Careers

Senior Communications Associate

CS-Effect – Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

The Role
CS-Effect, a Chicago-based public relations agency, is looking for looking for a Senior Communications Associate who’s passionate about storytelling, skilled at building relationships, and excited to wear many hats. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and want to grow your career at an agency with a stellar reputation, we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

Media + Influencer Relations

  • Brainstorm and execute media strategies with senior team members

  • Draft messaging frameworks, briefing docs, and pitch materials

  • Build and maintain targeted media lists

  • Handle outreach with journalists, bloggers, producers, influencers, follow-ups, and interview scheduling

  • Track and report media coverage and results

  • Research thought leadership, speaking, and op-ed opportunities—and help secure them

  • Celebrate landing that big feature

Content Development + Internal Marketing

  • Write news releases, blog posts, social content, website copy, and more

  • Shape editorial calendars and content strategies for our clients and agency brand

  • Create simple visual assets and videos (bonus if you know Canva or Adobe tools)

  • Analyze performance data and adjust strategies accordingly

  • Manage newsletters and track engagement

Project Management + Operations

  • Keep projects humming by maintaining timelines, tracking progress and coordinating deliverables across clients and internal initiatives

  • Juggle multiple priorities without breaking a sweat

What You Bring to the Table
You’re a self-starter who enjoys both autonomy and collaboration. You love a to-do list but can pivot when priorities shift. You’re curious, adaptable and genuinely excited to help clients succeed.

Here’s what else sets you apart:

  • 3–5 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism or a related field (agency experience = a plus)

  • A bachelor’s degree in PR, Journalism, Communications or something similar

  • Proven track record of securing earned media coverage

  • Experience working with influencers (or a desire to learn)

  • Top-notch writing and editing skills (yes, there will be a writing exercise)

  • Confidence managing multiple projects at once

  • A reliable home-office setup with high-speed internet

  • Comfortable with tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, SquareSpace and Microsoft Office

  • Bonus points if you know Slack, Canva, Asana, HubSpot, or video editing software

About Us
Founded in 2003, CS-Effect is a boutique agency with a big impact. We partner with leading organizations across industries—from health and hospitality to transportation and education—to design smart, integrated communication strategies that move people to action.

Our services cover it all: media and influencer relations, social media management, digital content, market research, issues management, and more. Clients like the CDC, USDA, American Bus Association, American Association of Endodontists and Vandalay Hospitality Group trust us to tell their stories in ways that matter.

Want the full picture? Head over to CS-Effect.com.

Who We Are
We’re a welcoming, collaborative, inclusive and fun team of communications pros who believe great work starts with great people. We value diversity of background, experience, and perspective—and we’re serious about creating an environment where everyone can thrive and feel heard.

Why You’ll Love Working Here
This is a full-time, hybrid role. You’ll join us in our Chicago headquarters at least once a week for team collaboration and the occasional client meeting or event.

We offer:

  • Competitive pay: $62,000–$70,000 annually (based on experience) plus performance incentives

  • Healthcare coverage

  • 401(k) with company match

  • Generous vacation policy

  • 10 company holidays plus paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s

  • Summer Fridays (Memorial Day–Labor Day)

  • Annual professional development stipend

  • Company computer

Ready to join us?
If this sounds like you, we’d love to connect. Bring your creativity, your hustle and your passion for making an impact—let’s do great work together. Please send cover letter and resume to Candice Warltier at cwarltier@cs-effect.com.

Equal Opportunity Statement

CS-Effect is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

CS-Effect’s diversity initiatives are applicable—but not limited—to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; professional development and training; promotions; transfers; social and recreational programs; layoffs; terminations; and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of gender and diversity equity that encourages and enforces:

  • Respectful communication and cooperation between all employees.

  • Teamwork and employee participation, permitting the representation of all groups and employee perspectives.

  • Work/life balance through flexible work schedules to accommodate employees’ varying needs.

  • Employer and employee contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity.

 

Interested in the CS-Effect?