Senior Director, Communications Jobs

SSENSE is seeking a highly accomplished Senior Director, Communications to report directly to the Chief Customer Officer, to further position SSENSE as an undeniable driving force in fashion and culture and implement strategic roadmaps that will amplify the voices that are challenging conventions and changing the way we see the world. The Senior Director of Communications will have two core areas of responsibility: Brand and Corporate Communications. The Executive is deeply familiar with SSENSE and has demonstrated success in driving impact across the Communications portfolio. They will lead a team of experts, collaborating with external partners and cross departmentally within SSENSE to drive strategic priorities. Since this is a rapidly changing environment, passion, resilience and a team-orientation are critical in this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Brand Communications

• Coach Executive leadership to align on key messaging for press and influencer events to enhance corporate reputation
• Recruit and oversee global agencies in alignment with the company PR strategy
• Partner with Executive Leadership to develop and implement the overarching company PR strategy to ensure that SSENSE attains expanded coverage in key markets
• Oversee the creation of PR go-to-market strategies as required to achieve brand awareness and top-line goals, in collaboration with partners across the business
• Successfully drive reputation management communications and mitigate risk to minimize any negative impact to the perception of the business, in partnership with Executive Leadership and external consultants

Corporate Communications

• Formalize and educate leadership on internal communications philosophies, policies and processes
• Develop and implement a strategic internal communications program, with a focus on employee engagement and purpose, along with identifying and leveraging opportunities to celebrate success, educate teams, and share brand news internally
• Identify new communication needs related to the growth of operations as well as to the launch of key priorities within the fulfillment centre and business at large
• Analyze the current situation of internal communications and crystalize a framework to ensure consistent and comprehensive messaging that resonates across all employee groups spanning multiple locations and geographies, ensuring a consistent employee experience and connection to the SSENSE culture
• Amplify executive thought leadership by building out a holistic speaking engagement calendar and editing executive communications

Operations

• Oversee the Brand and Corporate Communications calendar to ensure planning and alignment across the business
• Launch key initiatives across the business so departments can integrate them strategically and actively participate
• Ensure SSENSE brand consistency and accuracy across mediums and platforms internally and externally
• Anticipate and resolve any bottlenecks or barriers for project progression and complete post mortems that result in enhanced processes and team collaboration
• Hold overall responsibility for ensuring all projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to SSENSE standards
• Build internal capabilities and drive continuous improvement in Brand and Corporate Communications by working through the teams to optimize tools and processes
• Oversee the management of the Communications budget, keeping in line with the overall Customer team budget

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, manage and mentor a highly skilled, highly creative, interdisciplinary team
• Work with Talent Acquisition Partners to ensure hiring targets are being met
• Build a performance-driven culture across the department which proactively builds and promotes a culture that is underpinned by principles of inclusiveness, openness and respect
• Take ownership of teams' development and build a strong bench of potential successors
• Ensure team mobilization by regularly gauging team engagement and implementing appropriate means to create a transparent, collaborative and productive work environment
• Identify current and future gaps within the team/department structure and partner with the Chief Customer Officer on resource planning
• Hold weekly one-on-ones, conduct performance reviews, analyze individual KPIs and assess promotion readiness to help each contributor evolve in their roles
• Establish top line annual objectives for Brand and Corporate Communications, ensuring teams are engaged towards achieving the department's missions in partnership with the Chief Customer Officer

• Experience in crisis management, media training and coaching
• Established network and industry related contacts
• Experience within the field of CSR and EDI is considered an asset
• Proven leadership experience in a collaborative and diverse workplace
• A minimum of 10 years in a management position with direct reports
• A minimum of 12+ years experience in Communications, preferably in PR, Corporate, Internal Communications,
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills in both English and French, with additional languages an asset
• Experience working across several global markets

SKILLS

• Strong ability to make weighted and thoughtful decisions in a timely manner
• Collaborative and agile problem solver who can efficiently navigate ambiguity
• Strong interpersonal skills with a natural ability to build relationships
• Adaptable and able to receive and apply feedback swiftly
• Unwavering personal integrity, credibility, and professionalism
• Entrepreneurial mindset with an aptitude to move multiple projects forward
• Willingness to travel and ability to adapt to different cultures
• Superior project management skills with excellent attention to detail
• Strong business acumen and ability to successfully operationalize change
• Transparent and open communicator and decision maker that creates a safe space to express opposing views and promotes challenging the status quo
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire
• Highly analytical with a strong understanding of financial modelling
• Ability to multi-task and excel under pressure
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a diverse team that will be geographically dispersed