Senior Manager, External Communications & Social Reputation

Senior Manager, External Communications & Social Reputation

New York, NY (Hybrid – 3+ days in office)

We’re looking for a socially fluent, strategically sharp communications leader to shape how our brand shows up in real-time public conversations. This senior individual-contributor role sits at the intersection of corporate reputation, executive voice, and high-signal platforms - turning reactive moments into opportunities to build lasting trust. You’ll design the systems, guardrails, and playbooks that let our brand engage authentically at the speed of culture while supporting our most visible executives.

Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, you will work hand-in-hand with the CEO, Founder, and other senior leaders, as well as cross-functional marketing and content teams. This is a high-visibility role in a fast-moving creator-economy environment where your high judgment, systems thinking, and platform fluency will directly elevate the brand. 

Core Outcomes (12–18 Month Horizon)

• Drive measurable gains in brand sentiment, trust, and positive engagement across priority public platforms
• Design and launch a best-in-class social reputation framework (listening → rapid detection → thoughtful response → learning loops) with clear governance and reporting
• Strengthen and professionalize executive social presence and content cadence, particularly on LinkedIn
• Establish a consistent, authentic, platform-native brand voice across X, Reddit, LinkedIn, and emerging channels
• Mentor and develop early-career communications talent, building a strong bench for the future

Key Responsibilities

• Define and evolve the brand’s public voice and engagement strategy on high-signal platforms
• Build and manage a thoughtful editorial calendar focused on reputation, thought leadership, and trust-building
• Create tone-of-voice guidelines, scenario-based response protocols, and clear escalation pathways
• Partner directly with the CEO and Founder to elevate their LinkedIn presence, content cadence, and professional footprint
• Identify, train, and empower internal subject-matter experts to engage authentically with communities when appropriate
• Lead timely, high-judgment responses to emerging issues, balancing speed, brand values, and strategic impact
• Implement social listening, trend monitoring, and early-warning analytics to stay ahead of conversations
• Deliver concise, actionable weekly insights and recommendations to leadership
• Collaborate closely with marketing, content, and agency partners to ensure seamless swim lanes and coordinated execution
• Provide on-the-ground media and engagement support in New York as needed
• Over time, mentor early-career communications team members and contribute to hiring and development decisions

Qualifications

• 6-9+ years in external communications, direct-to-community engagement, or social-first reputation roles
• Deep fluency in X (Twitter) and strong understanding of Reddit dynamics; comfort with LinkedIn executive positioning
• Proven experience managing high-visibility issues or crises in public environments
• Track record of building systems, workflows, and measurement frameworks from the ground up
• Experience advising or partnering directly with senior executives or high-profile leaders
• Demonstrated success mentoring or developing early-career communicators

Preferred Skills

• Experience shaping employer brand or culture storytelling on LinkedIn (video formats a plus)
• Background in entertainment, creator economy, media, gaming, or agency environments
• Familiarity with social listening and sentiment analysis tools
• Experience coordinating with PR agencies and managing press relationships

What Success Looks Like

• Brand sentiment and trust metrics show consistent positive trajectory
• Executive social presence is professional, active, and aligned with company goals
• High-visibility matters are handled swiftly and constructively with minimal escalation
• Thought-leadership content is delivered reliably and resonates with target audiences
• Community interactions are high-quality, constructive, and reflective of brand values
• Early-career team members are growing, engaged, and performing at a high level

Core Values for Success in This Role

• Exercises calm, disciplined judgment even in fast-moving public situations
• Communicates with exceptional clarity, cultural fluency, and brand alignment
• Serves as a dedicated brand advocate while engaging communities with authenticity and respect
• Takes full ownership of outcomes and drives solutions proactively
• Operates with a collaborative “we” mindset
• Balances urgency with thoughtful risk assessment
• Builds strong trust with executives and external stakeholders alike
• Continuously refines systems through reflective learning and iteration
• Is comfortable in ambiguity and proactive when solutions or processes do not yet exist.

Ready to build something that matters?

If you’re the rare person who can move at the speed of culture while protecting and elevating a brand with care and precision, we’d love to talk.