Job ID: 289608
Location Name: NY-FSC NY Off (0281)
Address: 19 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States (US)
Job Type: Full Time
Position Type: Regular
Job Function: Marketing
Work Location: Hybrid Schedule
Your Role at Sephora: As Vice President of External Communications, you'll lead earned media, corporate storytelling, executive visibility, and reputational communications strategies for Sephora US. You will shape how Sephora shows up in culture and in the media, driving awareness, trust, and relevance among key external audiences while helping protect and strengthen the brand's reputation. You'll be part of a team that's united in beauty, supported by those who are equally passionate about making the beauty world feel like it's theirs.
What You'll Do:
- Lead the Sephora US external communications strategy across earned media, corporate communications, executive communications, and reputation management.
- Develop integrated communications plans that support business priorities, key launches, cultural moments, and corporate initiatives, highlighting Sephora's brand purpose, leadership, and impact in the beauty industry.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and spokespeople, shaping messaging, media strategy, and external positioning.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with media, industry influencers, brand and group leaders and external partners to elevate Sephora's voice and visibility.
- Identify opportunities for thought leadership, executive visibility, and industry participation that strengthen Sephora's reputation and influence.
- Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing external communications team of approximately 10, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence.
- Manage agency partners and oversee the annual external communications budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources to maximize impact and efficiency.
- Oversee issues management and crisis communications planning, ensuring clear, timely, and aligned responses to reputational matters.
- Partner cross-functionally with marketing, legal, internal communications, HR, retail, executive leadership and global business teams to ensure consistency across external messaging.
- Measure communications impact through media coverage, sentiment, share of voice, and qualitative business outcomes, using insights to optimize strategy.
- Build reciprocal partnerships cross-functionally in a highly matrixed organization.
What You'll Bring:
- 15+ years of leadership experience in external communications, public relations, corporate communications, or related fields; retail, consumer, beauty, or agency experience preferred.
- Strong experience leading earned media strategy, executive visibility, thought leadership, and reputation management programs.
- Demonstrated success advising senior executives and presenting recommendations with clarity and confidence in high-visibility settings.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong editorial judgment and message development capabilities.
- Experience navigating complex, fast-moving issues with sound judgment, discretion, and a calm, solutions-oriented approach.
- Strong media relationships and a nuanced understanding of the evolving media, creator, and cultural landscape.
- Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across a highly matrixed organization.
- Creative, strategic thinker with a proactive mindset and a roll-up-your-sleeves approach.
- Personable and flexible with demands and changes in an extremely fast-moving and highly matrixed business environment.
What You'll Get: The annual base salary range for this position is $265,000.00 - $300,000.00 The actual base salary offered depends on a variety of factors, which may include, as applicable, the applicant's qualifications for the position; years of relevant experience; specific and unique skills; level of education attained; certifications or other professional licenses held; other legitimate, non-discriminatory business factors specific to the position; and the geographic location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will perform the job. Individuals employed in this position may also be eligible to earn bonuses. This job will be posted for a minimum of five days.
- Caring Community. You'll collaborate with teammates who are equally passionate about innovating and driving the industry forward - together, united in beauty.
- Fulfilling Path. Your career transformation starts here, with opportunities that will challenge, stretch and develop your skills.
- Meaningful Work. As you make an impact on beauty, you'll feel and see the positive change (consumer, industry, and social) that your individual voice is a part of.
Rewards as Unique as You: Some benefits have eligibility requirements and may depend on job classification and length of employment.
- Health. Choose a healthcare plan to fit you and your family's needs with medical, dental, and vision coverage. Sephora also fully covers our employees' disability and life insurance.
- Wealth. We offer a competitive 401k with 4% match as well as FSA and HSA programs. We also offer a Student Debt Retirement plan, where your student loan payments qualify to earn the 401k match from Sephora.
- Balance. You'll be empowered to find the perfect blend of work/life balance that actually works for you with PTO, flexibility, protected leave, and more.
- Growth. Career growth is built into every role, with access to training, development, and tuition reimbursement.
- Perks. Think you've tried it all? Enjoy a 30% discount on all merchandise/services, opportunities for free product or "gratis," and flash sale discounts on LVMH brand products.
- Support. Join a team that truly cares - with free mental health and financial coaching resources with 24/7 access to Modern Health and Financial Finesse. Plus, volunteer and donation matching.
