External Communications Lead

Personio's intelligent HR platform helps small and medium-sized organizations unlock the power of people by making complicated, time-consuming tasks simple and efficient. Our team of 1,500 Personios is building user-friendly products that delight our 15,000+ customers and their 1.5 million employees. Ready to make an impact from day one?
This role requires 3 days per week in the office and is based in Munich or Berlin.
The Communications team builds and protects Personio's brand and influence across Europe. As Communications Lead, you'll lead our comms strategy to build trust and reputation in our key markets and manage a consistent drumbeat of proactive and reactive stories. This role will also manage a Communications Manager.
The communications lead will be responsible for telling Personio's story in our key markets:

• Strategy & Storytelling: You will develop and own Personio's external communications strategy and narrative across priority markets.
• Media Relations: You will build and nurture relationships with key journalists and media outlets, pitching impactful stories and distributing press releases to drive positive coverage and share of voice.
• Reputation & Crisis Management: You will monitor public sentiment and lead crisis communications for sensitive or negative coverage, protecting Personio's reputation and providing guidance and aircover to the whole company.
• Executive comms and thought leadership: You will establish platforms and opportunities for executive visibility, positioning Personio's leadership team, including our CEO, as credible voices on industry topics.
• Brand and demand generation support: You will partner with marketing and content teams to amplify content, campaigns, and launches with PR initiatives that drive brand growth and support demand generation goals.
• Team and agency management: You will lead and develop a small communications team as well as manage external agency relationships to deliver on your comms objective.

The right candidate will have a proven track record of using a variety of communications strategies to shift perception of a company:

• Experience & Languages: You have 8+ years of relevant experience in communications for startups and scale-ups, with fluency in both German and English.
• Exceptional Writing: You are recognized by your peers as a truly exceptional writer with a particular knack for making topics interesting and memorable in both German and English.
• Entrepreneurial Execution: You are a go-getter who moves with urgency and has a proven track record of getting things done, driving impact and delivering results in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
• Media Relations & Networks: You are well networked with media outlets and influencers in Germany, with established relationships that enable you to secure positive coverage and manage media engagement effectively.
• Executive Stakeholder Management: You are comfortable working with executives and senior stakeholders, with the ability to manage sensitive information discreetly and elevate their thought leadership presence.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: You have experience collaborating effectively with product teams, partnership leads, marketing colleagues, and other functions to align communications with business goals.
• Crisis Management: You have hands-on experience leading crisis communications and reputation management, responding swiftly to protect brand reputation while maintaining composure under pressure.

Personio is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building an integrative culture where everyone feels welcomed and supported. We embrace uniqueness and understand that our diverse, values-driven culture makes us stronger. We are proud to have an inclusive workplace environment that will foster your development no matter your gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, education level, or race.
At Personio, we value in-person collaboration while also offering flexibility. This role is office-based, with 3 days per week required in your contracted office location. The remaining days can be worked from home or in the office if you prefer. In addition, you'll have 20 Flex Days per year to work remotely from other locations.
Aside from our people, culture, and mission, check out some of the other benefits that make Personio a great place to work:

• Receive a competitive reward package – reevaluated each year – that includes salary, benefits, and pre-IPO equity
• Enjoy 28 days of paid vacation, plus an additional day after 2 and 4 years
• Make an impact on the environment and society with 1 (fully paid) Impact Day
• Receive generous family leave, child support, mental health support, and sabbatical opportunities
• We enjoy gathering for meals, cultural initiatives, and events like local Summer Sessions and year-end celebrations. There's also healthy snacks, drinks, and a weekly catered lunch