Senior Director, Communications

Who We Are

Aurora (Nasdaq: AUR) is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly to make transportation safer, increasingly accessible, and more reliable and efficient than ever before. The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple vehicle types, from freight-hauling semi-trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles, and underpins Aurora Horizon and Aurora Connect, its driver-as-a-service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Toyota, FedEx, Volvo Trucks, PACCAR, Uber, Uber Freight, U.S. Xpress, Werner, Covenant, Schneider, and Ryder. For Aurora’s latest news, visit aurora.tech and @aurora_inno on Twitter.

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We’re searching for a Sr. Director, Communications.

Our communications team is more than just a conduit for sharing Aurora's story with the world; we're passionate advocates for autonomy and problem solvers with a flair for creative storytelling. We excel at simplifying complex concepts and making abstract ideas resonate with our audience. Operating in the dynamic environment of a startup, we are driven by the opportunity to think big, build from the ground up, and scale our impact.

As the Senior Director of Communications, you will lead Aurora's communication efforts, spanning internal, external, corporate, and strategic domains. Your mission will be to devise strategies that foster awareness, enhance acceptance, and drive adoption of our cutting-edge technology. By doing so, you will inspire the world about the future of transportation.

In this role, you will

• Collaborate closely with leadership, marketing, product, government relations, engineering, and human resources teams to craft a compelling narrative for our company, roadmap, and business.
• Develop initiatives and messaging to strategically position Aurora across all external audiences, including media, partners, policymakers, investors, and the general public.
• Create an internal communications strategy, encompassing messaging, channels, and formats.
• Foster relationships with key press, partners, and influencers, and serve as an on-the-record spokesperson.
• Train and advise Aurora spokespersons for media interviews, press conferences, and presentations.
• Define our channel strategy, experiment with new channels, and optimize existing ones. Identify opportunities to amplify content and news across various platforms.
• Stay attuned to local, industry, and competitor developments and news.

 Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of corporate communications experience having held positions of increasing scope and responsibility
• Collaborate closely with leadership, marketing, product, government relations, engineering, and human resources teams to craft a compelling narrative for our company, roadmap, and business.
• Develop initiatives and messaging to strategically position Aurora across all external audiences, including media, partners, policymakers, investors, and the general public.
• Create an internal communications strategy, encompassing messaging, channels, and formats.
• Foster relationships with key press, partners, and influencers, and serve as an on-the-record spokesperson.
• Train and advise Aurora spokespersons for media interviews, press conferences, and presentations.
• Define our channel strategy, experiment with new channels, and optimize existing ones. Identify opportunities to amplify content and news across various platforms.
• Stay attuned to local, industry, and competitor developments and news.

 Desirable Qualifications

• Experience building internal communications strategies and plans 
• Expertise in developing and executing strategic initiatives and narratives that drive broad awareness, engagement, and tangible business results.
• Ability to quickly grasp the nuances of different businesses, including their vision, goals, products, and competitive landscapes, to produce differentiated communication strategies.
• Intellectual curiosity, exceptional creativity, and active listening skills.
• Captivated by self-driving technology.

The base salary range for this position is $215,000 - $366,000 per year.  Aurora