Senior Director, Community Relations & Public Relations – New York

23Aug/100

Senior Director, Community Relations & Public Relations – New York

The Senior Director role will be responsible for developing and leading innovative external public relations strategies that create and drive awareness and business initiatives across the client's geographic footprint and nationally as appropriate. The position reports to the Vice President, Corporate Communications.

The Senior Director will have expertise in team building, possess strong executive presence, will use data to develop and lead programs and activities, and will have strong work experience to drive strategy and support recommendations. This person should have experience engaging with and managing the press and a high degree of comfort interfacing with a variety of internal and external individuals and entities. Individual should have significant experience managing people, as well as agencies and budgets.

Responsibilities:
• Develop and be responsible for strategic planning and supervision of all public relations programs for the client;
• Manage implementation of an integrated, long-term media relations strategy that will position the client with top-tier, industry, and local media as a leading community corporate member;
• Manage corporate reputation and image in the press;
• Understand the client's operating environment and develop strategic communications initiatives to further the Client's reputation as a leading organization;
• Provide strategic communications counsel and support to The Client's senior management team;
• Manage all organizational interactions with external media;
• Strengthen and leverage The Client's relationship with top-tier news organizations;
• Influence the operating environment by gaining coverage for the Client's industry perspectives on financial issues;
• Work effectively in cross-functional teams to advance communications strategy;
• Act as corporate spokesperson for all topics within responsibility/area;
• Work with appropriate divisions (ex: commercial banking, retail, products, government relations) to develop specific plans to address key issues;
• Assess risks, issues, and potential problems and provides proactive solutions;
• Coordinate closely with relevant departments on all company partnerships; serve as PR liaison with all professional and vendor partners, coordinating media strategy, overseeing its implementation, making strategic media calls;
• Oversee quality of all materials for the Bank – releases, briefing documents, media pitches, etc.
• Handle relevant media inquiries, manage relationships, clarify company positions and build goodwill;
• Mange external agency relationships;
• Develop and coordinate pitches and seek to place positive stories in business, trade and consumer media as aspect of communications strategy;
• Be Responsible for giving day-to-day direction to a PR Associate;
• Develop roster of speaking engagements and event opportunities for participation; and manage executive training and briefing needs;
• Develop and maintain relationships with executives, counterparts, as well as with key media.

Basic Qualifications: (required)

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 10 years of media relations/external communications experience.
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Communications, Journalism, English or Business
• 15+ years of media relations experience in banking, financial services, or other related environment
• A strong business background, as well as excellent managerial skills
• Solid top-tier media relationships
• Masters Degree in Communications, Journalism, English or Business
• 10 Years experience Working in a senior communications role, with a proven track record for developing and implementing successful communications strategies and providing communications counsel to business leaders
• 10 Years experience in Identifying and briefing senior management on matters relating to industry trends and challenges, public information, relationships with the news media, and potential impact of policy and product decisions
• 10 Years experience in Defining, developing and managing national external communications strategy to highlight corporate activities across all dimensions including vision and leadership, products and services, financial results.
• 10 Years experience in managing media interviews for the CEO and senior executive officers, including national television, radio, global print/broadcast media and all trade publications
• 10 Years experience in Creative, integrative problem-solving and structured thinking
• Solid experience in dealing with significant issues management
• Strong, demonstrated record of developing cooperative internal and external working relationships is critical
• Demonstrated success in working with all levels of senior corporate management. • Excellent presentation skills and persuasiveness are mandatory.
• Excellent organizational, written and oral communication skills for all materials, including business communications required
• Ability to manage pressure, meet deadlines and monitor and evaluate results is essential.
• Experience acting in spokesperson capacity
• Demonstrated hands-on management, planning, and execution
• Must have prior experience working with a large agency and large partnerships.
• Strong understanding of the public relations industry, and related knowledge of key trade publications, genre publications and local and national outlets.