Lead - Customer Communications & PR

Aquent Studios is seeking a strategic, media-savvy Lead - Customer Communications & PR professional for our leading Tech client. The person in this role will serve as the "nerve center" for how the client's most innovative customers are positioned across the global media landscape. You will own the overarching customer communications roadmap, ensuring that our customers' successes are amplified across media, events, social, and the broader communications ecosystem.

While deeply collaborative; partnering closely with Customer Marketing, Social, and Product PR-this is a PR-first role. You must possess a sophisticated understanding of traditional media relations, a proven ability to engage with Tier 1 reporters, and the composure to lead high-stakes crisis communications. You will lead a high performing team to drive the narrative of how the company is transforming the world's most iconic brands.

Please Note: This is a 30 hours/week role.

Core Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Orchestration

• Visionary Strategy: Own the end-to-end global strategy for Customer Communications, ensuring customer stories align with and elevate the company's broader corporate narrative.
• Team Management: Lead and mentor a team (currently two Managers and one Senior Specialist), setting clear priorities and driving a culture of high performance and creative storytelling.
• Strategic Connector: Act as the primary bridge between the Newsroom, Social, International Hubs, and Customer Marketing to ensure a unified, non-duplicative approach to storytelling.

Tier 1 Storytelling & Media Relations

• Elite Media Engagement: Lead proactive and reactive storytelling with top-tier outlets (e.g., WSJ, Fortune, Business Insider, Financial Times).
• Marquee Announcements: Drive the strategy for high-visibility customer press releases, joint pitching, and exclusive placements.
• SSOT Management: Maintain the "Single Source of Truth" (SSOT) for customer stories and the marquee asks pipeline, ensuring visibility across the global communications team.

Financial Communications & Earnings

• Earnings Integration: Lead all customer-focused communications for quarterly earnings, including securing customer mentions for the script and coordinating live media interviews for customer executives.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with Investor Relations, Editorial, and Product PR to weave customer impact into the quarterly financial narrative.

High-Stakes Events & C-Suite Engagement

• Event Strategy: Lead the customer PR strategy for Tier 1 events (e.g., Dreamforce), including executive prep, run-of-show development, and media coordination.
• Executive Social: Own the strategy for customer C-suite social campaigns, identifying key executives for LinkedIn collaborations and managing distribution in partnership with the Social team.

Crisis & Reputation Management

• Rapid Response: Serve as the primary lead for customer-related communications crises, providing rapid strategic counsel and managing stakeholder coordination under pressure.

Qualifications & Skills:

• 8+ years experience in Public Relations or Corporate Communications, preferably within the tech industry or agencies.
• A proven track record of pitching and landing stories with Tier 1 business and tech media.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex communication crises or sensitive reputational issues.
• Ability to influence and lead in a matrixed environment
• Comfortable briefing and advising C-suite executives on media strategy and messaging.
• Experience managing or coordinating PR strategies across international markets.

Compensation Range: $75 -85/hr DOE

The range provided is our reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The actual amount may be higher or lower, based on factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and location.