Summary of the Senior Communications Manager job at The Vita Coco Company

The Senior Communications Manager is responsible for protecting, promoting, and elevating the Vita Coco brand and corporate reputation through integrated communications strategies across consumer, corporate, internal, and crisis communications. This role serves as the central communications lead, partnering closely with Marketing, Executive Leadership, and ESG to ensure Vita Coco's stories are effectively told to consumers, customers, and employees. The Senior Communications Manager owns external PR agency management, executive thought leadership, internal communications programs, and enterprise brand risk communications. This person will proactively identify opportunities to enhance Vita Coco's reputation while ensuring the organization is prepared to respond to potential issues that could impact brand trust or business performance. This role sits within the Marketing team and will report into the Director of Brand & Trade Marketing.

Key Responsibilities:

Consumer Communications & Public Relations

• Develop communication plans for innovation launches, partnerships, sponsorships, retail moments, and company milestones with the goal of securing earned media across verticals
• Manage external PR agency, establishing clear objectives, KPIs, priorities, budgets, and performance expectations.
• Identify and secure high-impact media opportunities that increase awareness, relevance, and credibility for Vita Coco
• Partner with Brand Marketing, Content, Influencer, and Creative teams to ensure earned media efforts are integrated into broader marketing campaigns and programmatic recaps

Corporate Communications & Executive Visibility

• Develop and execute corporate storytelling strategies that elevate Vita Coco's business, culture, innovation, sustainability, and growth story
• Lead visibility opportunities for founder Mike Kirban, including speaking engagements, panels, media interviews, conference participation, and thought leadership content
• Manage media relations for corporate announcements, business milestones, partnerships, earnings-related communications, and leadership positioning
• Draft executive messaging, talking points, Q&A documents, speeches, and media preparation materials.

Internal Communications

• Ensure key business, marketing, and commercial updates are effectively communicated throughout the organization.
• Create and manage recurring internal communications materials, including internal quarterly Town Hall presentations, internal marketing updates, and leadership presentation materials
• Partner with cross-functional teams to translate complex initiatives into clear, engaging communications for employees.

Brand Risk & Crisis Communications

• Lead Vita Coco's brand risk communications workstream, partnering with ESG, Ops, ESG, legal, and leadership to proactively identify potential reputational risks.
• Facilitate regular cross-functional risk reviews to ensure communication readiness and alignment.
• Develop and maintain crisis communications frameworks, response protocols, and communication playbooks.
• Create proactive and reactive communication strategies for potential brand and business issues
• Serve as communications lead during issues and crisis situations, coordinating messaging across stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of communications, public relations, corporate communications, or brand communications experience either in-house or at an agency
• Experience with public company comms preferred
• Experience managing external PR agencies and communications partners.
• Proven success securing and managing earned media opportunities.
• Experience working cross-functionally within a fast-paced environment
• Ability to navigate potentially sensitive and high-pressure situations with discretion and professionalism
• Collaborative and comfortable navigating across all levels of the organization