Director, Communications

WE HAVE CREATED A WORLD WHERE ART AND SCIENCE ARE BEST FRIENDS Known is a modern marketing company engineered for the unprecedented opportunities and challenges facing marketers today. We are about 200+ people strong, pairing PhD data scientists with award-winning creatives, strategists, engineers and expert research teams to produce some of the most innovative and cutting-edge creative work in culture. We believe that when creative truly collaborates with science, strategy, and technology, amazing things can happen. 
Ad Age touted that "Known may be the ultimate example of a full-service agency," and honored us with two prestigious recognitions this year: #3 on The A-List as one of the top agencies in the world, and Ad Age's Data & Insights Agency of the year for the second year in a row. Without our incredible partnerships with our clients, spanning across the leading brands in finance, technology, entertainment, media, CPG, real estate, and many other categories, honors like this could not be possible, and also have helped us earn additional awards and recognitions over the years like: Emmys, Clios Entertainment and Sports Awards, Effies, Cannes Lions Awards, ProMax Agency of the Year, and Digiday's Most Innovative Media Agency to name a few.
We couldn't create this award-winning work without seeking out and hiring the best talent. What does it mean to be a Knowner? We are curious innovators, knowledge-hunters who are constantly challenging ourselves to do better and be better for our clients, for our team and for our world at large. Our offices around the U.S. are open and while most of our people work in a hybrid setting, we are a distributed workforce with a number of Knowners working remotely.
BUT ENOUGH ABOUT US, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU About the role:
The Director of Communications will be responsible for both how Known shows up externally throughout our industry, as well as internally for our Knowners. This role is the nucleus of the company, with a pulse on all of the agency's scope of work in pursuit of communicating how we want to be Known. This external-facing leader will be responsible for driving industry recognition opportunities and continue to build brand awareness for Known as the most innovative, predictive, and creative agency to the world's largest brands. Internally, the Director of Communications will work cross functionally with Leadership, Talent, Events, Finance, and across all of Known's Practices: Science, Media, Strategy, Studios, and Social. The Director of Communications will also manage, lead, and mentor one direct report, Specialist, Talent & Culture. 
WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU HAVE 10+ years of relevant experience within an advertising or media agencyProven track record of success for developing, prioritizing and implementing successful technical communication strategies and narrative storytellingExceptional written/verbal communication skills Ability to present complex subject matter in a clear, concise, and compelling manner Proven ability to work effectively with multiple constituents, including peers and executive management The ability to think outside the box / integrating problem-solving and structured thinkingSelf-motivated with strong organizational skills, analytical strength, and attention to detail Strong presentation and diplomacy skillsStrong teamwork, analytical skills, leadership and interpersonal skills, and building/maintaining collaborative relationshipsStrong knowledge of digital communications, emerging platforms and engaging key digital influencersExcellent judgment, special event execution and ability to juggle multiple assignments in fast paced environmentThe ability to think outside the box / creatively to integrate problem-solving and structured thinkingBachelor's DegreeWHAT YOU'LL DO External Communications Roles & Responsibilities  Awards Serve as the key point of contact for awards strategy and budget Work in partnership with selected key stakeholders to draft compelling company submissions for the agency, while also amplifying client campaign work and bolstering executive visibility. Track, serve as counsel, and project manage award submission process from start to finish, inclusive of tracking down assets, key information about campaigns, company and client credits, partnering with key stakeholders on category selections, ensuring deadlines are met, and more. Responsible for maintaining a list of Awards that Known is a finalist for or has won each year as well as the ordering and shipment of physical awards to Known offices + clients as needed. Press  Key partner to Known's external PR Agency to collaborate on and route briefs/talking points for press releases, new business pitches, and talking points for Agency of Record, new business, and campaign announcements. Monitor industry news and track Known press clips, announcements, speaking engagements, and beyond. Brand ID and Editorial In partnership with Senior Leadership, lead brand messaging and overall external communications strategy. Maintain and track Known Wins and work with Practice Leads and Senior Leadership on when and how we can announce both internally and externally. Write, produce, and distribute Known's monthly client newsletter "Known New Work". Oversee brand and communication materials in partnership with Known's design team. Develop and oversee communication assets including Q&As, Senior Leadership bios, briefing documents, and fact sheets – ensure brand positioning is meaningfully incorporated wherever Known shows up in the world. Social  Liaise between Known President and Social Brand Strategy Team and partner with all to produce content for Known's social platforms including new client wins, press coverage, and beyond. Collaborate with Social leads on reposting Social Tags on Known's platforms as needed. Maintain and track Social Calendar to ensure all upcoming posts are in motion and routed for approvals by deadlines. Raise awareness to the Specialist, Talent & Culture for opportunities to bring Known Culture to life via Social Media. Thought Leadership  Partner with Senior Leadership and Business Practice Leads on Thought Leadership strategy and to produce editorial thought leadership articles, for trade publications or on Known owned platforms.Review, edit, and provide feedback on pending articles, as well as route for approval to Known President. Route externally when approved to share with trades for additional coverage. Maintain Editorial and Thought Leadership Calendar to raise awareness of what is upcoming, and promote internally for additional amplification by Knowners and Senior Leaders. Internal Communications Roles & Responsibilities  Work cross-functionally with Talent, Leadership, Tech, Events, Communications, and moreDesign, execute, and scale employee-centric communications strategy across company, while also considering our voice, culture, valuesImprove existing communications channels and develop new, out of the box ways to engage and inform employees Manager of Known's internal network for sharing information, the Intranet, including enterprise calendar. Find new ways to educate and inform our employees utilizing the Intranet as a central resource for information. Ensure all company-wide digital signage reads clearly/effectively, is on brand and relevantMaintain a dashboard of all internal analytics related to internal comms (email engagement, Intranet engagement, Slack, etc.) in order to drive effective communication and measure engagementDiscover, curate and share compelling stories about our people and business internally; partner with the Comms team when these stories are too good that we have to share externally! Propose adoption of productivity / project management tools for cross-functional transparency and research new industry tools and best practicesSupport regular Slack communication to message internal events, general announcements, wins, kudos, highlights, and paid holidaysWork with Talent and Communications teams on Executive Comms, Business Updates, and Crisis CommunicationsSOME OF OUR PERKS Unlimited paid time off401k with company matching and no vesting periodAnnual bonusesGenerous medical planPaid parental leaveONE LAST THING TO ASK YOURSELF All this might sound great, but you're probably still wondering, "Would I be a good fit for Known?" or "Would Known be a good fit for me?" Our culture is propped up by four values that we aspire to every day: We are one team. We see the good. We never stop learning. There's always a better way. At Known we are setting out to build something more than just a company. We are building a legacy filled with exceptionally talented people with a kaleidoscope of backgrounds, experiences, and origin stories who feel encouraged and empowered to bring their whole selves to work, and to partner with us in molding and shaping our culture through our values.
Known is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or qualified job applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or locally protected class. The base salary for this position is $120K - $145K. This range is posted in compliance with state and municipal Pay Transparency laws. In addition to base compensation, this role is eligible to receive additional Known benefits. #LI-RR1