this engagement. Potential Phase Two (Not Included in This Scope) If the client elects to move forward beyond the strategic proposal, a follow-on engagement in October would cover pilot roadmap development: building condition-level message pillars for each priority audience segment, structuring narrative and messaging governance so every external mention reinforces one story, identifying high-authority media and publisher targets for outreach, and aligning on resource requirements and the integrated team plan to move into execution. This phase would be scoped and contracted separately . About the Role We are seeking a senior PR / Comms Copywriter (Freelancer) for a focused, full-time, one-month engagement to build the strategic foundation for a third-party citation pilot on a major consumer health platform. Search engines and AI platforms trust content more when credible outside sources back it up. Before we can go build those citations, we need a clear-eyed view of where the opportunity actually is: who is already being cited, which publications carry credibility with which audiences, and what realistic pathways exist for this brand to earn the same standing. That is the entire job this month. You are not writing placements yet and you are not building the roadmap yet; you are producing the research, point of view, and strategic proposal that gets the client’s Comms team to the table and de-risks their approval. The single deliverable is a proposal strong enough to drive a collaborative conversation with Comms and internal stakeholders about what to activate and how. This is a highly regulated pharma account, so recommendations have to be credible to a Comms team that will scrutinize them. Success looks like a tight, well-evidenced proposal delivered inside four weeks, with options that are specific enough to act on and honest about tradeoffs. Scope of Work Competitive & Citation Audit Conduct a competitor placement and citation audit — where competitors are being cited, by whom, and through what kind of content. Run citation teardowns on the strongest examples to identify what earned them the citation and what is reproducible. Identify whitespace and opportunity areas where the brand can credibly compete rather than chase. Audience & Credibility Mapping Map which placements carry genuine credibility for each priority persona and condition area — trade, consumer health, clinical, caregiver, and adjacent media. Assess publications and platforms for domain authority and citation likelihood, not just brand-name recognition. Flag the sources most likely to be surfaced and cited by AI platforms in the relevant condition areas. Options Development & Strategic Proposal Propose content, placement, and activation options for generating external citations — digital PR, trade press, contributed bylines, data assets, and other credible pathways. Pressure-test each option against feasibility, regulatory reality, and likely Comms objections. Write the full strategic proposal — findings, point of view, recommended options, rationale, and open questions — built to drive collaborative conversation with the client Comms team and internal stakeholders. Draft supporting narrative language and framing for the recommendation as needed. Collaboration & Alignment Work directly with the Executive Producer, Comms strategy oversight lead, and Account Director throughout the month. Write with regulatory reality in mind — anticipate Medical, Legal, and Regulatory (MLR) review and recommend only what can be substantiated. Participate in working sessions and revision cycles; inputs will evolve as research lands. Deliverables Competitor placement and citation audit, with teardowns of top-performing examples. Audience-to-placement credibility map across priority personas and condition areas. Prioritized set of content, placement, and activation options with rationale and tradeoffs. Strategic proposal with opportunity findings — the primary deliverable, client-ready and built for stakeholder alignment. 5+ years of experience in PR, corporate communications, editorial, or brand narrative writing — agency, in-house comms team, or newsroom. Must be available and responsive during core Eastern Time business hours (approximately 9:00 AM–6:00 PM ET) for working sessions, revision cycles, and real-time collaboration with the Executive Producer, Comms strategy lead, and Account Director. This is a focused, deadline-driven engagement and is not suited to candidates unable to commit dedicated daytime availability alongside other full-time work. Proven ability to turn research and competitive analysis into a defensible strategic recommendation, not just a findings deck. Direct experience writing in healthcare, pharma, or another regulated category; familiarity with MLR or equivalent review processes strongly preferred. Track record placing or drafting contributed content, bylines, trade press, and digital PR in credible publications — you know what actually gets accepted. Working familiarity with SEO, GEO, or how AI platforms source and cite content is a strong plus. Comfortable operating with speed and independence inside a compressed four-week window with a fixed deliverable. Clear, concise communication skills — able to present and defend recommendations to senior client stakeholders. LLC a plus. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Portfolio or writing samples required, ideally including a strategic proposal, messaging framework, or placed contributed piece. Workplace Sia values in-person collaboration. When serving clients, consultants may be required to work onsite at a client location based on engagement needs. Between client engagements, consultants are expected to work from a Sia office or approved coworking location at least three days per week. Candidates should reside within a reasonable commuting distance of a Sia office or approved coworking location. Sia maintains offices and coworking arrangements across multiple U.S. markets, including New York City, Charlotte, Greater Seattle, San Francisco Greater Bay Area, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Washington D.C. Work Authorization Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout their employment. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future. Our Commitment At Sia, we believe in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture where our employees and partners are valued and thrive in a sense of belonging. Ready Set Rocket (A Sia Company), partners with ambitious brands to solve complex business challenges through integrated marketing, digital experience, customer strategy, creative, media, data and technology. We are building on significant momentum and investing in the next stage of our growth. Our clients look to us for strategic partnership that connects business objectives with measurable outcomes across the full customer journey.