**Media Relations and Client Communications Leader**

Date: Apr 12, 2024

Location:

Overland Park, KS, US Atlanta, GA, US Cary, NC, US Houston, TX, US Arlington, VA, US

Company: Black & Veatch Family of Companies

**Together, we own our company, our future, and our shared success.**

As an employee-owned company, our people _are_ Black & Veatch. We put them at the center of everything we do and empower them to grow, explore new possibilities and use their diverse talents and perspectives to solve humanity's biggest challenges in an ever-evolving world. With over 100 years of innovation in sustainable infrastructure and our expertise in engineering, procurement, consulting and construction, together we are building a world of difference.

**Company :** Black & Veatch Corporation

**Req Id :** 103163

**Opportunity Type :** Staff

**Relocation eligible :** No

**Full time/Part time :** Full-Time

**Project Only Hire :** No

**Visa Sponsorship Available:** Yes

**Why Black and Veatch**

_Recognized by Glassdoor as a 2023 Top 100 place to work_ , Black & Veatch allows you to lend your talent and perspective to humanitys biggest challenges in a flexible environment where you are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities. We offer competitive compensation; 401K match and benefits that start day 1. Our hybrid environment allows you to balance your work and personal life.

At Black & Veatch, you own your career with purpose and meaning. You are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities at every step of your career journey. Bring your big ideas knowing you are safe to be who you are and speak up with concerns or questions and put your diverse talents and perspectives to use.

**The Opportunity**

As Black & Veatchs **Head of Media Relations and Client Communications** you will have the opportunity to be responsible to lead and be accountable for driving the communication plan of the companys brand, values, purpose, vision, capabilities and accomplishments across all traditional and online media. In this role you act on behalf of the company to be external voice of the organization and ensure our narrative and tone is aligned with our brand values. You will drive and foster proactive relationships with key media members, influencers and community leaders and be directly involved in all events regarding the need to project and protect BVs reputation in the media and with external stakeholders.

The Media team reporting to you is responsible for the governance, creation and controlled release of all press releases, external communication media pitches, reports, talking points for executives with the media and in support of public speaking opportunities and meetings that represent Black & Veatchs operations, reputation, capabilities and accomplishments.

This role also covers the programmatic support of developing advanced briefing content, talking points and adequate preparation for key engagements with BVs executives and strategic accounts and other important influencers. This role will report to the CMO / VP Enterprise Marketing & Communications

**The Team**

As part of BV **Strategic Growth** , you will have the opportunity to drive agility, innovation, and hold BV accountable as an organization to our commitment to transform and grow. You are passionate about growth, client-centric, and work seamlessly across all areas of BV.

**Key Responsibilities**

+ Develop an annual external global marketing communications plan that aligns with the BV enterprise strategy and drives a programmatic and proactive presence regarding BVs favorable media coverage in target publications, tv radio and social media

+ Execute a strict governance on developing, validating and signing off all external press releases with leadership and with other third-party collaborators.

+ Operate a routine cadence with all key business leaders in the Sectors, Regions, Solutions and Business Enabling Functions to identify and stimulate new sources of PR, public speaking opportunities and experts contributions to high profile stories that affirm BVs strategy and capabilities.

+ Own and operate a rigorous crisis management and reputational protection scheme with a well communicated and rehearsed playbook regarding corporate policy and the role of officers regarding sensitive communications; routinely undertake media training to cover the senior leadership and other key industry experts. Act as the senior company representative when dealing with inbound press inquiries

+ Routinely conduct shared engagements, planning and advanced scheduling with other functions including Marketing, Internal Communications, Human Resources and others with the focus on leveraging a synchronized communications effort to maximize the benefit of key newsworthy events to both external and employee facing forums

+ Develop, operate and report on monthly statistics regarding the quantifiable brand sentiment and share of voice impact achieved by the Media teams combined efforts and comparisons with peers and other B2B industry benchmark standards

+ Proactively plan for a schedule of advanced preparation including client or media briefing documents and media training to enable BVs executives to be best equipped regarding these meetings to address likely questions and promote the BV strategy in execution by leveraging contemporary facts and recent use case proof points

+ Routinely create and foster deep business relationships with traditional and digital media sources; map their requirements and editorial needs to how the BV portfolio can support their information needs. As appropriate assess, install and execute partnerships with discrete media PR companies to expand BVs global reach in particular to address different regions, languages and other specialist media communication needs

+ Execute routine press engagement days on an annual basis in key locations with target media, leveraging senior leadership to meet and build meaningful relationships with the press in order to build future exposure to BVs thought leadership in these target media

+ Manage, train and nurture a high-performance diverse media team leveraging direct and shared resources on a global basis, develop a robust succession depth and ensure they routinely expand their media networks across all media formats

**Minimum Qualifications**

+ Bachelor's degree in marketing, journalism or related business field

+ Minimum of 10 years of experience in industrial marketing, press relations or corporate communications with a proven track record of driving quantifiable outcomes regarding share of voice, press coverage and corporate positioning within the engineering & construction industry or related industries.

+ All applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements (if selected) which may include any/all of the following: criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations.

**Preferred Qualifications**

+ Strong understanding of contemporary media management including traditional and online digital news ecosystems

+ Client and market understanding, and ability to align strategic initiatives with business objectives and stakeholder needs

+ Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, and ability to build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels of the organization

+ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and an adaptive mindset to drive innovation and continuous improvement

+ Ability to collaborate and influence across all levels of the organization, and to lead cross-functional teams to achieve the diverse communications goals.

+ Be willing and able to travel as appropriate to support national and international events regarding BVs engagement with the media, key influencers and to support executives as appropriate

+ Good experience in crisis management and communications and be able to react quickly and appropriately to negative media coverage.

+ To excel in this position, you should be flexible and adaptable. You can go with the flow in a fast-paced and ever-changing working environment.

+ Its essential that you can be strategic and forward-thinking while taking initiative.

+ Ability to make decisions quickly within high pressure situations.

+ Outgoing personality with a positive attitude, and you enjoy working in cross-functional teams.

+ Experience with public speaking at events like press conferences and a proven comfort in becoming the voice of the organization in terms of press.

**Work Environment/Physical Demands**

Normal work environment with hybrid schedule: 3 days in the office and 2 days remote

**Salary Plan**

MAC: Marketing & Communications

**Job Grade**

008

Black & Veatch endeavors to makeaccessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process because of a disability, please contact the Employee Relations Department at +1-913-359-1622 or via our. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only; you may not use this contact information to inquire about the status of applications. General inquiries about the status of applications will not be returned.

Black & Veatch is committed to being an employer of choice by creating a valuable work experience that keeps our people engaged, productive, safe and healthy.

Our comprehensive benefits portfolio is a key component of this commitment and offers an array of health care benefits including but not limited to medical, dental and vision insurances along with disability and a robust wellness program.

To support a healthy work-life balance, we offer flexible work schedules, paid vacation and holiday time, sick time, and dependent sick time.

A variety of additional benefits are available to our professionals, including a company-matched 401k plan, adoption reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, vendor discounts, an employment referral program, AD&D insurance, pre-taxed accounts, voluntary legal plan and the B&V Credit Union. Professionals may also be eligible for a performance-based bonus program.

We are proud to be a 100 percent ESOP-owned company. As employee-owners, our professionals are empowered to drive not only their personal growth, but the company's long-term achievements - and they share in the financial rewards of the success through stock ownership.

By valuing diverse voices and perspectives, we cultivate an authentically inclusive environment for professionals and are able to provide innovative and effective solutions for clients.

Black & Veatch Holding Company, its subsidiaries and its affiliated companies, complies with all Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) affirmative action laws and regulations. Black & Veatch does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender Identity and expression, disability, veteran status, pregnancy status or other status protected by law.

For our EEO Policy Statement, please click. If youd like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please clickand.

**Notice to External Search Firms** : Black & Veatch does not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be obligated to pay a placement fee for unsolicited resumes. Black & Veatch Talent Acquisition engages with search firms directly for hiring needs.

**Nearest Major Market:** Olathe

**Nearest Secondary Market:** Kansas City

**Job Segment:** Construction, Engineer, Engineering