Executive Communications Lead

Summary

Join the Wikimedia Foundation as an Executive Communications Lead and support senior leaders' communications and thought leadership strategies. You will work closely with executives, focusing on product and technology leadership, to create compelling narratives about Wikipedia's value. Responsibilities include developing communications materials (briefing documents, talking points, speeches, blogs), identifying public speaking opportunities, and collaborating with various stakeholders. The ideal candidate is a strong writer with experience in media relations, working with senior leadership in technology, and developing thought leadership strategies. This role offers broad visibility across the organization and is mostly remote with occasional travel. The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote-first organization with staff members including contractors based in 40+ countries.

Requirements

• Minimum of six years experience working in an editorial, journalism, or communications role
• Strong verbal and written communication, and editing skills, with the demonstrated ability to write both short and long form pieces and meet deadlines
• Strong organizational skills and experience managing multiple projects and deadlines at once, as well as an interest in both independent and collaborative work
• Experience and comfort working with reporters, staffing media interviews, and shaping articles
• Experience working with technical topics and translating complex technical concepts into compelling narratives
• Detail-oriented with experience maintaining systems and documentation for projects with multiple moving parts and stakeholders
• Passion for following news trends and proactively identifying media opportunities for spokespeople
• Comfort working with senior executives and spokespeople at all levels to collaborate on communications strategy and messaging
• Strong research skills

Responsibilities

• Develop written materials that capture the tone and voice of different executives, often working under tight deadlines. This includes writing and ghost-writing speeches, op-eds, quotes, external statements, and blog posts that have a clear point of view
• Follow technology trends and public narratives that are relevant to our work, and identifying proactive opportunities to increase awareness about the Wikimedia projects
• Leverage relationships with reporters and conference organizers to identify new and compelling publications and venues for Foundation leaders to speak to key audiences
• Anticipate tough questions and prepare executives with needed messaging on a variety of relevant topics based on the news of the day
• Cultivate relationships throughout the organization and broader volunteer movement to understand and surface trends to include in broader communications
• Identify and shape thought leadership opportunities that engage key, public audiences and help them better understand Wikipedia's vital role in society and technology today
• Collaborate closely with the communications department to align on communications strategy and spokespeople, including shaping proactive media opportunities
• Create repeatable processes and metrics to measure and improve the success of public speaking engagements and other thought leadership opportunities

Preferred Qualifications

• Involvement or experience within Wikimedia communities and/or editing the Wikimedia projects
• Flexibility to schedule your workday to be in US timezones, ensuring overlap with Pacific Time
• Ability to speak and write in multiple languages
• Knowledge of online community interaction and dynamics

Benefits

• The anticipated annual pay range of this position for applicants based within the United States is US$ 110,663 to US$ 170,778 with multiple individualized factors, including cost of living in the location, being the determinants of the offered pay
• For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire
• The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote-first organization with staff members including contractors based 40+ countries
• We neither ask for nor take into consideration the salary history of applicants