Head of External Communications
Pella Corporation
Head of External Communications
As the #1 most preferred national window and door brand by homeowners across the country* Pella leads the industry in innovation and design. Founded in 1925, Pella Corporation is comprised of the Pella Family of Brands and remains a privately owned company with a robust product offering and national distribution.
Pella came to life when Peter & Lucille Kuyper paid $5,000 to purchase a window screen company. Upon moving the company to their hometown Pella, Iowa to expand their business, the Kuypers added innovative windows and doors to their growing product line. Nearly 100 years later, Pella is a household name when it comes to home building materials, from consumers to contractors, due to our cutting-edge, revolutionary products as well as a deep commitment to quality. Pella never stops improving—just last year, Fast Company recognized Pella as one of the most innovative design companies for our EasySlide Operator. At the heart of this success is our people. We have remained true to our long-held value of being people-focused and have a culture steeped in caring deeply, learning continuously, and achieving results that go beyond. Over the years, Pella has been named a great place to work by Newsweek, Forbes, Fortune and Glassdoor. Pella continues to excite and innovate and is second to none in our space. We are passionate about our work and committed to building brighter futures for our customers, team members and communities.
At Pella, we want you to do the work you’re most proud of. That’s why we offer individualized talent development plans, cross-functional experiences, and opportunities for career advancement through personal and professional development. Together, with talent just like you, we are building the future of windows and doors. Ready to join us?
POSITION OVERVIEW
We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Head of External Communications to join our integrated Corporate Communications team. This role is a relationship builder and cross-functional collaborator, a strategic advisor to executive leadership, and instrumental to enhancing Pella’s corporate reputation, building its family of brands, and attracting top talent. As a senior leader on the team and spokesperson for the company, you will be responsible for ensuring cohesive and compelling storytelling campaigns, driving our external communications strategy, managing media relations, and enhancing our brand's reputation in the public eye. The role flexes into internal communications where needed to support integrated, cohesive communications especially with issues and crisis management. This is a highly-visible position within Pella Corporation that interacts with all levels of the organization, the media and the public whose work reaches customers in all segments and channels as well as job candidates.
As the Head of External Communications, you will lead the development and execution of comprehensive external communications plans that align with the company's objectives and vision. Your expertise in communications, media relations, issues/crisis management, brand development, recruitment marketing and storytelling will be instrumental in creating impactful messages that resonate with our target audience and key stakeholders. The role demands a strategic thinker and strong people leader who can deliver innovative solutions, foster effective media relationships, represent the company, and has the ability to handle challenging situations with ease.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Provide collaborative and strategic senior leadership on an integrated corporate communications team to create cohesive strategies that align with business objectives, strengthen corporate identity, and drive stakeholder engagement.
Develop and implement strategic external communications plans, including the corporate PR plan and calendar, to enhance brand visibility, reputation, and credibility in the marketplace and communities we operate.
Identify and manage third-party award and recognition strategy to build corporate reputation in alignment with company goals.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with key media contacts, journalists, bloggers, and influencers to secure positive coverage and manage media inquiries efficiently.
Craft compelling press releases, media kits, and other communication materials to effectively share company news, product launches and corporate stories to relevant media outlets.
Monitor and analyze media coverage and industry trends, providing regular reports to measure communication effectiveness, identify opportunities, and proactively address potential issues.
Advise senior management on communication strategies, reputation management, and opportunities to enhance the company's external presence.
Oversee media events, press conferences, and interviews to maximize media exposure for key company efforts and talent brand initiatives.
Manages corporate public relations agencies, budget, and assesses sponsorships for strategic exposure through product placement and/or participation in key media opportunities and events.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including corporate communications, marketing, HR, and talent acquisition to ensure consistent messaging and attainment of company goals.
Partner with the digital marketing team on the company’s brand social media presence to ensure consistency in messaging and brand representation.
Identify and leverage opportunities for thought leadership and industry recognition, positioning executives and key company representatives as subject matter experts and preparing them for interviews and public appearances.
Leads corporate reputation management/risk reduction communications strategy through crisis communications planning, training and execution and as such, is on call 24/7, working with team members at all levels of the organization, as well as local, state, federal officials, stakeholders, and the general public.
Oversee talent branding strategies to position the company as an employer of choice and attract top talent, including the company’s talent brand social media presence and brand ambassador and alumni programs to enhance efforts and engage with potential candidates.
Create and manage employer branding campaigns and content to showcase the company's purpose, culture, and career opportunities.
Work closely with HR and talent acquisition teams to identify key talent needs and develop targeted branding initiatives to attract candidates with the right skills and values.
Stay updated with emerging trends and best practices in media relations, PR, crisis communications, talent branding, and employer marketing, applying relevant strategies to continually elevate the company's brand and attract top talent.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Directly supervises the external communications team – responsible for the hiring, onboarding, development and high-performance of team members and the team as a whole.
QUALIFICATIONS
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages and stories that resonate with target audiences.
· Strong media relations network and experience building and maintaining relationships with journalists, influencers, and media outlets.
· Crisis management skills, with the ability to handle challenging situations and maintain a positive brand image.
· Experience in employer branding, social media and talent acquisition strategies to attract top talent.
· Strong collaborative and consultative skills; ability to cultivate productive working relationships at all levels, gain trust of business leaders quickly, and influence without authority.
· Demonstrated ability to think strategically, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions to achieve communication and marketing goals.
· Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to lead a team and meet tight deadlines.
· Creative thinker with an understanding of market trends and audience insights.
· Proficiency in media monitoring and analysis tools and PR software.
· Strong leadership and team collaboration skills, with the ability to work in an ever-changing, fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
· High level of self-motivation and the ability to work independently, as a member of a team, as well with all types and levels of employees.
· Strong business acumen; ability to translate complex business objectives into readily understandable communications for a variety of audiences.
· Proficiency in various media platforms, both traditional and digital.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
· Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism or Marketing. Master's degree and/or Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) is a plus.
10+ years’ professional communications experience in the areas of media relations, PR, crisis comms and talent branding.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining journalistic integrity and confidentiality. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions in a manner easily understood by target audience(s). Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams & SharePoint applications. Digital marketing skills and videography also desirable.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT
Pella Corporation is committed to workforce diversity. Pella is a Tobacco-Free Work Environment. Pella participates in E- Verify. Pella will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Pella Corporation provides a working environment free of discrimination and harassment. Pella Corporation treats all persons equally, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age or disability, as each is protected under federal law. A number of states in which Pella operates have laws protecting classifications of Team Members not necessarily protected under federal law. Therefore, Pella also treats all persons equally, regardless of political affiliation and belief, pregnancy, national origin, age, creed, marital status, military status, sexual orientation, mental disorder, veteran status, ancestry or handicap as each category is protected under a municipal ordinance or state law.
