Director of Global Communications

Overview of the Function

The Director of Global Communications is responsible for owning, driving and championing the firm’s communications strategy both internally and externally.

This role reports to the Global Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer and oversees a sixteen-person team. Key stakeholders include the senior management team, practice and sector group leaders, office managing partners, the firm’s General Counsel, and heads of functions including Finance, HR, Information Technology and Operations. The role is a member of the global marketing and business development leadership team. 

Overview of the Firm

Freshfields US LLP is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it matters most, wherever in the world that may be. We deliver seamless service across borders, cultures and languages.

Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams.

We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.

We want to be leading our industry in best practice, not only in the legal services we provide to our clients but in how we operate as firm. We are focused on efficiency and continuous improvement and want to position the finance function at the heart of this, constantly adapting to the rapidly changing business world in which our clients and we operate.

We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

• Own and drive the firm’s communications strategy and deliver this across the firm
• Directly advise key stakeholders, including the firm’s Senior Partner and Global Leadership Team, on how to frame communications to internal and external audiences
• Proactively anticipate situations that may require specific communications efforts
• Lead the firm’s PR strategy including identifying target audiences and outlets, cultivating journalist relationships and achieving media coverage
• Lead the firm’s media and social media, thought leadership and recognitions strategies (including advising on various awards and priority legal directories), focusing on best practices and metrics relevant to those areas, in alignment with the firm’s strategy and growth areas
• Partner with and manage the firm’s external PR agencies to handle media and press related topics, including for crisis communications 
• Keep abreast of happenings in the legal industry and the impact this may have internally and externally
• Partner closely with all practices and sectors of the business to deliver high impact communications that support their areas of work
• Mentor, develop and lead the global communications function comprised of sixteen people based in the UK, US, Germany and Asia
• Oversee these regional teams managing outbound disclosures and inbound inquiries, disseminating information about media interest and resulting press coverage to relevant colleagues
• Ensure regional teams provide coaching, training and advice to our partners on media activity and performance
• Ensure the reputational and commercial success of the business are at the forefront of your communications and engagements
• Be adaptive to changes in the firm and communicate these to relevant parties where required
• Champion the importance of communication to your co-workers.

Freshfields is a high-touch, intensely client-focused organization. There are many aspects of the role’s scope which will take the form of offering counsel and advice, so a collaborative, consultative, inclusive working style is paramount.

Similarly, the ability to build lasting relationships within a partnership environment is essential.

Key requirements (Communication/skills/experience)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Superior ability to develop st