Media & Public Relations Strategist

Northwestern Mutual•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

Develops and manages external communication programs, initiatives, and campaigns that support Northwestern Mutual’s marketing and communications priorities and business outcomes.

Requirements

At least six years of dynamic experience in professional communication, public relations, organizational communication, marketing, training or related communication field.
Bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, public relations, marketing or social sciences.
Emphasis on specialized knowledge of public relations, media relations, and issues management.
Experience in corporate financial communications and/or retail investment products communications.
Proactive professional who has ability to build rapport with business partners and colleagues, provide counsel, and develop productive working relationships at all levels
Versatility to learn about and work with a variety of business areas and topics
Demonstrate exceptional presentation, writing, and analytical skills, including experience writing strategic plans and detailed message materials (press materials, talking points, etc.)
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to manage relationships and communicate effectively by phone, email, and in-person
Ability to listen to, engage, and influence business partners throughout the company; synthesize and relate complex information; analyze problems and opportunities; and develop and drive external communication strategies and tactics.
Ability to counsel business partners in the appropriate use of communication strategies and tactics to inform and influence target audiences (e.g., clients, prospects, key influencers, financial representatives, employees, and other partners or stakeholders).
Solid experience using digital and social media as a lead element and experience in providing direction for content creation.
Displays strong results in both national and regional media relations.
Strong understanding of PR metrics and analysis.
Ability to work with and guide PR firms; you are able to work with and lead teams and others virtually in regional markets throughout the country.
Embodies polished organizational, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Adaptive Communication: Formulates strategies to be used to convey complex information about services, products, systems, or processes to targeted audiences; communicates and liaises between technical and non-technical audiences.
Consulting: Connects with stakeholders to understand and gain specific information to help resolve customer problems in a given domain. Communicates effectively intent to customers, solicits customer requirements, utilizes domain knowledge and collaborates with the right stakeholders.
Cross Functional Partnering & Planning: Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals.
Customer Centricity: Applies a customer first mindset to design and continuously improve solutions, systems, processes, and services that support enterprise strategy, impact critical business outcomes, and drive organizational success.
Field Advocacy: Serves as an advocate and liaison of the field to produce meaningful interactions with the field that increase awareness and satisfaction with products and services; brings a field-centric mindset to value creation, prioritization, sequencing, and/or design of digital product enhancements, to maximize value to the field and increase the effectiveness of adoption.
Strategic Thinking: Uses critical thinking and knowledge of business demand to plan, design, prioritize and execute high impact initiatives and programs.
Writing & Editing: Creates and edits persuasive content so that it is appealing, understandable, or relatable to the intended audience; Has knowledge of the variety of formats, styles, and techniques for developing and reviewing materials.

Responsibilities

Develops and executes communication strategies and tactics to elevate the reputation of Northwestern Mutual and its financial advisors and offices.
Leads all elements of media relations efforts in key geographic markets, including cultivating relationships with media, messaging development, media training, organizing press conferences, etc.
Provides PR counsel to business partners and agency partners.
Builds external understanding and support of Northwestern Mutual’s planning approach through media relations in local, regional, trade and national media.
Drives thought leadership content development and related social media strategy and execution at the local market level.
Works in close collaboration with marketing and communications teammates to deliver content across audiences.