Core Responsibilities:

• General Corporate Communications. As the lead communications executive, the candidate needs to serve as a strategic counselor, a team leader as well as a communications craftsperson. The leader establishes communications policies, protocols and procedures to ensure alignment with strategic operating objectives. S/he develops new communications programs and initiatives and works cross-functionally with business leaders.

• Media Relations. The company generates substantial media interest. This position serves as the top company PR spokesperson on critical issues -- both proactively and reactively -- and effectively works with international, national, state, and local print and broadcast media, as well as consumer and technology trade media.  S/he also will identify the necessary external PR agency resources, and define and deploy the company's PR agencies for optimized results within a cost-effective budget.

• Internal Communications. This position will lead and manage the internal communications team's efforts to drive cross-functional employee communications programs and engagement in support of company goals and objectives. This includes oversight of all internal communication vehicles including print, online and other multimedia tools. S/he provides counsel and communications support for the CEO and other senior executives on ways to engage employees in key company initiatives.  The leader also will drive processes for gauging the effectiveness of overall internal communications.

• Industry/Trade Analyst Relations. The position will be responsible for oversight and coordination of outreach and work with industry/trade analysts to ensure consistency of communications message and regular flow of information on network reliability, new services and products, other company metrics, and its competitive position in the market. The leader also will work with the key trade industry association to ensure its views are fully represented in matters coming before and being driven the association. The candidate may also potentially serve on the association’s foundation board.

• Issues Management. This position works with other corporate leaders in identifying and managing communications on critical emerging business or customer issues, as well as special projects or initiatives. This includes areas that may emerge such as employment policies and practices, customer service issues, product recalls, data integrity as well as health and safety issues, among many others.

• Product and Services PR. This position manages the media relations team to lead the public announcement and launch of new products and services, working cross-functionally across units to leverage earned media in promotion and buzz surrounding new products and services tied to the company’s brand position. This includes a regular review program, and developing and maintaining relationships with the top consumer tech reporters at the national, state and local level in major markets. As well, this position oversees the Go-To-Market team to ensure internal alignment on all product releases and promotions.

• Investor Relations. The incumbent functions as the principal liaison between HQs international corporate communications staff and the US Company. S/he provides support to the CFO and closely coordinates on all financial and investor issues, particularly the timing, content and U.S. elements of the parent company’s quarterly earnings, as well as other issues of potential impact to the parent company or announcements by HQs with impact on US communications.

• Legislative and Regulatory Communications. Working with the Government Affairs office, this position ensures effective utilization of public affairs resources to support the company’s most critical US legislative and regulatory priorities and challenges.

• Social Media. This position will devise and implement an updated social media policy for the company for use with employees and their interaction with all stakeholders internal and external to the company.

• Crisis Communications. This position works closely with the Chief People Officer, the General Counsel and others in corporate leadership and legal in planning for and responding to crises of varying scope and severity to ensure business continuity.

Qualifications

• College degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications or related discipline.  Communications or related master’s degree, or MBA, preferred but not required.

• The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10 years, preferably 15, of communications experience with 3-5 years leading the function and responsible for multi-functional areas and directly reporting to a C-level executive at the corporation.  The candidate also should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, high growth environment.

• The candidate will have created or been principally responsible for enhancing a distinctive and widely recognized employer/brand identity through the creative and cost-effective use of media relations and other tools to gain visibility for the business in both consumer segment media and influential business press.

 TOP