Public Relations and Social Media Manager

A. O. Smith Corporation, a global leader in residential and commercial water heating, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products, is in search of a Public Relations and Social Media Manager who will lead external communication efforts for the company’s water heating and water treatment business units in North America. The Public Relations andSocial Media Manager will develop and drive the company’s public relations and social media strategy and manage day-to-day deployment of those plans. A. O. Smith (AOS), named a Top Workplace by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is a $3.2 billion organization with 16,500 employees worldwide.

Scope of Responsibilities:

• Under the lead of the director of corporate communications, build, manage and execute A. O. Smith’s public relations programs for North America.
• Develop comprehensive PR and social media campaigns to best support the business units within A. O. Smith.
• Build a coordinated national approach to media relations, leveraging agencies and consultants to deploy.
• Work with cross-functional teams, such as marketing and product development, to best support the needs and future growth of the business.
• Amplify placements across channels, including internally via the internal communications team and externally via AOS’ social and web properties.
• Manage content on AOS’ external digital properties, including social channels and websites.
• Monitor, track and analyze communications results to further refine the company’s PR and social media strategy. Create compelling reports with quantitative and qualitative insights.

Responsibilities:

1. Public relations

• Understand the needs and opportunities across the various business units. Leverage assets to secure placements with consumer and relevant trade media.
• Proactively pitch media, while reactively responding to media inquiries.
• Create strategic communication materials, such as news releases, media alerts, media pitches, Q&A documents, contributed articles, fact sheets, and social media posts.
• Work collaboratively with the business units’ marketing teams for the business units to further build awareness for and preference for A. O. Smith and its family of brands.

2. Social media

• Develop timely and compelling content that aligns with the overarching business strategy.
• Engage with online audiences, proactively posting and reactively responding to messages.

3. Crisis communications

• Provide guidance and counsel on crisis communications and issues management, as needed.

4. Intern program

• Manage the PR/PA/Social Media intern, providing daily direction and feedback.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Public Affairs, Journalism, Communications or a related field.
• 5+ years of PR experience. (Preference given to those with agency and/or manufacturing experience. Agency management experience strongly desired.)
• Possess a track record of creating and deploying successful PR campaigns.
• Experience in managing multiple agencies and budgets.
• Possess a range of media contacts and existing relationships.
• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the earned and paid media landscape.
• Proven ability to navigate complex issues and matrixed organizations.
• Proficiency in media monitoring software, such as Cision and Meltwater.
• Some travel required.

Location:

• This position can either be based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (at corporate headquarters) or Nashville, Tennessee (near operations).

Great people make our organization great, and because of that, we offer a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plans which include medical and dental insurance, company-sponsored life insurance, retirement security savings plan, short- and long-term disability programs and tuition assistance.In addition to free covered parking and an on-site deli, we also offer entry passes to various Milwaukee festivals and sporting events, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the Milwaukee County Zoo.