FIND_THE_RIGHTJOB.
Director External Communications
Washington, United States
Is it surprising to hear that a financial institution of 1.5 million members and over $30 billion in managed assets say that success comes from focusing on people, not profits?
Our “people helping people” philosophy has guided us since 1935, driving our deep commitment to serving our members, communities, and each other. When you join our team, you become part of a purpose-driven organization where your work makes a real difference.
While we’re proud of our history, we’re even more excited about our future. With business and technology transformation on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to be part of BECU.
Our “people helping people” philosophy has guided us since 1935, driving our deep commitment to serving our members, communities, and each other. When you join our team, you become part of a purpose-driven organization where your work makes a real difference.
While we’re proud of our history, we’re even more excited about our future. With business and technology transformation on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to be part of BECU.
PAY RANGE
The Target Pay Range for this position is $169,200.00-$206,700.00 annually. The full Pay Range is $131,800.00 - $244,400.00 annually. At BECU, compensation decisions are determined using factors such as relevant job-related skills, experience, and education or training. Should an offer for employment be made, we will consider individual qualifications. In addition to your salary, compensation incentives are available for the hired applicant. Incentives are performance based and targets vary by role.
BENEFITS
Employees and their eligible family members have access to a wide array of employee benefits, such as medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage. Employees have access to disability and AD&D insurance. We also offer health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts, as well as health savings accounts, to eligible employees. Employees are able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan and employer-funded retirement plan. Newly hired employees accrue 6.16 hours of paid time off (PTO) on a per pay period basis based on hours worked (up to a maximum of 160 PTO hours per year) and receive ten paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
IMPACT YOU’LL MAKE:
As the Director of External Communications, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing BECU’s reputation and storytelling externally. Your strategic vision will drive comprehensive external communication efforts, positioning BECU positively with our members, communities, and key stakeholders. You will oversee public relations, organic social media, blog content, message development, leadership communications, media training, crisis communications, and reputation management. Your leadership will foster strong agency and vendor relationships, as well as cross-functional internal collaborations.
To join our dynamic team in this role, we require candidates to be residents of WA, OR, ID, AZ, TX, SC or GA. If you’re located in Washington state and within a reasonable driving distance to our Tukwila Headquarters (TFC), we encourage you come into the office on Tuesdays & Wednesdays each week. For those candidates that live outside the commutable distance to TFC and in any of our approved remote work locations, this role will be primarily remote. Remote or onsite, we are committed to ensuring you are fully engaged and included in our collaborative environment.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
- Strategic Oversight: Oversee the strategy, management, and execution of BECU’s external communications and messaging to align with and elevate BECU’s brand, reputation, and community initiatives.
- Public Relations: Lead BECU’s public and media relations program, sponsored content partnerships, thought leadership program, and annual plan to elevate BECU’s brand, member value, and community engagement initiatives.
- Executive Collaboration: Build relationships with executives and organizational leaders to counsel and assist them on their communications needs, including issue and reputation management, executive positioning, and priority external speaking events.
- Marketing Partnership: Partner with the Marketing team to influence external content opportunities that highlight and reinforce the unique BECU brand/purpose, signature events, co-op news, and member value initiatives.
- Social Media Management: Oversee BECU’s organic social media and social response strategies to grow BECU’s following across platforms, improve members’ digital experience, promote partnerships and products, elevate community and employee stories, increase audience engagement, and expand brand awareness.
- Blog Strategy: Oversee BECU.org’s blog strategy focused on engaging personal finance content that empowers audiences to improve their financial well-being, with a focus on increasing brand reach, driving traffic, building topical authority, and supporting BECU business goals.
- Metrics and Research: Oversee metric development, research, tracking, and targeting related to key segments for external communications, including competitors.
- Agency Management: Direct BECU’s relationship with external communications agencies, firms, and freelance resources to support the development and execution of strategies.
- Media Spokesperson: Serve as BECU’s lead media spokesperson, identifying and developing internal spokespersons to serve as subject matter experts, and being readily available for interviews with external sources.
- Media Relations: Build and maintain excellent relationships with key journalists, broadcast producers, and industry partners, acting as BECU’s primary media representative and leading the internal media training program.
- Crisis Communication: Lead BECU’s efforts to identify issues/events that may impact BECU and serve as the external representative regarding BECU’s business continuity and crisis communication plans and programs.
- Industry Representation: Represent BECU at industry events, trade shows, informational activities, and community forums that support BECU’s external communications strategies.
- Staff Development: Provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and training of staff to develop and encourage their performance, conducting personnel evaluations and providing feedback.
- Budget Management: Assist in the development and approval of the annual budget and strategic plans for areas of responsibility, managing expenditures to ensure budgets are met.
- Policy Knowledge: Have a thorough knowledge of the credit union policies and state/federal regulations regarding all products.
- Procedure Documentation: Ensure that written procedures are documented for all functions and updated as necessary.
- Additional Duties: Perform additional duties as assigned. Full-time hours required, with additional hours as necessary. Occasional travel required.
This isn’t just about ticking off tasks on a list. It's about making a significant, positive change in BECU’s journey, where your contributions are valued, and your growth is continually fostered.
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN:
- Growth Opportunities: Opportunities for professional growth and development in a dynamic and supportive environment.
- Impact: The chance to make a significant impact on BECU’s reputation with key constituencies.
- Collaboration: Work closely with executives, organizational leaders, and a talented team.
- Innovation: Be part of innovative projects and initiatives that elevate BECU’s brand and member value.
- Culture: Join a culture that values your contributions and fosters your growth.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications:
- B.A. or B.S. degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, communications, or equivalent work or educational experience.
- Typically requires a minimum of eight years of experience in the communications field, engaging in strategy development and implementation, and managing external communications programs.
- Typically requires a minimum of five years of management experience.
Desired Qualifications:
- Advanced degree preferred.
- Exceptional creativity and ability to communicate conceptually and specifically.
- Effective leadership and negotiation skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and presentation skills to effectively communicate with executive leadership, management, staff, and outside contacts.
- Proven track record of leading successful public relations programs and teams, including building effective relationships with reporters and driving brand awareness and media coverage.
JOIN THE JOURNEY:
Ready to make an indelible impact? Eager to be a part of a collaborative and innovative team where your ideas and contributions don’t just fill a role, but fuel the growth and success of BECU? This is more than a job – it’s a chance to elevate your career, skills, and future, all while contributing to the robust technological landscape of BECU.
Embrace the opportunity to grow with us. Apply now, bring your expertise to the table, and let’s achieve excellence together at BECU. Your journey of influence, innovation, and impactful contribution starts now. #BECU #YourGrowth #BECUJourney
EEO Statement:
BECU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status.
About Us
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From our very beginning, BECU has been about people helping people. As a financial services cooperative, our purpose has and always will be the same: we work together to best serve our members and improve the financial well-being of our community. More than 80 years and one million members later, we're still rooted in our values, practices and mission - and even more passionate about our future.
As one of the nation's leading credit unions, we're not driven by profit. We're owned by our members and their interests are at the core of everything we do. Now we're growing faster than ever before-but we'll never forget our roots. To continue doing right by our members, we believe we must first do right by our people. Here, you'll receive the resources and support you need to learn, grow and build a meaningful career. Because we know it's our people who make us special.
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