Senior Communications Specialist

At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.

What’s the role?

As Senior Communications Specialist, you will: support strategies and programs intended to communicate Northwestern Mutual's strategic priorities to diverse audiences; develop, research and write editorial content to align with strategic message platforms; work with other team members, (communications consultants, internal communications resources, business partners, and vendors) to coordinate execution of communication programs; research, write and edit content to include key messages, talking points, leader toolkits, articles, press releases, collateral copy, etc.; counsel internal business partners and subject matter experts on how to best articulate information about products and services, initiatives, programs, events, to align with the company's overarching strategic message platform; manage program execution to meet or exceed defined objectives; develop, track, analyze and report on metrics to demonstrate program results and effectiveness.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with planning and developing communications programs, channels or strategies in support of division communications priorities and/or business partner objectives. 
• Counsel internal business partners and subject matter experts on editorial best practices and channel and contact strategies. 
• Align various messages and objectives generated by multiple stakeholders to create clear communications for audiences. 
• Research, write and edit content to include key messages, talking points, leader toolkits, articles, press releases, copy for collateral, etc. 
• Counsel internal business partners and subject matter experts on how to best articulate information about products and services, initiatives, programs, events, etc. to align with the company's overarching strategic message platform. 
• Utilize publishing platforms and tools to push out content across a broad digital ecosystem 
• Interacts with home office employees and field force. 
• Manage program execution to meet or exceed defined objectives. 
• Engage and direct specialized resources to execute programs, channels and/or projects. May include creative staff, freelance writers, communications vendors, technology specialists and the like. 
• Manages approval process, including review by subject matter experts, legal and compliance. 
• Develop, track, analyze and report on metrics to demonstrate program results and effectiveness. May implement audience research (surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.). 
• Support communications programs and projects, as required.

Bring your best! What this role needs:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field. 
• At least four years of experience in professional corporate communications or agency environment. 
• May include one or more areas of editorial/journalism, public relations, marketing/communications, employee communications, and executive communications. 
• Strong professional audience-centric writing and editing skills across a variety of deliverables, for example, news articles, press releases, executive talking points or speeches, brochures, collateral, etc. 
• Adapt writing effectively for variety of print, digital and social media formats. Portfolio of writing samples is required. 
• Ability to grasp, synthesize and communicate complex business information in clear and concise manner to meet audience needs. 
• Proven ability to effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines in fast-paced environment. 
• Superior ability to plan, organize and problem solve, using sound judgment, to execute communications plans and programs. 
• Ability to work effectively with business partners and subject matter experts across the company. 
• Demonstrated progressive growth of professional responsibilities. 
• Experience with social media strategy development and execution is desired. 
• Experience with various publishing platforms and tools, such as SharePoint, JungleMail or other comparable technologies

This job is not covered by the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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