Senior Public Relations Specialist

Northern Trust

For more than a century, Northern Trust has worked hard building our legacy of outstanding service, expertise and integrity. From a Chicago-based bank founded in 1889, we now have more than 20 international locations and 16,500 employees globally. We serve the world’s most-sophisticated clients – from sovereign wealth funds and the wealthiest individuals and families, to the most-successful hedge funds and corporate brands.

We burnished our reputation as a global leader delivering innovative investment management, asset and fund administration, fiduciary and banking solutions enabled by sophisticated, leading technology. And through it all, we continually laid a solid, forward-looking foundation on which future generations can continue growing and achieving greater.

As of December 31, 2016, Northern Trust Corporation had:

  • $124 billion in banking assets 
  • $6.7 trillion in assets under custody 
  • $8.5 trillion in assets under custody/administration 
  • $942 billion in assets under management

https://www.northerntrust.com

Position Details

Senior Public Relations Specialist
Job
Full-time
5/30/2017
Chicago Illinois
Chicago, IL

The Senior Public Relations Specialist role serves Northern Trust’s Wealth Management business unit and will be based in Chicago. Northern Trust Wealth Management offers clients goals-driven financial planning, philanthropic advisory, trust advisory and estate planning services, credit and private banking services, family office services, and foundation and institutional outsourced CIO services. Wealth Management services are backed by innovative technology and a strong fiduciary ethos.

Major Duties:

The Senior Public Relations Specialist will report to the Head of Corporate Communications, and the role includes the following:

  • Create media outreach plans that support Wealth Management business and strategic goals.
  • Develop relationships with members of the media who focus on wealth management, financial planning, taxes, estate planning and investing.
  • Secure media interviews for spokespeople on topics that reflect Northern Trust capabilities and expertise.
  • Prepare thought leaders/media spokespeople for interviews through media training and the creation of messaging and briefing documents.
  • Provide media coaching and consulting to subject matter experts and executives.
  • Meet with all levels throughout the organization to find compelling stories and gather information for publication. Work closely with Corporate Communications team and Wealth Management Marketing team.
  • Respond to outside media requests for information as appropriate.
  • Manage Media Relations team member and work with external agency.
  • Create and manage effective metrics for tracking results and success, and report back regularly to manager and the business unit leadership.

Experience/Knowledge/Skills:

  • Knowledge of journalism/content creation, media relations, social media marketing and branding.
  • Demonstrated capabilities in financial services / wealth management communications.
  • Superb writing, editing and proof-reading skills for materials including media pitches, messaging documents, press releases and tweets.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Attentiveness to detail to ensure the accuracy and quality of work.
  • Understanding of crisis communications and managing reputational risk.
  • Adept at managing multiple short and long-term tasks and projects.
  • Excellent organizational skills and the ability to adapt to new assignments and deadlines.
  • Proficiency in tools such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), social media and media relations tools.

Qualifications:

  • Significant experience in journalism, corporate communications, and/or agency media relations, with wealth management / financial services experience strongly preferred.
  • A college or university degree in public relations, communications, journalism, or equivalent experience is required with 3 to 5 years work experience.
  • Solid understanding of media relations tools, techniques and best practices.
  • Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage projects, contribute to larger group efforts, and adapt to new assignments and deadlines.

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