Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Position Description

Position Title: Strategic Communications Manager

Department: Communications

Reports to: Senior Director of Communications

Position(s) Supervised: Communications Intern

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Communications Manager is responsible for reporting and shaping the stories and events that will move WEDC’s objectives and reputation forward. Using reporting and research skills, the Manager writes and packages core organizational themes to advance WEDC’s agenda through press releases, media relations, executive communications, speeches, media events, social media and other storytelling mediums. The Manager is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of WEDC’s storytelling efforts. The Manager also protects WEDC’s reputation through researching and vetting WEDC’s stories and partners in media events to avoid controversy or negative attention. The Communications Manager plays a key role in establishing and maintaining WEDC’s voice as the state’s leading economic development agency.

The Manager is a significant contributor to creating WEDC’s communications strategy and is the primary person who carries out the agreed upon tactics – including media event planning, press conferences, articles, speeches and more. Working in consultation with the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Communications Director and assistants, the manager helps set and maintain the agency’s public events schedule. The Manager must also be able to coordinate communications plans with other state agencies, businesses and other economic development partners. Beyond executing communications plans, this coordination work must also ensure positive relations between state agencies, businesses and economic development partners.

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Responsibilities

The Communications Manager will spend a majority of their time in these activities:

• Finding compelling projects, places, communities and people to showcase how WEDC is building an economy for all and then choosing the best format for sharing those stories to move WEDC’s goals forward.
• Writing accurate, compelling press releases, articles, letters, speeches, talking points, social media and other content.
• Responding to media requests, coordinating interviews and documents, and pitching stories to reporters when the Communications Director requests.
• Tailoring messages to WEDC’s key audiences including taxpayers, businesses, economic development organizations, media and lawmakers.
• Coordinating communications plans and messaging across multiple state agencies, businesses, economic development partners and others. Examples of this include things such as the annual Shop Small campaign, Main Street Bounceback visits, annual economic summit and more.
• Planning and executing media events that generate positive earned media while strengthening relationships with WEDC partners. While the Manager is primarily responsible for events for WEDC leadership, this position will occasionally plan events for the Governor’s Office, other state agencies, businesses and other partners.
• Helping create content and positioning WEDC executives as thought leaders.
• Contributing to the development of WEDC’s communications strategy and being the primary person charged with carrying through those tactics.
• Protecting WEDC’s reputation through diligent background research and updated knowledge of the media environment in order to advise leadership on potential pitfalls.
• Acting as a mentor and editor to the communications intern.
• Acting as a communications consultant to all WEDC staff as needed.

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