Communications Specialist 5 Remote - CST/EST Contract on W2 **Job description:** Microsoft is looking for a communications professional to work alongside our leaders in engineering locations outside the Puget Sound area, specifically within the US East and Gulf Coast region, where we are supporting a growing engineering footprint. This role will execute on a communications plan to increase awareness among key internal and external audiences within the region. This person’s role will be equal parts employee communications and external communications (media relations/LinkedIn). **Responsibilities:** This backfill will report into Microsoft’s Communications organization (on the Image and Culture Communications Team). A large portion of this person’s time will be spent liaising with other communications teams and key stakeholders in the region to identify stories relevant to the region, and then using an existing playbook to build and execute communication strategies to amplify these stories to internal and external audiences. The ideal candidate will be based on the East Coast or Gulf Coast and have prior experience planning both internal and external communications strategies, be skilled in written and verbal communications, and have experience in a variety of communications disciplines, including but not limited to media relations, social media, communications to support executives, and employee communications. **Focus areas will include:** • Strategy: Execute and measure an existing communications strategy that supports our business goals in the region. Build mini strategies for key moments as they arise. • Storytelling: Story sourcing and creation to highlight our employees’ stories, the company’s innovative work that’s relevant to the region, and our investment in our community – to audiences inside and outside the company. • Media engagement: Manage regional media relations firm to share and vet stories that may interest traditional local media in our 9 markets to reach our key external audiences.   • Talent engagement: Bring our Employer Brand narrative to life and successfully communicate our Employer Value Proposition through owned and earned media, paid advertising campaigns, and employee storytelling. • Budget Management: Track existing budget for said activities; report out on budget use to the regional team; reallocate funds as needed; work with admin support to create Purchase Orders and track invoicing for vendors. **Qualifications:** • 10 years of experience in communications or marketing fields. • 10 years experience working with the media and/or agencies that pitch media. • Experience developing communication plans that include the employee audience and media relations. • Strong written/verbal communication skills; ability to create in a wide variety of presentation and communication formats. • Strong project management skills, working across disciplines and teams. • Curiosity to quickly learn about new topics and ability to distill key points to share with various stakeholders. • Experience using data to make business decisions, and a strong results orientation. • Experience managing a budget. • Ability to manage vendor teams including reviewing content and providing feedback. • Easily build positive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. • Experience and credibility as a communicator in a fast-paced environment where the ability to influence, work across a complex matrix of roles and disciplines, and build relationships inside and outside of the company are strong plusses. • Demonstrated ability and experience in successfully managing media relations on challenging and complex issues. • Fluency with channel and content strategies – especially LinkedIn – including amplifying across social channels. Experience developing content for corporate handles or executives is a plus, but not required. • Some comfort with crisis communications. • Good skills in SharePoint, PowerPoint, Word, and other communication technologies. Ability to work on a quarterly employee-facing newsletter that spans all 9 sites. • Self-starter; ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment. ManpowerGroup is committed to providing equal employment opportunities in a professional, high quality work environment. It is the policy of ManpowerGroup and all of its subsidiaries to recruit, train, promote, transfer, pay and take all employment actions without regard to an employee's race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.