External Communications Manager

External Communications Manager

At Little, we believe in the power of design to create a better future. As a nationally recognized design firm, our promise is to provide Results Beyond Architecture – results that elevate the performance of our clients, positively impact the environment, and enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Join our Marketing Team as External Communications Manager and you will directly support and promote our brand, mission, and reputation through powerful storytelling, holistic communications strategies, and a collaborative, inclusive culture.

Location: Open to any Little office location - Charlotte, NC, Charleston, SC, DC (Tysons Corner), Durham, NC, Newport Beach, CA or Orlando, FL

Your Opportunity

Collaborating closely with marketing team colleagues and firmwide leadership, you'll spearhead and implement a variety of external communication strategies that drive awareness for Little across all our markets. You'll serve as a trusted communications advisor while exercising your excellent writing and storytelling skills that engage our audiences. And, perhaps best of all, you'll join a best-in-class marketing team that always does our best to spark a spirit of excitement and discovery in everyone around us.

Your Responsibilities

• Drive external communication planning and strategy – including media outreach, community partnerships and earned media assets – focusing on critical priority areas for Practices and Offices.
• Lead stories that resonate with target audience(s) while developing and implementing a proactive media strategy (across all markets) to generate positive awareness of Little.
• Collaborate with others on the development, review, editing, and deployment of external communications/marketing materials. Inform content and messaging. Identify gaps in communication.
• Participate in business development discussions to translate Practice and Studio value propositions into effective communications and storytelling. Enhance written thought leadership with our Practice Leaders, Studio Principals, Design Partners/Principals and Office Presidents.
• Partner with Little's Digital Marketing Manager to create/share resources for "earned" and "owned' content, ensuring a consistent and clear strategy and vision across all marketing platforms
• Monitor, track, and analyze the impact of and responses to communication. Sets metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate effectiveness at outset.
• Leverage and build valuable relationships with local and national business/industry publications, including having an active presence and ability to engage with writers/reporters on LinkedIn
• Track deadlines and execute survey submissions for industry listings across local and national publications
• Coach, inspire and mentor junior level team members

Your Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism or demonstrated equivalent
• Minimum 8 years related experience. Experience in the A/E/C industry is preferred.
• Expert storyteller, writer and editor
• Excellent skills in a wide range of marketing and communication strategies, with deep focus on media/public relations
• Experience in measuring, tracking, and reporting the effectiveness and results of initiatives
• Capability to manage multiple assignments and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage and direct public relations agency support when necessary
• Highly detailed, creative, collaborative, and resourceful
• Deep relationships and contacts across the media landscape; experience developing and executing media plans
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Suite, Wordpress, and media tracking platforms is preferred
• Strong business sense, leadership, and verbal/written communication skills

Little is a place where you'll be surrounded by colleagues with diverse expertise, backgrounds, generations, talents, experiences, and passions. If you ask our employees what keeps them excited about coming to work each day, they'll tell you—it's the people. It's also our culture and the opportunity to help shape a better future through our work. We embrace a culture of teaching and learning through cross-mentoring that spans generations, disciplines, and interests. We strive to give everyone exposure to the broadest possible range of experiences. We care deeply about our clients and each other, and we work to spark creativity and excitement in everyone around us.

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit your resume for review.

Little is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, Little prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation national origin, genetics, disability status, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Little is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.