Vans: Senior Manager, Global Communications

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Senior Manager, Global Communications at Vans looks a little like this.

As Senior Manager, Global Communications at Vans you will be responsible for overseeing and driving the communications strategy and execution for the OTW by Vans consumer category. The position blends strategic communications leadership with day-to-day management of internal and external communications efforts.

From New York you will lead the daily operations of Vans’ global communications across the OTW by Vans category, engaging employees across the Americas, APAC, and EMEA regions, as well as within VF.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Lead and develop global communications strategies that support OTW by Vans initiatives. Align storytelling, messaging, and positioning with brand goals across key markets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key journalists, editors, stylists, and media outlets within the fashion, lifestyle, and streetwear spaces. Lead media outreach for product launches, partnerships, campaigns, and events.
• Oversee the creation of compelling and engaging content across various platforms, including press releases, editorial features, social media, and more. Ensure all communications reflect the Vans brand voice and resonate with target audiences.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support OTW by Vans product launches, major events, fashion week activations, collaborations, and other marketing efforts. Oversee all communications elements related to these initiatives.
• Manage relationship with external PR agency ensuring alignment with Vans' brand strategy, goals, and values. Lead agency selection processes, set expectations, and oversee the execution of campaigns, ensuring timely delivery and quality results. Provide guidance and feedback to agencies on campaign execution and performance.
• Collaborate with external PR agency to cultivate strong relationships with key media outlets and influencers in the fashion, art, and design industries, ensuring strategic brand visibility and positive media coverage.
• Track and measure the impact of communications efforts, providing regular reporting and analysis of KPIs to senior leadership. Adjust strategies as necessary to optimize outcomes.
• Given that the role is based in New York and the Vans Global Headquarters is in Costa Mesa, California, regular virtual meetings, video calls, and other communication tools must be utilized to maintain consistent alignment, set clear goals, and monitor performance across teams.
• Provide expert counsel on global communication trends and best practices, ensuring OTW’s communications strategies are always forward-thinking.
• Collaborate with the Culture and Innovation team to identify and explore potential seeding opportunities.
• Be present at Vans Global HQ for major Internal Brand moments.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 7+ years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• 7+ years of experience in communications, public relations, or a similar role, with a proven track record of managing communications strategies in a corporate environment.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills; ability to tailor messages for differ