Description

Director, External Communications
Position Description

The Director, External Communications leads Cushing Terrell's external communications function and shapes how the firm tells its story to the outside world. This role sets strategy for public relations, media relations, executive communications, and crisis communications, and builds and leads the team that brings that strategy to life.

Day to day, the Director guides the team, approving strategic direction and high-visibility deliverables while delegating day-to-day creative and content decisions. The role manages the firm's public relations consultant, coaches executives and subject matter experts ahead of interviews and speaking engagements, and advises leadership on major announcements, organizational changes, and sensitive situations such as mergers and acquisitions.

The Director also shapes the firm's industry positioning through rankings, awards, and speaking engagements, and partners with the Internal Communications Manager and Vertical Market Marketing Managers so Cushing Terrell speaks with one consistent voice, internally and externally.
Position Salary Range*

The expected salary range for this position is $130,000 to $170,000 annually.
Required Qualifications**

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field
• 12+ years of experience in external communications, marketing, or a related field, including experience managing or leading a team, with strong mentoring and team development skills
• Proven ability to develop and lead a firm-wide external communications strategy and align cross-functional teams and firm leadership around shared messaging and goals
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent the firm with media and high-profile stakeholders
• Experience providing media training and communications coaching to executives or subject matter experts
• Sound judgment in crisis, reputation, and issues management, including strong command of brand voice and visual identity standards and the ability to make final brand decisions
• Budget planning, forecasting, and financial management experience, including managing vendor and agency relationships

Preferred Qualifications**

• Strategic understanding of industry positioning, including rankings, awards, and speaking engagement strategy
• Familiarity with digital marketing, content, social media strategy, and performance measurement

Did you know that some people hold back on applying to jobs if they don't meet 100% of the listed requirements? We don't want you to hold back! If you check most of the qualifications above and believe you could successfully do the work, we encourage you to apply!
Position Responsibilities***

• Lead, hire, and develop the external communications team, setting staffing structure, mentoring team members, and delegating day-to-day creative and content decisions while approving strategic direction and high-visibility deliverables.
• Develop and own the firm's external communications strategy, building it with team input and securing leadership sign-off for firm-wide alignment.
• Direct public relations and media relations, including the firm's public relations consultant relationship and oversight of all vendors and agencies supporting external communications.
• Own executive communications, crisis communications, and messaging for high-level firm initiatives and sensitive situations such as mergers and acquisitions, and counsel leadership on the external implications of major announcements, organizational changes, and high-profile client or project matters.
• Lead proactive reputation and issues management by monitoring external perception and sentiment, industry trends, and emerging communications technologies, including AI-powered tools, and turning insights into implemented improvements.
• Prepare executives and subject matter experts for interviews, speaking engagements, and press interactions through media training and communications coaching.
• Shape the firm's industry positioning and thought leadership by setting strategy for rankings, awards, and speaking engagements, and serve as the final decision-maker on brand voice and visual identity across external channels.
• Manage the external communications budget and report on performance and spend to leadership, while partnering with the Internal Communications Manager and Vertical Market Marketing Managers to align messaging across service sectors and support business development.

Things to Note

*Actual pay will be determined based on the candidate's years of experience, licensure status, location, level of proficiency, and other job-related factors (as permitted by law). This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus.

**Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Cushing Terrell will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

***The majority of the time, a person in this role will be sitting in an office with limited physical requirements. This may require individuals to bend, stretch, twist, and reach.