Associate Director of Communications
Cooley is seeking an Associate Directorto join the Communications team.
Position summary :
Working closely with the Director of Communications, communications team, other functional and administrative leads and firm leadership, the Associate Director of Communications will help to promote, enhance and safeguard the firm's reputation and positioning through the design and implementation of strategic, integrated external and internal communications programs. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following :
Position responsibilities :
External Communications
Manage a firmwide team of in‑house and outside PR professionals responsible for cultivating, building, and maintaining Cooley's relationships with key media contacts
Work closely with firm and practice group leadership to devise and implement strategies for raising brand visibility in key markets and promoting the differentiating strengths of the firm and its practice groups, offices, and individual attorneys, aligned with business goals
Firm spokesperson and point of contact for press inquiries
Provide crisis counseling, media training, and guidance to firm representatives
Work with the PR team to develop key messages and anticipated Q&A from the media
Write or edit press materials (talking points, pitches, press releases, etc.), as well as certain other firm communications
Lead implementation of proactive external communications strategies and campaigns positioning Cooley's attorneys as thought leaders, and utilizing a comprehensive range of tactics, including traditional earned media, social media, and content promotion
Oversee the firm's awards and recognitions programs, including advising on strategy, process and the development of priority firm submissions
Help to develop and maintain team reporting, policies, protocols and materials
Internal Communications
Support the internal communications team and firm leaders in developing impactful written, in‑person and multimedia communications aimed at increasing engagement and connection among Cooley's attorneys and business professionals globally
Other Responsibilities
Serve as direct supervisor and mentor to direct reports
Provide day‑to‑day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies
Support business professional development and continued educational opportunities
In collaboration with immediate supervisor and HR, participate in hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, termination and other employee lifecycle events
All other duties as assigned or required
Skills and experience :
Required :
After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
Ability to work extended and / or weekend hours, as required
Ability to travel, as required
8+ direct years of experience (e.g., communications, public relations experience with B2B clients with 4+ years at a management level)
Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Business or related field
Track record of performing elevated responsibilities within the current role providing intrinsic leadership & strategic direction to team
Seasoned experience in managing teams, hiring, training, assigning work, managing performance, and providing performance counseling and coaching
Ability to translate complex legal and business concepts into plain English
Strong working knowledge of and contacts within National print, broadcast and online media. Strong handle on financial markets and business concepts and related subject matter
Experience with crisis and issues management communications
Understanding of digital marketing, social media strategies, and content creation best practices
Preferred :
Experience working in a law firm, professional services, PR agency environment, and / or in government service / political realms
Supervisory experience
Competencies :
Strong executive presence and ability to build credibility and trust with partners on strategy and execution of communications objectives
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
Exceptional writing skills and strong attention to detail
Ability to lead others in developing and executing on initiatives and large-scale projects. Ability to motivate others and build effective and cooperative work teams.
Strong interpersonal skills with ability to negotiate challenging situations and grasp internal politics
Judicious, fast‑thinking and able to excel under pressure
Ability to consistently meet deadlines, including self‑set and multi‑tasked
Ability to develop professional relationships both internally (with department members, lawyers and firm business professionals) and externally (with industry / regional associations, etc.)
Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices.
EOE.
The expected annual pay range for this position with a full‑time schedule is $195,000 - $245,000. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.
We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and / or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre‑tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long‑term care coverage, backup care for children and / or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm‑paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 25 days of Paid Time Off ("PTO") and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.
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