Social & PR Director

Vida Shoes International • New York, NY

1d • $100,000 - $135,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Since 1973, Vida Shoes International has been committed to becoming a global leader in the footwear industry. We are dedicated to designing, producing and marketing quality branded footwear using our expansive international resources. Our wealth of knowledge stems from the diversity of brands and successful products we have produced year after year.
The Role
As the Social & PR Director, you will be the primary architect of Vida Group’s external voice and industry presence. You will lead the shift from an agency-led model to a proactive, in-house team that owns media relations, influencer partnerships, and brand activations. Reporting to the Senior Director, you will oversee a team of Social Media Managers and manage the total PR and gifting budgets to ensure every brand in our portfolio, including Aquatalia, Stride Rite, Saucony, Merrell, Kurt Geiger, Andre Assous, Bruno Magli, Munro, and Jambu reaches its target audience with maximum impact.

Requirements

• Experience: 8–10+ years in PR and Communications, with a proven track record in the footwear or fashion industry.
• Strategic Leadership: Ability to look at multiple brands and build distinct PR strategies that don't compete in the same space.
• Team Leadership: Experience managing direct reports and leading cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Operational Skills: Proficiency with media pitching and setting up desk sides with editors, as well as brand events.
• Negotiation Skills: Strong ability to negotiate influencer and partnership contracts and vendor agreements.
• Agency-Savvy: Previous agency experience is required to bring best practices in-house and scale across our portfolio.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• In-House Media & VIP Relations: Lead all editorial pitching, desk-sides, and celebrity/VIP seeding to secure high-tier placements and influencer partnerships.
• End-to-End Event Production: Responsible for planning and executing a robust annual calendar of press events from beginning to end, including venue sourcing, talent management, and guest list curation.
• Influencer Ownership: Act as the primary lead for all influencer relationships, from organic product gifting to high-level affiliate partnerships and paid campaigns.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Direct and mentor a team of Social Media Managers, providing oversight to ensure social content strategy and community engagement are seamlessly aligned with brand marketing and PR efforts.
• Multi-Brand Stewardship: Maintain a keen eye for the unique visual and tonal identity of each brand, ensuring that event aesthetics and influencer partnerships feel authentic to each specific audience from luxury to performance kids' footwear.
• Budget & Resource Oversight: Strategically manage the total internal PR budget, product gifting allocations, and influencer spend.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the Marketing Directors and Creative Team to ensure that all events and media moments are supported by elevated visual assets.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director