Role Summary:

Daktronics is seeking a Corporate Communications manager to help build and own a proactive communications function that includes media relations, crisis readiness, internal alignment, customer advocacy, and agency management -- all with a consistent company narrative.

Owns: Proactive Public Relations, media relations, crisis communication, internal communication, customer testimonials, and communications agency relationships.

Coordinates with: Creative & Content, Digital & Social, Marketing Strategists, Investor Relations, Finance,  Executive Leadership, Human Resources.

What will the work look like for me?

Key Responsibilities:  

• Team Management
  • Lead the corporate communications function and coordinate with Creative & Content, Digital & Social, and Marketing Strategists.
  • Build staffing and capability plans for communications, and agency management as the function matures.
  • Partner with multiple members of the company on stakeholder-facing communications.
• Proactive Media Relations
  • Build a proactive media relations function that shapes the Daktronics story and the key messaging for its primary business segments.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with relevant industry, business and media.
  • Develop a calendar of moments during the year to keep Daktronics relevant with the appropriate media outlets.
  • Partner with Investor Relations/Finance during quarterly earnings and other moments (e.g., Investor Day) that are public facing to drive messaging with relevant media.
  • Partner with manager of the “paid” media function for Daktronics to extract editorial consideration.
• Executive Visibility
  • Work with Director of Marketing to develop an executive communications strategy that includes conference appearances and other opportunities for Daktronics’ leaders.
  • Support CEO with media training/coaching.
  • Identify media opportunities for key Daktronics executives and Subject Matter Experts.
• Crisis Communications/Issues Management
  • Partner with legal, Human Resources and other functions to maintain and update a formal crisis communication/issues management protocol and response readiness plan.
  • Proactively monitor for emerging issues and reputational risk.
  • Potentially serve as the company spokesperson during a crisis, internally and externally.
• Internal Communications
  • Work with HR and other functions on an internal communications strategy that keeps team members globally informed and engaged.
  • Partner with HR on how best to communicate the company’s Employee Value Proposition to internal and external audiences.
  • Help stage employee events (Town Halls, celebrations, etc.) – working with HR and the events teams.
• Customer Testimonials & Advocacy
  • Elevate customer testimonials into high-visibility proof points of the Daktronics’ story and the stories of its key business segments.
• Sponsorship integration
  • Work with Live Events to identify opportunities for storytelling in conjunction with overall sponsorship assets.
• Agency Management
  • Own relationships with communications agencies.
  • Set clear scopes, budget, deliverables, and performance expectations for every agency engagement.
  • Ensure agency output is consistent with brand voice and integrated with the broader marketing strategy.
  • Partner with investor relations agency as needed, especially around earnings.
• Team Growth & Culture
  • Foster a culture of collaboration and open coordination between Corporate Communications, Creative & Content, Digital & Social, and Sales teams.
  • Build professional growth paths and development opportunities for communications team members.
  • Ensure seamless coordination and handoffs across central functions, embedded roles, and business segments.

Where is this opportunity located? 

Position located in Brookings, SD.

To be considered for the Corporate Communications Manager position, we require the following:

• Team Management
  • Seven (7)+ years leading corporate communications, public relations, or media relations teams.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through influence across regional and functional teams.
  • Experience partnering with Investor Relations and executive leadership.
• Proactive Media Relations
  • Proven track record building proactive media strategy and media relationships at a brand or enterprise level.
  • Strong understanding of how to shape narrative ahead of news cycles, not just respond to them.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Crisis Communications
  • Direct experience developing and executing crisis communication plans.
  • Demonstrated composure and clarity communicating under pressure.
  • Experience monitoring media and sentiment to identify risk before it escalates.
• Internal Communications
  • Experience aligning internal communications with brand voice across a distributed organization.
  • Comfortable communicating with analysts, investors, and Board-level audiences.
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Customer Testimonials & Advocacy
  • Experience building customer advocacy and testimonial programs.
  • Ability to translate customer success into compelling, distributable brand proof points.
• Agency Management
  • Proven experience managing external public relations/communications agencies.
  • Strong vendor management and budget oversight skills.
  • Ability to hold agency partners accountable to brand standards and business outcomes.
• Team Growth & Culture
  • Experience building collaborative, high-performing team cultures across matrixed or distributed teams.
  • Track record of mentoring and developing talent within a function.
  • Strong coordination skills, ensuring seamless communication and handoffs across cross-functional teams.
• Other requirements
  • Bachelors degree in public relations, communications, marketing, journalism, business administration or a related field.
  • Effectively exercise discretion and independent judgment.
  • The selected individual must be able to travel by air and ground and comply with the Daktronics Driver Eligibility Policy to begin and maintain employment. This requirement will be verified through a motor vehicle record (MVR) check conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, provincial, and local laws.
  • Fluent in English, written and verbal.  
  • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. 
  • Daktronics does not sponsor, renew, or extend immigration visas for this position. 

What Success Looks Like:

• A proactive, media presence that shapes the Daktronics narrative.
• A tested, ready crisis communication protocol the organization trusts.
• Internal communication consistently aligned with brand voice.
• Customer testimonials serving as visible, distributed proof points of Daktronics' brand story.
• Agency partners held to clear, consistent standards and integrated with the broader marketing strategy.
• consistent standards and integrated with the broader marketing strategy.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now and start your journey with Daktronics.