Head of Media Relations

Company: Verizon
Location: Basking Ridge
Posted on: January 22, 2025

Job Description:

When you join VerizonYou want more out of a career. A place to share your ideas freely - even if they're daring or different. Where the true you can learn, grow, and thrive. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play by connecting them to what brings them joy. We do what we love - driving innovation, creativity, and impact in the world. Our V Team is a community of people who anticipate, lead, and believe that listening is where learning begins. In crisis and in celebration, we come together - lifting our communities and building trust in how we show up, everywhere & always. Want in? Join the V Team Life.The Media Relations Senior Manager will be responsible for supporting proactive and reactive communications execution for Verizon's Consumer group in the Atlantic North Market, including traditional media relations, and experiential/out-of-the-box public relations, social media and integrated marketing efforts through a mix of tactics, channels and activities. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Market Communications, this person must enjoy working collaboratively and creatively, while maintaining and developing relationships with local consumer, tech and multicultural media contacts that help drive a narrative around next-gen tech products and services. What you'll be doing:

• Serving as a communications expert with strong media relationships in local media and/or tech, placing strategic stories and driving campaigns across new mediums.
• Engaging and collaborating with key company stakeholders across the business (integrated marketing, business unit marketing, Director of Strategic Market Communications, national communications leads, social channels, owned and operated platforms, network leads, CSR, government affairs, etc.), as well as with business ecosystem partners and manufacturers.
• Driving strategic announcements around local news and events, as well as products and services, new pricing plans, promotions, initiatives that cut across the entire organization, emergency response, helping tell the story of the value Verizon brings to its customers and more.
• Creatively approach sharing information with consumers in a simple, digestible way.
• Being an on-camera spokesperson with an approachable and charismatic presence, who can tell stories that are informative, entertaining and engaging.
• Interfacing with internal groups including Retail Sales, Operations, Social Media, Marketing, Sponsorships, Network, Business and Media groups and national communications to drive narrative, garner national visibility and help drive traffic to our stores.
• Thinking critically about how we are communicating with our internal audiences by coming up with new ways to tell stories that inform and engage V Teamers.
• Reaching out and collaborating with Verizon's owned and operated properties to help promote, align with and/or reinforce campaigns.
• Helping prepare local leaders and subject matter experts for interviews and speaking engagements for maximum results, including media training as needed.
• Working closely with PR agencies to develop messaging, events, and experiences, as needed.
• Aligning with corporate strategies and initiatives; help develop external campaigns that promote and position the company for the future. What we're looking for:You'll need to have:
  • Bachelor's degree or four or more years of work experience.
  • Eight or more years of relevant experience required, demonstrated through one or a combination of work and/or military experience, or specialized training.
  • Six or more years of experience in media relations, public relations, journalism, or related fields.Even better if you have one or more of the following:
    • Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, or a related field.
    • Experience managing an agency and/or working at an agency, or in local media.
    • Strong local media connections within the market.
    • Willingness to write scripts for broadcast storytelling and be able to use a smartphone and wireless microphone to occasionally capture b-roll or interviews to be used on TV, social media, and elsewhere.
    • Are a true team player, highly collaborative, and approachable.
    • Willingness to push boundaries in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
    • A proven ability to develop strategic public relations/marketing/internal communications programs and successfully execute upon them with measurable results.
    • A forward thinker who has led complex initiatives by working in a tightly integrated manner across business units and partner organizations.
    • Excellent communicator both in visual, spoken ,and written word with a passion for telling stories, making news and driving employee engagement.
    • Stellar organizational and project management skills with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple, often conflicting priorities to successful completion.
    • Experience bringing new consumer tech products/solutions to market via innovative campaign strategies.
    • Strong interpersonal communication skills, capable of building successful relationships with internal stakeholders, including those at the senior executive level.
    • Proven ability to understand complex business issues and how they impact the bottom line.
    • Strategic thinking skills with sound judgment and a high degree of professionalism, maturity, and confidentiality.
    • Familiarity with generative AI platforms to brainstorm creative ideas, enhance writing and more.
    • Experience with non-linear video editing software.
    • Native proficiency in Spanish.Where you'll be workingIn this hybrid role, you'll have a defined work location that includes work from home and a minimum eight assigned office days per month that will be set by your manager.Scheduled Weekly Hours40Equal Employment Opportunity We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer - and celebrate our employees' differences, including race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, and Veteran status. At Verizon, we know that diversity makes us stronger. We are committed to a collaborative, inclusive environment that encourages authenticity and fosters a sense of belonging. We strive for everyone to feel valued, connected, and empowered to reach their potential and contribute their best. Check out page to learn more.
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

Keywords: Verizon, East Orange , Head of Media Relations, IT / Software / Systems , Basking Ridge, New Jersey