Director, PR & Communications

Background

Location: Hybrid – work-from-home and office: 303 E Wacker Dr., Suite 2200, Chicago, IL

Type: Full-time permanent position

Practice: Creative

Reports to: SVP, Creative Strategy

Overview

Intersport is a full-service, award-winning media and marketing agency known for developing innovative, and purpose-built programs for over 35 years providing expertise for our 50+ clients for our two divisions:

• Agency Services: brand and promotional strategy, sponsorship consulting, experiential marketing, hospitality, content, digital, and social media marketing
• Property Assets – owned-and-operated media, live sports, culinary, trades and lifestyle properties

The Director, PR & Communications will serve as the company’s communications leader and deliver innovative external communications strategies that help build and protect Intersport’s brand and reputation, position the company as a leader in the marketplace, ensure consistent external messaging and earned media, and position Intersport’s leaders as thought leaders whose commentary enhances the Intersport brand.

The Director will work closely with executive team and senior leadership, to help plan and execute external communications strategy and practices. From concept to execution, the Director will help leaders reach and develop their audience and achieve a consistent standard of excellence utilizing proven communication methodologies and tactics.

The Director should have experience designing and executing communications strategies focused on reputation, thought leadership, and growth for a professional services company, ideally within the marketing communications discipline. The role requires one to have a high degree of political and business savvy with an ability to develop relationships internally and externally and provide strategic leadership and execution of all communications activities. The Director must have proven success in creating the needed strategy, structure, and resource alignment to support new initiatives and be able to define and deliver on measurable success metrics.

Responsibilities

General

• Embody and reflect Intersport’s performance-based culture and commits him/herself and team to the highest standards for all agency work
• Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver executional excellence
• Establish and manage the implementation of long-term strategic corporate communications strategies to advance the company’s image with responsibility for long-lead and ad hoc pitches and placements
• Produce timely and strategic writing and production of a myriad of internal and external local and national communications about the organization
• E.g. presentations, press releases, local and industry news stories, long-lead promotional stories, and other communications-related activities as needed
• Coordinate, write, edit, and manage the production of digital/print materials relating to company performance highlights, including ongoing communications materials as required
• Measure and report performance of external and internal marketing efforts against agency goals and KPI’s

Reputation and Brand Management

• Define, own, and evangelize company communications strategy and positioning
• Expand company brand footprint including, but not limited to, PR and social media
• Provide perspective and behavioral insights to support the evolution of the company’s proposition and service offerings
• Help drive external eminence for Intersport through proactively pitching stories positioning the company and its executive and senior leadership as thought leaders on specific topics, including but not limited to, purpose-driven business models, owned-and-operated lifestyle/live event properties, and other topics to be identified
• Ideate and develop relevant social content for senior business audiences and relevant industry trade publications
• Help coach and prepare senior leaders to represent Intersport in a coordinated manner

Communications

• Collaborate with the CEO, President and other internal constituents to develop, own and execute internal communications function
• Advise and support executive and senior leaders on existing client communications and engagement
• Contribute to developing and creating various pieces of content, including publications, informational collateral, articles, blog posts, digital content, etc.
• Support ongoing maintenance and updating of the relevant content on company website
• Guide deliverables through the organization’s routing/review process
• Handle confidential material with diplomacy and discretion

Media Relations

• Cultivate and manage relationships with key media contacts to help promote Intersport’s activities, service offerings, and accomplishments
• Serve as key media contact and spokesperson for Intersport for press and media stories and ensure executive and senior leaders are made available for quotes when needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in English, journalism, communications, PR or related field
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience with a communications, marketing, advertising, or creative agency, or otherwise a sports, entertainment, or lifestyle property
• Writing and editing experience in either an external communications, public relations, or marketing environment and across a variety of communications channels is required
• Demonstrated track record of strategic thinking and executional excellence
• Passion for, and understanding of, the evolving media landscape related to the sports and entertainment industry
• Excellent verbal, written, analytical, presentation, and interpersonal skills with an aptitude for selling ideas
• Demonstrated advanced writing and editing skills, samples required
• Preference for working with internal and external contacts at all levels
• Application of superior prioritization and time-management skills
• Ability to produce high quality work at a fast pace
• Flexibility to work both independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as necessary email marketing and other relevant software platforms

Intersport is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Intersport