Manager - Corporate Communications & External Relations (Based in Washington DC, Perrysburg, OH, or Decatur, AL)

Job Description

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic Job Functions :

The Corporate Communications and External Relations Manager will help manage relationships with key external stakeholders that are positioned to influence First Solar’s environment and shape its reputation.

The Manager would help safeguard and build First Solar’s reputation by engaging with stakeholders including the press, think tanks and NGOs, industry analysts, and others.

This role will involve, but is not limited to :

• Articulating First Solar’s story in the media through compelling news and thought leadership.
• Mapping and understanding the media and stakeholder landscape in the United States and in key international markets.
• Managing the company’s Press Office.
• Supporting, when necessary, the execution of First Solar’s global issues and crisis management protocol.
• Establishing relationships with key journalists, industry and think tank analysts, and other important stakeholders in the United States and internationally.
• Ensuring full alignment with First Solar’s public advocacy efforts in the United States and internationally.

The associate will :

• Be a creative thinker and a skilled problem-solver.
• Be audience focused, developing a deep understanding of First Solar’s external stakeholder environment and the cultural nuances that come with having a global presence.
• Be frugal and capable of effectively managing budgets and resources without compromising on quality, impact, or agility.
• Rapidly develop a solid understanding of First Solar’s corporate priorities and growth strategy, applying these insights to the evaluation and delivery of projects and assignments.
• Be organized and balance creativity with process.
• Embrace and live First Solar’s values, effectively collaborating across functions, demonstrating agility in the face of a rapidly evolving operational environment, and ensuring full accountability and ownership for mission-critical tasks.

Education / Experience :

• Bachelors’ degree
• 7+ years of Public / Media Relations experience, including experience in an agency / consultancy environment; international / multi-market experience strongly desirable;

journalism experience advantageous.

Required Skills / Competencies :

• Fluency in English with strong writing skills.
• Expertise in developing content for the media and an established track record in delivering thought leadership-led programs.
• Issues and crisis management experience.
• Understanding of and presence in social media.
• Technology / Industrial / B2B experience; familiarity with the renewable energy industry advantageous.
• Extensive experience in managing, anticipating the needs of, and providing robust counsel to multiple stakeholders.
• An affinity for numbers and complex technical stories.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to listen and be curious.
• Creative and entrepreneurial mindset combined with strong planning and project management capabilities.
• Ability to adjust quickly to shifting priorities and work demands.
• Self-motivated and capable of independent thinking / direction.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Skilled at managing by influence.
• Experience in managing and coordinating external and cross-functional internal resources located across multiple time zones.
• Ability to think with a Global Mindset, with an understanding of cultural and linguistic nuances.

Essential Responsibilities :

• Manage First Solar’s media relations program with a focus on the US business / mainstream media.
• Support First Solar’s stakeholder engagement program, which is focused on think tanks, NGOs, industry analysts, and other influential groups.
• Establish and build strong relationships with key journalists, positioning First Solar as the go-to source for insights and commentary on the solar industry.
• Manage external resources in the United States and internationally.
• Establish strong working relationships with First Solar’s Audience Engagement, and Content and Creative Services groups, as well as the communications leads for the company’s manufacturing, supply chain, product, and technology groups, enabling integrated, multi-channel storytelling.
• Work closely with internal and customers’ Public / Government Affairs functions delivering media relations counsel in support of advocacy programs, from grassroots up.
• Help manage global issues and crisis management plans, response protocols, and resilience testing.
• Manage Press Office operations.
• Manage and optimize the global Media Relations budget, ensuring disciplined spending.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships :

• Reports to Director of Global Brand, Corporate, and Marketing Communications.
• This position is expected to evolve to have direct reports.
Travel :
• 20% - 30%
• 20% - 30%

Estimated Salary Range :

$106,000 - $140,000 Annually

US Physical Requirements :

Office Physical Requirements :

All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation.

First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws.

It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role.

All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement : First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce.

It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.