Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer

Location: Chicago, IL

About The Company

Every day, transportation systems across the globe grapple with supply chain disruptions and the downstream ripple effect they have on global economies. The demand for supply chain visibility solutions is at an all-time high, and project44 #1 in the market. Our real-time transportation visibility platform is trusted by the world’s leading companies to tackle some of the most challenging supply chain complexities.

project44 disrupted the supply chain industry in 2014 when it created an “API driven” logistics platform, replacing old technology and a disconnected patchwork of logistics systems into a modern, networked approach to transportation systems. Today, project44 is the recognized leader in the market for transportation visibility:

• The deepest network of connected shippers, logistics providers and carriers
• The most accurate data and ETAs for shipments, across all modes of transportation
• Recognized by Gartner as a Leader in its first Magic Quadrant
• 5-star user reviews on G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
• The first and only vendor to offer a carrier onboarding guarantee
• Trusted by the top global shippers, carriers and logistics providers, including Amazon, P&G, Starbucks, Unilever, Nestle, Cargill, Lenovo, and The Bosch Group
• Top-tier investors and recent funding that valued project44 more than $1.2 Billion

Headquartered in Chicago, project44 is a fast paced, global company that encourages and rewards quick action and high quality work. project44 values diversity and inclusion and is an awesome place to work and grow your career.

The Senior Director, Corporate Communications is a key steward of the project44 brand and responsible for ensuring our brand promise is articulated in everything we do. As we accelerate our growth strategy, we are looking for a communications professional who is an innovator, bringing exceptional creativity and a disciplined approach to how we scale project44. Experience and deep understanding of Branding, Communications, PR, Content Marketing and Analyst Relations including how to engage with and leverage visibility across project44’s customers, target market, press, media and industry analysts to facilitate hyper-growth will be critical.

About the Role

The VP of Corporate Communications manages executive communications, corporate PR, social media and content. You have a track record of success in developing compelling narratives and building and delivering impactful communications programs. You are a proven strategist and innovative problem solver in an entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment. You have strong, trusted relationships with tech and business media and experience supporting senior executives. You take an integrated communications approach - leveraging all relevant channels for maximum impact. You embody a values-led philosophy and are adept at turning change and challenge into opportunities. You believe measurement and research are fundamental to corporate communications. You continually seek new ways of doing things, embrace fun and embody the spirit of teamwork.

This position is within an entrepreneurial marketing team, reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer you will lead communications and work with others on the marketing team. You will also work closely with and support our most senior executives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the Corporate Communications function, including developing executive platforms, creating, and implementing PR strategies, drafting scripts, narratives and messaging, and other executive materials.
• Lead external communications that reflect project44 mission and values, build and protect our brand reputation, and demonstrate that business as the leading supply chain visibility platform
• Research, develop and edit content for internal and external executive communications, including narratives, messaging, briefing docs, scripts/talk tracks, press releases, blog posts/op-eds, and more.
• Manage and extend our social media presence
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with reporters/editors and event organizers to further project44’s communications goals
• Take a hands-on approach to managing and leading your team, including agency partners and external contractors.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, ranging from operations to product to marketing, and global communications colleagues.
• Engage in crisis and issues management efforts and financial communications, alongside other members of the corporate communications team.
• Lead the development of annual PR plans to achieve project44’s objectives and global communications goals; apply team, agency and budget resources to deliver excellent results, adapting to external events and environment.
• Continually innovate and embrace new ways to do PR. Seek and embrace best practices.
• Oversee the professional development and advancement of your direct reports; identify and create learning opportunities for team members.
• Champion a diverse and inclusive culture.

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCES

• Bachelor's Degree in business, marketing or a relevant field required, MBA highly desirable
• 10+ years of experience in public relations/external communications, preferably in B2B SaaS, with ability to deliver proactive stories while also managing issues.
• Strong media relationships with key U.S. trade, tech, financial and business journalists.
• Exceptional leadership skills with an ability to set a positive tone and effectively manage, inspire and develop a world-class team
• Excellent writing skills - including the ability to simplify complex topics and adjust tone / style as needed
• Proven success in developing global brands - from positioning, to messaging strategy to execution
• Hands on approach including strong command of details
• Orientation towards data, analytics and measurement
• An optimistic outlook and "can do" attitude
• You have a keen focus on results, and can navigate within ambiguity while maintaining a high-level of humility
• A proven background in driving measurable public relations results in support of business goals, global brand and widely-recognized executives.
• Strong track record partnering with cross-functional teams and agency teams to deliver those results in a fast-paced environment.
• Actively following current socio-economic events, leadership trends, the role of technology and business and competitive environment.
• Clear and effective communication, writing and presentation skills as well as innovative problem solving, and strategic and analytical skills.
• Proven ability to lead through influence.
• Experience with new digital tools, techniques and data to enable personalized engagement with stakeholders.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Leading the development of a strategic, integrated, marketing and communications plan that is tied to overall organizational growth priorities, including key metrics to measure outcomes
• Establishing a brand position and segmentation strategy that will scale as our markets and products expand, rallying the support of fellow leaders along the way
• Developing and executing against a communications / influencer marketing strategy, including: AR, PR, and in the future IR (in partnership with finance).
• Spearheading and executing our internal communications strategies and plans
• Collaborating with senior colleagues to identify and engage the market prospective through marketing, media and public relations strategies and tactics
• Providing a high level of service and support to the business taking a partnership approach to getting things done
• Leading and advancing marketing and communication strategy implementation, ongoing evaluation and support including the development and deployment of the necessary process, tools and infrastructure to enable departmental growth
• Leveraging available data points to measure effectiveness of marketing efforts in a B2B environment
• Driving supporting marketing and PR execution with creative solutions that uniquely leverage scarce resources to drive market value and brand awareness

Diversity & Inclusion

We're designing the future of how the world moves and is connected through trade and global supply chains. We can only deliver a truly world-class product and experience if our teams are as diverse and unique communities we are building for. So it's up to us to create a company where anyone can bring their authentic self to work everyday. We're constantly working to improve, and we accept our responsibility to elevate the voices left in the margins. It's on every one of us.

Our focus on inclusion manifests in the way we hire, the customers we serve, and the regions we prioritize. We're building a company that every one of us at project44 is proud to work for: a company that celebrates you for being you.

We pride ourselves on celebrating everyone — project44 is an equal opportunity employer actively working on creating a diverse and inclusive work environment where underrepresented groups can thrive. If you share our values and our passion for helping the way the world moves, we’d love to review your application!

For any needed accommodations during the hiring process, please email recruiting@project44.com. Even if you don’t meet 100% of the above qualifications, you should still seriously consider applying. Studies show that you can still be considered for a role if you meet just 50% of the role’s requirements.

More About Project44

Since 2014, project44 has been transforming the way one of the largest, most important global industries does business. As transportation and logistics continues to evolve and customer expectations around delivery become more demanding, industry technology must rise to the occasion. In just a few short years, we’ve created a digital infrastructure that eliminates the inefficiencies caused by dated technology and manual processes. Our Advanced Visibility Platform is used by the world’s leading brands to track shipments, collaborate with supply chain partners, drive operational efficiencies, and create outstanding customer experiences.