Director, International Communications
Job description
At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers.
We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome. And that's where you come in:
We are looking for a Director of International Communications to align our corporate and product communications strategy with our international business strategy. You'll own the communications, PR, and thought leadership strategy for our key markets outside the US and Canada. This is a senior role for a seasoned communications leader. We're looking for a proactive self-starter who consistently finds ways to integrate PR and communications into existing marketing strategies, and who brings new and innovative ways to engage in market from a PR and communications perspective. The position is based in Mexico, works across multiple time zones, and reports to the Vice President of Global Communications. Full fluency and a strong command of the English language are mandatory. All meetings, communication exchanges, strategic plans, and general communications and messaging are conducted in English first.
You'll bring a strong global mindset and deep experience building and engaging audiences across our international client base, primarily in higher education. You'll set the communications messaging strategy, align corporate thought leadership, and direct how Instructure shows up in public conversations across EMEA, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. The role demands close, effective partnership with a wide range of internal teams and spokespeople: marketing, content, events, field marketing, sales, product, social media, and outside media relations.
You'll personally conduct and manage media relations as well as direct market-specific PR agencies outside the US, holding them to delivering coverage that advances our corporate initiatives. Internally, you'll build the path to the right coverage at the right time, opening new markets and creating opportunities for growth and awareness. You'll also partner with the global product teams to connect coverage and communications to product initiatives, launches, and growth, driving brand awareness and product engagement. Additionally, this role will foster and manage relationships with market research analysts outside of North America.
This role calls for someone who communicates with confidence across every medium and builds strong relationships at all levels. You're flexible, proactive, resourceful, and highly professional. You take initiative without waiting to be asked, and you're always looking for smarter ways to fold PR and communications into the broader marketing strategy. You understand the levers that shape market awareness and perception, you make complex ideas land, and you do your best work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
What you will be doing:
- Lead Instructure's communications strategy across key markets in EMEA, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.
- Develop communications narrative and messaging pillars, and activate them across international markets.
- Integrate PR and communications into existing marketing strategies, and pioneer new, innovative ways to engage each market from a PR and communications perspective.
- Accountable to region-specific marketing leads to integrate communications campaigns and strategies that align with their respective strategic remits.
- Partner with international spokespeople and regional teams to spot industry trends and establish thought leadership.
- Use byline articles and interviews to position our core messages and amplify customer stories across priority markets.
- Localize and coordinate the distribution of global announcements.
- Build strong relationships with journalists, market research analysts, and influencers.
- Guide international spokespeople through proactive and reactive crisis management and issue response.
- Coordinate with PR agencies, as well as initiate outreach on your own, to win media placements in trade, general, and business press.
- Partner with the international editorial team and manage the regional press and media resources pages on the Instructure website.
- Produce quarterly share of voice and earned media reports.
- Draft, monitor, and evaluate OKR (Objectives, Key Results) progress throughout the year.
Here's what you will need to know/have:
- Bachelor's degree in business, communications, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in corporate communications, strategic communications, public relations, or analyst relations, including senior leadership roles.
- Full fluency and a strong command of English are mandatory. You'll lead all meetings, communication exchanges, strategic plans, and messaging in