External Relations Professional - Corporate Communications

Introduction
IBM is seeking a motivated and experienced external relations professional to join its global issues and crisis communications team. This position based in London will play a central role in addressing important communications priorities for one of the world’s most recognized and respected brands with emphasis on identifying planning for and managing sensitive issues and reputational threats.

Your Role and Responsibilities
• Coordinate across IBM business units and global geographies as well as with outside agencies and advisors to rapidly develop communications strategies and long-term issue management plans.
• Prioritize critical high-risk situations and rapidly assemble the proper cross-functional teams to respond appropriately to both internal and external stakeholder groups.
• Provide strategic guidance to senior leaders throughout the organization on how best to triage nascent issues and how best to respond rapidly to fast-breaking developments.
• Utilize data-centric tracking tools to standardize measurement of potential and ongoing issues and provide real-time insight into reach and impact of rapidly developing crisis situations. Compile and distribute media and social impact reports to key internal and executive audiences.
• Stay up to date on reoccurring problematic narratives in the broader social dialogue identify developments that could have an impact on the company and formulate and suggest risk mitigation strategies where warranted.
• Work in close coordination with other members of the policy and issues communications team based in Washington DC and New York to stay up to date on top of mind issues and priorities.
• Archive communications plans external statements and status of their use in an organized and easy to reference format.
• Serve as a key partner to communications colleagues worldwide to ensure effective global implementation of crisis mitigation and response and work with these groups to implement best practices.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• Significant communications public relations or public affairs / media or social/digital communications experience.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English other languages a definite plus.
• Proven track record of engaging media and influencers to successfully manage or eliminate potential reputational threats.
• Keen understanding of media social and global political dynamics and proven ability to work seamlessly with reporters.
• Proven ability to develop communications plans and implement effectively across teams functions and geographies.

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise
• Experience in a corporate setting working with teams across time zones.
• Deep understanding of emerging technology workforce operations and complex business environments.
• Prior experience managing multiple projects at once and effectively prioritizing highest risk/highest impact issues.
• Ability to simplify complex issues into a clear and concise format.