Director of Communications - US-Based
About Toptal
Toptal is a global network of top talent in business, design, and technology that enables companies to scale their teams, on-demand. With $200+ million in annual revenue and team members based around the globe, Toptal is the world’s largest fully remote workforce.
We take the best elements of virtual teams and combine them with a support structure that encourages innovation, social interaction, and fun. We see no borders, move at a fast pace, and are never afraid to break the mold.
Job Summary:
We are looking for a Director of Communications to set the vision and strategy for PR, social media, and customer feedback and assessments via third-party organizations (Trustpilot, G2, Clutch, and others), as well as manage the day-to-day implementation of that strategy. This is a hands-on role that will require close coordination of cross-functional teams to manage, develop, analyze, and report on strategies to enhance, promote, and understand our PR, social media, and customer feedback and assessment.
Our ideal candidate is a self-starter who can deliver results by clearly formulating, communicating, and executing B2B Public Relations recommendations and plans, provide counsel and guidance to a wide variety of executives and collaborators, and consistently work with a range of media contacts with a focus on technology, vertical, and national business publications. You will be expected to act as the social media gatekeeper at Toptal, ensuring that all content published on our channels is up to brand standards and industry best practices. In this role, you will ensure that the quality, tone, messaging, and copy are consistently represented as an elite, authoritative brand to each of its unique and respective audiences, including current and potential clients and freelance talent.
The successful candidate will be a strong professional who excels at building relationships across relevant media members, brands and leaders with vision within Toptal’s audiences. You will help to facilitate relationships with notable journalists, ensure that meetings with Global 2000 C-levels have a purpose and follow up, and represent Toptal to presidents and prime ministers of countries with the highest level of integrity and respect. We need someone to be the authority and driver on all news stories, trending topics, and high-level business relationships relevant to Toptal. You’ll help build, shape, and protect our brand while furthering its awareness and credibility through media, business, and political relationships.
This is a remote position. However, we require applicants and the person in this position to reside in-market. We do not offer visa sponsorship or assistance. Applicants must be authorized to work in the US at the time of hire. Resumes and communication must be submitted in English.
Responsibilities:
The following information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or required skills.
- Integrate into all relevant areas of Toptal while working with key leaders to build and implement media, PR, and social strategies that accelerate ongoing initiatives.
- Monitor all Toptal mentions by the outside world, ensuring the brand is accurately represented and build relationships as appropriate.
- Evaluate which members of media, academics, analysts, partners, and more are important for Toptal, and devise and execute creative strategies for building relationships with them.
- Own the management of the social media content calendar, ensuring that all content is up-to-date, accurate, and approved by internal partners.
- Collaborate with cross-functional team members to brief, concept, create, review, and refine social content assets.
- Build social media plans for priority events, in order to ensure we’re engaging before, during, and after events occur.
- Proactively monitor social media content trends and innovations, identifying places with natural brand applications.
- Track the impact of all social media efforts, demonstrating the efficacy of your function and feeding into the overall Social Media Analytics dashboard.
In the first week, expect to:
- Begin virtual onboarding and training.
- Rapidly begin learning about Toptal’s history, culture, and vision.
- Understand the fundamentals of Toptal’s Public Relations, Communications, and Content Marketing operations.
In the first month, expect to:
- Plan out your roadmap for PR at Toptal.
- Become introduced with, and suggest optimizations for, our current process for creating Always On content and planning our social content calendar.
- Review our historical paid & organic social performance and incorporate the insights into future planning.
- Complete virtual onboarding and training.
- Meet with various leaders and stakeholders to understand business strategy and objectives.
- Begin assessment of third-party organizations, social media engagements, and other online interactions.
- Begin development of potential story angles based on your understanding of the market, exercising discretion and independent judgment.
- Coordinate and begin to build relationships with our target journalists.
In the first three months, expect to:
- Begin executing your PR roadmap, setting up your team for durability, scale, and success.
- Assume management of all media relationships and coordinate with internal partners on relevant opportunities.
- Develop a comprehensive Social Media Content Playbook, and become the key stakeholder tasked with executing it.
- Continuously monitor and report on content performance, platform updates, and innovative content in the landscape.
- Develop a customer experience communications plan integrated with the overall corporate communications plan and aligned with corporate objectives.
- Coordinate and build relationships with third-party organizations to provide information, analyze data and respond to inquiries.
- Develop a media plan and metrics to measure success.
- Move the needle on media visibility for Toptal in key business outlets.
- Monitor the media landscape for potential new angles, new journalists covering our relevant beats, etc.
In the first six months, expect to:
- Re-evaluate the strategies contained in the Social Media Content Playbook, developing updated benchmarks, strategies, and content approaches as needed.
- Collaborate with cross-functional team members to put updated strategies and content approaches into action.
- Partner with business leaders and others in real-time to develop and submit the required information for third-party organizations.
- Write and present clear updates and progress reports that translate data into narratives for leadership and functional peers.
- Establish rapport with key media targets, including an understanding of the stories they are developing, or offering potential story angles.
In the first year, expect to:
- Meet/exceed stakeholder expectations for delivery of the communications roadmap in a consistent manner.
- Develop and pitch ideas for how to expand the scope of Toptal’s social presence in the next year.
- Consistently produce work that is capable of driving both business outcomes and positive press/awards.
- Collaborate with business leaders and others to develop and submit the required information for third-party organizations.
- Work with business leaders and others to directly respond to clients, social media, and other inquiries related to third-party assessments or other issues that may garner external attention.
- Position yourself as a key member of the Communications team on proactive PR initiatives (press releases, media outreach) that strengthen Toptal’s leadership.
- Work with the Communications team and others to directly respond to clients, social media, and other inquiries related to third-party assessments or other issues that may garner external attention.
- Position yourself as a key member of the Communications team on proactive PR initiatives (press releases, media outreach) that strengthen Toptal’s leadership.
Qualifications and Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree is required.
- 7+ years experience working as a Social Media Manager/Strategist or Digital Content Strategist, preferably in the technology or talent industry, targeting B2B audiences.
- Be an obsessive consumer of news and media.
- A background in journalism and media at a credible organization is a plus.
- A consistent record of PR leadership in fast-growing organizations is strongly preferred.
- Ownership. Someone that will take responsibility for Toptal’s public image.
- Strong understanding of best practices and passion for crafting content across all social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, as well as perfect grammar and command of the English language.
- You must be a world-class individual contributor to thrive at Toptal. You will not be here just to tell other people what to do.
Essential Job Functions
- Regularly and reliably attend scheduled virtual team meetings on camera.
- Work independently with minimal supervision.
- Use all required digital collaboration tools.
- Prioritize and self-manage workflows and deadlines.
US FLSA Classification: Full-Time/Exempt
The US-based salary range for this full-time position is $130,000 - $180,000 per year. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please note that the US-based salary range does not include the value of Toptal’s benefit offerings. In the US, Toptal’s benefit offerings include participation in a 401(k) retirement plan; medical, dental, and vision health insurance plans; basic life insurance coverage and short-term and long-term disability coverage; access to flexible spending, dependent care, and health savings accounts; access to telehealth virtual doctors; an employee assistance program; and flexible paid time off.
