External Communications

Gujarat

Indian MNC Conglomerate

Business Administration

**Job Overview**:
External Communications - GM

**Job Summary**:
**Location**: Ahmedabad

**Role & Responsibilities**:

- Formulate & Develop group narrative and messaging
- Work with the Business/Sector CEO's and be the Group communications SPOC
- Leverage the relevant news about Client in India for keeping influencers engaged and creating better appreciation of the brand, disseminating the press releases and pitching stories to the media
- Create value for stakeholders' means understanding the stakeholders needs and delivering value at all times even while balancing conflicting needs of multiple stakeholders
- Evaluate strategic business priorities and integrate into Group/sector communications functioning through in - depth understanding of business, industry and domain
- Anticipating, identifying and leveraging business opportunities in some of the businesses that could be amplified through media and across mediums
- Consistently explore and evaluate emerging opportunities to support business growth and priorities
- Formulate an overarching Group/business communications strategy for India that determines stakeholder outreach, group-level messaging, draw upon the business synergies, corporate goals and Indian business interests; and execute the program flawlessly.
- Deliver impactful external visibility for Client through storytelling and media relationships. Results should center on corporate stories that bring to life who Client is, trend/ product and services/ business stories, brand stories and reputation building stories.
- Identify thought leadership themes/platforms and Influencers and build thought leadership in India
- Cultivate, develop and maintain sound relationships with National media - editors and journalists, and other key external influencers to help build, enhance and protect the company's reputation and drive our business forward.
- Proactively manage issues and deflect criticism in the media
- Ensure agencies are optimally managed - from having contracts in place to ensure ROI and value for money
- Create effective communication channels including the new media channels like social and online media, leveraging them in planning and executing communications programs
- Demonstrate a sense of ownership to ensure connectivity with businesses, commitment to deliver and by taking responsibility for the process as well as outcome
- Be passionate, enthusiastic and demonstrate zeal about the work one does and go the extra mile
- Deliver results with sustained commitment to quality and on-time performance
- Be a counsel to the business leaders
- Work with internal teams and external agencies to edit press releases, company literature, and articles for external use
- Gather and disseminate timely information to the media and employees
- Plan and oversee press events, showcase the outcomes
- Detect public relations issues as they emerge and address them
- Research and write briefing materials
- Lead Group communications events and visits
- Build and keep the Group collaterals updated - Group presentation, film, brochure, support the website updates, etc.
- Leverage the news about Client and create employee pride and belongingness

**Requirements**:

- Bachelors in Mass Media Communication; PG degree in Journalism or English Literature
- 15+ years of work experience in Corporate Communications and Brand building
- Strong verbal and written communications skills required
- Proven record in managing media & editor relations; stakeholder relations; business, brand and corporate communications
- Ability to work in a matrix organisation - dealing with complexity, ambiguity and collaborative environment.
- Fluency in English, both written and verbal, required
- Experience in strategizing and executing social media campaigns
- Knowledge of PR, Communications, Media and Brand Building
- Experience working with an Indian multinational US multinational
- Having worked with the senior-most Executives in the organisations and being a counsel to them
- Proven success in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment
- Ability to work in a multinational and multi-cultural environment
- Sound & quick decision-making ability - both financial and technical operational
- Ability to work and thrive in a highly unstructured work environment
- Ability to represent the organisation as its ambassador
- Relationship management (media, partners etc)
- Excellent negotiation skills are inherent to this role.
- Excellent verbal interpersonal, business communication and people-management skills.
- Excellent organisational skills, particularly in time management.