Senior Public Relations Director

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GENERAL FUNCTION:

The Senior Public Relations Director helps protect and enhance Fifth Third's reputation by leading a talented public relations team in shaping and sharing stories that support our vision of being the One Bank that People most Value and Trust. Serves as designated spokesperson for the Bank. Provides PR support and counsel to Bancorp executives and all lines of business.

Oversees all external public and media relations, including communications related to environmental, social and governance (ESG), inclusion & diversity and community development & social responsibility (CDSR). As a key leader of the corporate communications team, this role also collaborates with reputational risk, internal communications, marketing, marketing and communications managers in bank regions and other critical departments.

Responsible and accountable for risk by openly exchanging ideas and opinions, elevating concerns, and personally following policies and procedures as defined. Accountable for always doing the right thing for customers and colleagues and ensures that actions and behaviors drive a positive customer experience. While operating within the Bank's risk appetite, achieves results by consistently identifying, assessing, managing, monitoring, and reporting risks of all types.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads the Bank's PR function and directly manages PR professionals, working to position the team as strategic partners to the businesses.
• Expert knowledge of media and public relations strategy at local, regional and national levels as well as robust understanding of the news cycle, how the media landscape is changing and applying that to company strategies.
• Actively seeks to identify proactive media opportunities and coordinates strategies to promote and protect the Bank. As well, monitoring for anything that could adversely impact the Bank's reputation.
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships and rapport with key national, regional and local media across the PR team ensuring timely responses to all media inquiries.
• Manages multiple proactive and reactive media, public relations and reputational issues and opportunities across the Bank, and specifically with regional marketing and communications managers to amplify Bank communications.
• Serves as a designated company spokesperson on multiple topics.
• Reviews and edits all news releases.
• Ensures PR team builds and maintains strong relationships with internal clients and lines of business, constantly mining for stories that help shape and positively influence Fifth Third's reputation, while also identifying any potential issues.
• Works collaboratively to drive improved storytelling and compelling content.
• In conjunction with the chief communications officer and corporate communications director, creates strategic communication plans to support the Bank's priorities and goals while working with other important partners across the company- lines of business, legal, human resources, government relations, compliance, community development, IT and others.
• Provides PR support to Cincinnati regional president and leadership team.
• Collaborates with and informs investor relations on forthcoming press releases and any situations that could potentially impact the bank's reputation.
• Manages 53.com Media Center working in collaboration with marketing to keep it current, relevant and resourceful to journalists.
• Partners with, and provides consultation to, team members and other internal clients to identify, create and share key messages for external audiences. Works closely with regional marketing and communications managers to leverage story opportunities across the Bank's footprint.
• Connects external messages to the Bank's vision, culture and strategic priorities.
• Develops strategic Bancorp communications for a variety of audiences and through a variety of multimedia vehicles (broadcast, print, digital, social, blogger, 53.com).
• Collaborates with key leaders and teams for critical M&A and Bancorp projects.
• Maintains awareness of current banking trends in order to provide timely and accurate responses.
• Executes public relations crisis management plans when warranted.
• Monitors, measures and reports all media coverage of the Bank, and shares with leadership. Evaluates the success of earned media placements in building corporate reputation and mitigating crises and utilizes outcome learnings to inform future initiatives.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Providing timely, candid and constructive performance feedback; developing employees to their fullest potential by fostering challenging opportunities that enhance employee career growth; developing the appropriate talent pool to ensure adequate bench strength and succession planning. Must have proven track record in managing, coaching and developing talent that is geographically dispersed.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Proven deep experience in corporate communications, crisis management and executive profile management.
• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, English or business. Master's degree or APR accreditation preferred.
• Minimum 12 years' experience in journalism, public relations or corporate communications.
• Five or more years of experience managing a team of direct reports, with experience managing geographically dispersed teams.
• PR experience in highly regulated, highly matrixed company is strongly preferred.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills with proven press release writing skills and knowledge of AP style.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex or technical information to executives, media and internal audiences.
• Sound judgment with respect to addressing complex reputation issues.
• Ability to recognize PR opportunities from the perspective of journalists and social media influencers.
• Demonstrated ability to drive ideas to execution.
• Strategic and creative with proven track record of successful outcomes.
• Ability to influence, build trust and create mutual respect with key stakeholders.
• Maintains confidential information.
• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness.
• Ability to work well under pressure, meet fast-paced deadlines and handle numerous tasks concurrently with outstanding project management skills.
• Strong professional, consultative and interpersonal communications skills.
• Fluency with Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and Stream applications.

Senior Public Relations Director

LOCATION -- Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is proud to have an engaged and inclusive culture and to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity in all employment decisions regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, veteran status or any other legally protected status.