External Communications Executive

The Dot Group•Austin, TX

About The Position

Dot is a group of businesses focused on student living, including Global Student Accommodation (GSA), Yugo and Student.com. Its businesses operate across more than 180 cities in 30 countries, with over 2,000 people. Dot describes its approach as pioneering, purposeful and positive, with a commitment to building long-term value and driving smart, sustainable growth. The External Communications Executive delivers day-to-day external communications across Dot and its portfolio companies. This is a hands-on role with broad exposure to communications work, suited to a strong writer seeking to develop experience across the field. The role covers media relations, insight and monitoring, website content and search visibility, social media, events, reputational risk support, and reporting. The postholder follows approval processes and brand guidelines, escalates emerging reputational risks, and supports issue and crisis responses, including joining an out-of-hours rota when required.

Requirements

Up to 5 years of experience in communications, PR, marketing or journalism; ambitious graduates with relevant internships are welcome.
Excellent writing skills and strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Confidence using social media professionally and creating engaging content.
Comfort working with data and explaining what it shows.
Willingness to work flexibly, including out-of-hours support when issues arise.
Strong organisation and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
Good judgement and awareness of reputational risk.
Curiosity and an insight-minded approach, including noticing what matters and asking 'so what?'.
Ability to collaborate across brands, teams and time zones.
Proactive approach and eagerness to learn.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to corporate or B2B media in real estate, financial services, or hospitality and leisure.
Experience of B2C communications in an operational, customer-facing business.
Video skills, including filming, editing and producing content for social media.
Experience with communications platforms, including media databases, listening and analytics tools.
Understanding of SEO, GEO or AI search.
Interest in international markets; additional languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

Draft press releases, media pitches, statements, Q&As and briefing notes.
Build relationships with journalists across corporate, property, higher-education, investment and consumer titles.
Handle routine media enquiries and coordinate interviews and spokesperson requests.
Prepare spokesperson briefing packs, researching journalists, outlets and topics.
Monitor media coverage, social conversation and trends on key issues, including on platforms where students are active.
Track policy and sector news to help shape communications plans.
Keep corporate websites up to date, accurate and on brand using the CMS.
Publish news, case studies and campaign content, applying SEO, GEO and accessibility best practice.
Track how Dot and its brands appear in AI-powered search and answer tools, and flag inaccuracies.
Plan and manage social media calendars across channels.
Write, edit and publish articles, blogs, newsletters and social posts.
Create and edit short-form video and visual content, and brief designers or videographers where needed.
Use generative AI tools responsibly and in line with Group policy.
Coordinate logistics and communications for conferences, awards entries and owned events.
Prepare speaker materials and capture content for use across channels.
Follow approval processes and brand guidelines for external content.
Identify and quickly escalate emerging reputational risks in the media or on social platforms.
Support issues and crisis responses through monitoring, logging and drafting holding statements, and join the out-of-hours rota when required.
Compile regular reports on coverage, website and social performance, highlighting what is working and what should change.
Maintain media, content, events and stakeholder trackers.