Communications Manager

New York, NY, Washington, DC or Atlanta, GA

*Position will be office-based once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted 

Summary 

Premier, best places to work rated, global, law firm seeks a Communications Manager to join the firm’s Business Development team. Reporting to the firm’s Senior Communications Manager, the Communications Manager will play a key role in planning and delivering high-impact external and internal communications that align with the firm’s goals and strategic priorities. External responsibilities include supervising Firm’s PR agency partner; drafting/reviewing press releases, social media, and website content; providing periodic editorial support for client-specific communications, including advisories and other publications; and assisting in managing the firm’s response to surveys and nominations for awards. Internal responsibilities include writing support for the office of the chairman and other firm leaders and departmental heads. The Communications Manager must be a self-starter, exceptional writer, critical thinker, and team player with strong communication, organizational, and management skills.

Essential Duties

External

• Leverages understanding of the legal landscape and the firm’s strategic priorities to influence and drive media relations efforts.
• Serves as the lead day-to-day contact and provides direction to external PR agency on strategy and tactical media outreach.
• Crafts and distills complex messages to create written materials, including press releases, pitches, and messaging points.
• Assesses risks associated with media interaction and evaluates media opportunities for potential conflicts to minimize risk to the firm, secures approvals for lawyers to participate in media activity, and guides lawyers in skilled media preparation/participation.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with Firm leadership, other lawyers, and key stakeholders within the Business Development team and the broader firm to establish themselves as a trusted resource on best practices related to PR/media engagement.
• Works closely with the Business Development Communications Coordinator in New York, who manages the firm’s social media channels, to help set social media strategy and provide day-to-day content drafting/review.
• Supports the Business Development Communications Specialist in Atlanta by providing periodic editorial assistance on client-focused communications, including advisories, alerts, and other specialty publications.

Internal

• Plan, write, and edit content for internal communications channels, including leadership emails and messaging, intranet postings, and presentations/video scripts.
• Collaborate with leaders in Human Resources, Pro Bono, Diversity & Inclusion, and other areas to help plan/draft communications highlighting news, events, and other information relevant to firm attorneys and staff.
• Develop timely and effective communications plans for internal issues and situations that affect organizational morale, perception, and reputation.
• Ensure internal messaging is aligned with external messaging. 

Skills Needed to be Successful

• Powerful, logical, and effective written/verbal communication skills that resonate with the media and internally, with an ability to fluidly navigate between strategy and producing clear communications and compelling storylines that look past jargon.
• Ability to build trust and work collaboratively with Business Development across all key firm stakeholder groups, including practice areas, offices, and Human Resources, Pro Bono, and other departments.
• Highly creative thinker who can bring to life messages, ideas, and programs in new ways that resonate with external and internal audiences.
• Strong ability to visualize and guide how communications can be supported/augmented through design, video/audio, and other digital techniques and campaigns.
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in communications, English, journalism, or public relations.
• A minimum of 10 years of communications experience, preferable with a law firm or other professional services firm.
• Experience managing a PR agency.
• Extensive writing, organizational, and project management experience.