Senior Strategist, Public Relations

This is a hybrid role, with the expectation that time working will regularly take place inside and outside of a company office.

First Citizens Bank helps personal, business, commercial and wealth clients build financial strength that lasts. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens has built a unique legacy of strength, stability and long-term thinking that has spanned generations. First Citizens offers an array of general banking services including a network of more than 500 branches and offices in 30 states; commercial banking expertise delivering best-in-class lending, leasing and other financial services coast to coast; innovation banking serving businesses at every stage; and a nationwide direct bank. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $200 billion in assets and a member of the Fortune 500™. Discover more at firstcitizens.com.

First Citizens Bank is seeking an experienced, self-motivated PR professional to join our small, fast-paced and collaborative Enterprise Communications team. This team leads the strategy and execution of corporate communication programs on behalf of the General Bank, including PR strategy and media relations, social media, corporate messaging, issues management and crisis communications to support key business priorities and strategies, and core business units.

This position supports external communications across the General Bank business unit, including the Wealth, Consumer Retail (branches) and Business Services lines of business. The Senior Strategist will help support the communications strategy, planning and execution around business unit news, issues management, and research and insights. They will collaborate with internal partners to support the communication needs of the business unit and teams to provide critical thinking, strategy, and results-oriented execution.

The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills (verbal and written), thrives in a fast-paced environment and is adept in managing multiple priorities at one time. The candidate is comfortable building media relationships, presenting to and providing counsel to senior executives and able to forge strong relationships throughout the company and the media landscape. The position will report to the Communications Lead for the General Bank.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive communications plans, based on communication and marketing strategies to drive results and achieve communication goals; primary focus area will be the General Bank (Consumer, Wealth and Business Services); additional support across the enterprise as needed
• Social media content and strategy experience a plus
• Experience collaborating with cross functional teams and PR agency partners
• Maintain and grow target media relationships across business, financial, and industry-specific outlets
• Draft and edit content for external audiences (news releases, announcements, social media posts and public-facing content)
• Develop and ensure consistency of communication tools, announcement and situational key messages and talking points
• Lead announcements/ communication campaigns
• Provide communications counsel and execution for assigned teams and senior executives
• Train and equip key spokespeople and support the General Bank in all interactions with media and speaking engagements
• Collaborate with other functions across the larger Marketing organization (Social Media, Marketing Strategy, Sponsorships/Events, Brand, Internal Comms, etc.)
• Assist with monthly and quarterly media coverage reporting
• Work closely with our PR agency, in collaboration with the Communications Lead, to guide the agency’s day-to-day activities and manage priorities

Qualifications

A minimum of 7 years in a communication or public relations role OR High School diploma or GED with 9 years of experience in in a communication or public relations role.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in banking, wealth management/private banking, or financial services
• Prior PR agency experience required

Base pay for this position is generally between $92,659 – $167,582 per year. Actual starting base pay will be determined based on skills, experience, location, and other non-discriminatory factors permitted by law. For some roles, total compensation may also include variable incentives, bonuses, benefits, and/or other awards as outlined in the offer of employment.

First Citizens benefits programs are designed to meet our associates where they are in life. Full-time associates (20+ hours) are offered a comprehensive benefits program, with customized offerings, including those designed to support families, however defined. More information regarding our benefits offerings can be found here: https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/benefits.

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