Director of Public Communications

Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer

Direct Reports: Regional PR managers, coordinator and external agencies

Department: Marketing 

Responsibilities 

Guided by Firm goals and objectives, leads and executes on public relations and communications strategies both domestically and internationally.  Responsible for media relations, public relations and external communications.  Collaborates closely throughout with business and practice leadership and develops consensus.  Manages and is accountable for the PR team and results.  Ensures client service and satisfaction are attained in all areas of position.

Essential Functions

Public Relations and Communications Strategies

1. In collaboration with senior management, practice leaders, and marketing staff develop and implement PR and communications strategies for the Firm, practice groups, and attorneys, tailoring messages for audiences, locations, and markets. Proactively identify key strategic PR opportunities in segments reflecting the Firm’s core practice areas and industry strengths.
2. Manage external communications for the Firm with respect to all announcements and activities, including website and other digital content associated with external events and announcements.
3. Work with select staff and partners to develop and execute a digital communications strategy for new and evolving media, including video, mobile and social.
4. Advise Firm senior management on communication issues; in collaboration, develop effective responses and strategies.
5. Advise individual attorneys, partners, and senior management on the relative merits of opportunities for individual and/or firmwide advancement via awards, receptions, speaking engagements and other special events. Develop media and internal communication opportunities for select spokespeople, including Chair, Managing Partners, COO, etc. to advance strategic initiatives.
6. Develop and execute content marketing strategies. Needs to create compelling content by identifying topics for proprietary work to promote Firm’s reputation as thought leader and to achieve meaningful attention from the media and from bloggers.  Also need to think through campaigns and distribution strategies to maximize reach and have our target audience engage with the content.
7. Develop written materials, including press releases, message documents, media statements, briefing materials and reports; draft and distribute media news updates for the Firm. Oversee team communication materials holistically to ensure consistency of positioning, content and messaging points for all interaction with the media and external communications, appropriateness of channels and outlets.
8. Develop and maintain up-to-the-minute knowledge of international, national, regional and local media outlets for the legal profession in the Firm’s relevant markets and to identify and act on relevant and strategic opportunities. Leverage diverse groups; including marketing, PR, advertising, communications professionals, and media.
9. Manage and develop highly effective relationships with the outside public relations agencies and media. Coordinate closely with PR staff to develop relationships in targeted and local markets and media, such as legal business and trade editors and press contacts online, broadcast, and in print.
10. Evaluate media coverage for the Firm against key competitors (key messaging; share of voice etc). Measure, analyze and report on media coverage as appropriate.
11. Coordinate media training for spokespeople; prepare internal speakers for media events and speaking engagements, and occasionally serve as firm spokesperson. Raise the profile of media relations within the Firm to increase general awareness and participation levels.
12. Collaborate closely with senior staff and business development managers to coordinate PR and communications with Department marketing/business development efforts.
13. Develop and manage Communications budget.

Team Management

1. Effectively manage team and resources to develop an integrated, effective, and leading edge communications group; set objectives and standards to proactively deliver services and execute on strategies. Collaborate closely with team members to develop knowledge base, expand networking, implement best practices, improve processes, etc.
2. Ensure Firm policies and practices are followed within group; promote consistency and fairness, maintain open door policy and promote open dialog. Prepare timely, substantive, and strategically aligned performance evaluations.  Identify and timely address employee relations and performance concerns within team.  Participate in recruiting for department, including drafting position descriptions.

Client Service, Confidentiality, and Safety

1. Consistently promote and model the Firm’s Client Service Principles in leadership, teamwork, work product, and personal interaction.
2. Ensure compliance with the Firm’s Information Handling Policy, including safeguarding confidential and personal information, and reporting any suspected breach appropriately and immediately.
3. Adhere to the Firm’s General Safety Practices and any unique safety practices for department and building. 

Qualifications

Education and Experience

1. Bachelor’s degree in related field. Advanced degree a plus.
2. Ten or more years’ experience in a PR agency or in a senior public relations position in a large, international professional services firm.
3. Strong background and knowledge base in corporate communications, public relations, finance/transactional PR, investor relations, incident management, content marketing and social media.
4. Experience in managing creative professionals and agencies.

Teamwork and Applied Skills

1. Ability to set and act on strategies and to develop consensus for execution.
2. Ability to function persuasively and effectively in a professional services partnership and culture; ability to establish and maintain credibility with senior management team.
3. High level of creativity.
4. Digitally savvy with a deep understanding of content marketing.
5. Ability to effectively work at both a strategic and tactical level; strong “roll up one’s sleeves” approach to delivering results.
6. Excellent verbal communication skills and exceptional writing abilities.
7. Ability to flourish in a team environment and to form effective working relationships with individuals at all levels.
8. Collaborative, open-door management style; ability to develop team members’ talents and skills and motivate top performance.
9. Excellent organizational skills, detail oriented with the ability to work well under pressure.
10. Ability to simultaneously handle multiple projects and deadlines, effectively manage changing priorities, and adjust to program activities accordingly.
11. Self-motivation with an excellent work ethic and a positive, proactive style.

Client Service Principles

1. Client service is everyone’s responsibility.
2. Think from the client’s perspective.
3. Respond quickly, thoroughly, appropriately.
4. Always offer alternatives if the client’s first choice cannot be accomplished.
5. Deliver innovative solutions, seamless results.
6. All details matter.
7. Clients are served best through teamwork.
8. Model exemplary service.
9. Treat each other as we treat our clients.