Communications Lead

Responsibilities

CEO & Executive Communications

• Serve as the CEO's day-to-day communications partner: briefing docs, media prep, talking points, and message development for all public appearances.
• Drive a proactive earned media strategy-pitch and secure placements on high-impact podcasts, business and tech press, and conference stages.
• Own the CEO's editorial output: op-eds, public statements, and investor-facing communications.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, podcast producers, and editors on the CEO's behalf.

External & Corporate Communications

• Develop and own the company's messaging architecture, narrative positioning, and crisis communications framework.
• Lead all media relations: serve as primary press contact, manage inbound inquiries, and produce press materials for key milestones.
• Support fundraising and product launch communications in partnership with leadership, finance, and legal.

Internal Communications

• Design and run the company's internal communications infrastructure: all-hands formats, leadership updates, and the cadences that keep a growing team aligned.
• Write company-wide announcements, organizational change communications, and culture moments in a consistent, on-brand voice.
• Partner with HR and People Ops on employee experience communications as the team scales.

Requirements

External

• CEO media strategy: Develop a 6-month earned media roadmap with target outlets, podcast targets, and placement calendar within first 30 days.
• Press kit & messaging house: Build a foundational messaging architecture and press kit (company backgrounder, CEO bio, boilerplate, FAQs) within first 45 days.
• First placements: Secure at least 2-3 meaningful CEO media placements (podcast appearances or press features) within the first 90 days.
• Launch playbook: Partner with Rivian's communications team to co-develop artifacts, playbooks, and SOPs for initial operator deployments - establishing a repeatable framework for all future launch communications.

Internal

• All-hands framework: Audit existing all-hands format and deliver a redesigned structure-agenda, narrative arc, CEO prep guide-within first 30 days.
• Internal comms cadence: Stand up a recurring internal newsletter or leadership update channel (Slack, email, or equivalent) by day 60.
• New hire communications: Develop onboarding communications materials that orient new employees to company mission, culture, and leadership voice.
• Cultural moment coverage: Own communications around at least one major internal milestone (hiring milestone, product update, company offsite) end-to-end within the first 6 months.

Qualifications

• 8-12+ years in communications, with significant in-house experience at a technology company; Director-level or equivalent.
• Proven track record managing executive communications for a founder-CEO or senior leader with an active public profile.
• Strong media relationships across tech and business press; existing podcast producer and digital media contacts a strong plus.
• Exceptional writer across all formats-press releases, executive narrative, internal memos, and editorial content.
• Startup builder mentality: comfortable owning a function end-to-end, creating structure from ambiguity, and operating without a team.
• Experience in deep tech, robotics, automotive, or adjacent industries preferred.