Director, External Relations

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Develop and implement Andela’s global public relations strategy, encompassing executive thought leadership, product launches, corporate milestones, and brand narratives.

• Cultivate and sustain strong connections with prominent journalists, editors, and media outlets focused on technology, AI, the future of work, recruitment trends, and emerging markets.

• Oversee and guide PR agencies, establishing clear objectives, reviewing outputs, and ensuring accountability for results.

• Act as a strategic communications advisor to the executive team, preparing messaging, talking points, and briefing materials for media interactions.

• Supervise the creation of press releases, bylined articles, op-eds, media pitches, and other external communication materials.

• Monitor and report on earned media coverage; leverage data to iteratively enhance strategy and showcase impact.

• Manage crisis communication strategies and responses in collaboration with legal and executive leadership.

• Design and spearhead Andela’s analyst relations program, fostering productive, ongoing relationships with key industry analysts at firms like Gartner.

• Develop and implement a structured analyst engagement strategy, including regular briefings, inquiries, advisory sessions, and analyst days.

• Oversee Andela’s positioning and participation in significant analyst vendor evaluations and reports (e.g., Magic Quadrants, Waves, MarketScapes), coordinating cross-functional contributions from Product, Sales, and Marketing.

• Ensure that analyst insights and market intelligence are shared internally, informing product strategy, messaging, and go-to-market initiatives.

• Negotiate and manage contracts with analyst firms, ensuring services are fully utilized and aligned with strategic objectives.

• Supervise Gartner Peer Insights and similar peer review programs in conjunction with customer success and sales teams.

• Directly oversee one full-time External Relations team member, providing coaching, development, and clear goal-setting.

• Manage daily relationships with PR and AR agencies, ensuring alignment with strategy and optimal resource utilization.

• Create scalable processes, playbooks, and reporting frameworks to enhance a growing communications function.

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Product, Sales, and People teams to synchronize external communications with business priorities and company narratives.

• Support high-profile events such as product launches, funding announcements, executive appointments, and industry gatherings.

• Represent Andela at industry conferences, analyst summits, and media engagements as appropriate.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of experience in corporate communications, public relations, and analyst relations.

• Proven track record of managing both PR and AR programs, ideally within a B2B technology company or a professional services organization.

• Demonstrated experience in managing and expanding external agencies as well as direct reports.

• Established relationships with relevant technology media and/or industry analyst communities.

• Experience in managing or supporting involvement in major analyst reports such as Gartner Magic Quadrants, Forrester Waves, or similar evaluations.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health insurance

• Flexible work arrangements