Department:Communications & Brand Reputation
Job Description:As Principal External Communications Consultant, you'll help shape, amplify, and protect Southwest's reputation with the media, Customers, Employees, and other influential stakeholders. Serving as a trusted advisor and Company spokesperson, you'll counsel business areas and Leaders across the airline, applying expert knowledge of Southwest's operational, network, business, and support functions to develop clear messages and strategies for diverse audiences. You'll build meaningful media relationships, position Executives and Employees to share Southwest's story, and influence travelers as Southwest expands its global reach. From responding to daily media inquiries and leading press events to managing crisis communications during emergencies and irregular operations, you'll translate complex, rapidly evolving issues into credible and actionable messages. Through strategic judgment, real-time media engagement, and reputation-focused storytelling, you'll help Southwest navigate pivotal moments, strengthen public trust, and communicate with clarity and confidence around the clock.
Additional details
- The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours.
- U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.
Responsibilities
- Distill multiple complex issues into easily understandable and actionable messages for various Stakeholders, including media, Executives, Employees, and Customers
- Serve as an External Spokesperson by responding to media requests for information by researching, writing, and issuing external responses on behalf of the Company
- Develop solid and meaningful relationships with external media outlets to secure media placements for Southwest narratives, including highlighting Senior Executives and Employees
- Mitigate potential reputational issues among media, Customers, and/or government organizations by researching emerging issues with experts across the Company to advise, develop, and issue the most effective response from Southwest
- Prepare and accompanies Southwest Executives on media interviews or speaking opportunities by guiding messaging and monitoring reputational impact following those opportunities
- Write news releases, media advisories, talking points, fact sheets, blogs, and presentations, and provides strategic direction for their distribution; oversees development of multimedia assets such as photos, videos, podcasts, and other creative content that supports the Company's public relations activities
- Plan and/or directs external press events that announce Southwest news and engender favorable perceptions among the public, media, and Stockholders regarding Company accomplishments, results, responses, and strategies
- Respond to daily media inquiries in real-time as a Southwest Spokesperson and monitors media sentiment to inform responses and potential shift in approach.
- Responsible for weekly 24/7 media response on-call shifts multiple times throughout the year, including nights, weekends, and holidays and maintains availability 24/7 for communication counsel, strategic message development, and the issuance of media responses during unplanned operational and reputational incidents
- Activate during any emergency declared via the HECC, Go Team, or Communications Department and will actively develop, issue, and monitor crisis responses on behalf of Southwest
- Contribute to maintaining and publishing content to our website for media: SWAMedia.com
- Represent Southwest as a speaker/presenter at external conferences and community events
- Perform other job duties as directed by Leaders.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Expert knowledge of media industry, with an editorial mindset, to support production of communications, including novel and compelling ways to inform, persuade and entertain audiences via written, oral, and visual media materials
- Expert knowledge of the English language with a wide vocabulary and dexterous knowledge of creative writing, the definitions and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
- Expert problem solver skilled in using logic and reasoning to identify pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, and develops solutions, conclusions, or alternate approaches as situations evolve and force additional decisions
- Expert in understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making
- Skilled at public speaking and presenting in front of senior level Leaders and external audiences
- Ability to navigate simultaneously across a wide range of stakeholders to listen, comprehend, correlate, and communicate in writing or speaking
- Ability to craft answers to specific and complex problems by applying general rules that produce materials for media and internal stakeholders and disseminates Company messaging to protect the Company's reputation
- Ability to assimilate information into general rules or conclusions including finding relationships among unrelated events
- Ability to generate unconventional and clever ideas to address topics and situations and to creatively solve problems
- Ability to identify and predict current, or potential, reputational risks in Company messaging and develop mitigating actions and/or messaging
- Ability to guide approvals and development of messages through Legal, Investor Relations, Executive Leadership, etc. to achieve approved messaging for public release
- Ability to navigate confidential information, formulating robust plans to communicate while protecting and navigating risks of information being released to the public prematurely
Education
- Required: High School Diploma or GED
Experience
- Innovator-level experience, highest level of knowledge in: Public Relations, Executive Communication Communications strategy, message dissemination, and measurement analysis. Experience identifying and managing communication during a crisis. Leading cross-functional projects. Media Communication
Licensing/Certification
Physical Abilities
- Ability to perform work duties from limited space workstation/desk/office area for extended periods of time
- Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
- Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
Other Qualifications
- Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
Pay & Benefits:
Competitive market salary from $153,000 per year to $170,000.00 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.
Benefits you'll love:
• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
• Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**
• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***
• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)
• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.
• Explore more Benefits you'll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits
*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time.
**401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits
***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.
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