Job Abstract

Overview:

Lead media/PR/reputational issues across M&T Bank’s footprint, including New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, and New Jersey among others in service of the bank’s business lines and enterprise teams; responsible for communicating M&T Bank’s policies, philosophies, products, programs, and accomplishments to external stakeholders.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain close relationships with relevant media contacts and outlets within the region.
• Develop and execute multiple proactive public relations campaigns and communications projects aimed at bolstering the company’s reputation, driving business, and supporting our community partners.
• Understand local media dynamics of each region to inform strategy and execution.
• Serve as on-the-ground communications support for M&T Bank at events across the region. Help support content capture and story packaging for use across owned channels.
• Serve as communications counsel to area bank executives, business leads, and company spokespeople. Includes media training, talking points development/speechwriting, and on-site support.
• Work with others inside and outside External Communications to develop, coordinate, and implement public relations & communications plans for bank-related products, services, activities, decisions, policies, personnel, etc.
• Develop appropriate messages, strategies, and tactics and materials for various target audiences, including national and financial media, trade media, customers and prospects, influencers, and other opinion leaders.
• Seek out and identify proactive media opportunities — as well as situations that could adversely impact the bank’s reputation— and coordinate strategies and tactics to promote and protect M&T Bank.
• Counsel management on communications strategies and tactics when issues, policies or decisions threaten to impact the reputation of M&T.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with stakeholders within the bank, the industry, the community, and the media.
• Monitor, measure, and report all media coverage of the bank. Evaluate the success of earned media placements in building corporate reputation and mitigating crises and utilize learnings from outcomes to inform future strategic outreach.

Education and Experience Required:

Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience, or in lieu of a degree, a combined minimum of 9 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience inclusive of 3 years in strategic PR role