Director, External Communications

Responsibilities

• Earned media program. Own the proactive media plan and its execution across business, financial, tech and trade press: company and product announcements, pitches, data-driven stories and reporter relationships. Hold a high bar for what is worth pitching.
• Narrative in action. Apply the VP's message house to every external touchpoint so announcements, bylines and spokesperson content stay consistent and on message.
• Technical and product storytelling. Work with Product and Engineering to track the roadmap and turn AI, platform and marketplace developments into accurate, credible stories with clear proof points.
• Agency leadership. Manage the PR agency day to day, set outcome-based KPIs (quality coverage, share of voice, message pull-through) and own the external communications budget.
• Executive and spokesperson support. Draft bylines, speaking submissions and media briefing materials for the CEO, CTO and other leaders under the VP's direction, and prepare them for interviews.
• Public-company discipline. Partner with Investor Relations, Finance and Legal so external content and announcements meet disclosure standards. Investor Relations leads investor materials.
• Issues monitoring. Track coverage and emerging issues, escalate early to the VP, and support response execution.

Requirements

• 10+ years in corporate communications or public relations, with a track record of winning earned media in a competitive category.
• Technology company and B2B background; marketplace, manufacturing or public-company exposure preferred.
• Established relationships with business, tech and trade press.
• Exceptional writer with a strong portfolio of announcements, bylines and narrative work.
• Ability to translate complex technical subjects (AI, software, marketplace dynamics) for non-technical audiences.
• Experience managing PR agencies, KPIs and budgets, and working with Investor Relations, Finance and Legal in a public-company setting.
• One message house in daily use across CEO remarks, CTO and product announcements, investor materials and internal communications.
• A rolling communications plan tied to clear business milestones that adapts as priorities shift, with CEO and executive prep running on a predictable cadence and minimal rework.
• Measurable gains in earned coverage quality (top-tier pull-through, share of voice against named competitors), with targets agreed in the first 90 days.
• Core team hired and in place with clear ownership across external, executive and internal communications, and agency scope and KPIs set around outcomes.

Preferred

• Exposure to manufacturing, industrial or supply chain markets, or regulated industries.
• Fluency with AI-enabled communications workflows and modern media measurement tools.
• Experience working across distributed, global teams.

Benefits

• competitive benefits package
• 401(k) match
• medical, dental and vision insurance
• life and disability insurance
• generous paid time off including vacation, sick leave, floating and fixed holidays, maternity and bonding leave
• EAP, other wellbeing resources
• and much more