Executive & External Communications Manager

About the Role

The Executive & External Communications Manager is responsible for developing and preserving the public voice of the Velastegui Ventures CEO. The core focus is on earned media efforts, securing frequent interviews, bylines, and expert commentaries in top-tier publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times, The Information, and Axios. The position also includes maintaining a strategic LinkedIn presence alongside coordinated speaking engagements that reinforce the overall communication narrative. This role demands hands-on skills in writing, editing, project management, and building strong relationships with media professionals and event coordinators.

Primary Responsibilities

• Establish and nurture direct connections with reporters and producers at leading outlets including WSJ, FT, NYT, The Information, Axios, plus related media like Bloomberg, Wired, The Economist, Fortune, CNBC, TechCrunch, and MIT Technology Review.
• Create and pitch tailored story ideas relating to AI business strategy, the intersection of technology and AI, governance, and the CEO's career story.
• Respond promptly to expert-quote requests and serve as the initial contact for reporters working against deadlines.
• Prepare media briefing materials and facilitate interview preparation sessions ahead of communications engagements.
• Compose and place long-form opinion pieces such as op-eds and bylined essays in tier-1 opinion sections and business or technology outlets.
• Monitor and document media coverage, quote placements, and feature stories to measure outcomes against set goals, maintaining an updated pitch and reporter relationship log.
• Manage the monthly LinkedIn editorial calendar, ensuring content delivery well in advance.
• Write and schedule original LinkedIn posts that express the CEO’s views on AI transformation, governance, labor, and industrial changes, typically publishing twice per week.
• Handle audience engagement on LinkedIn posts promptly, managing comments and crafting timely reactive posts within a 24-hour approval period.
• Evaluate and pursue strategic speaking opportunities at high-impact events (e.g., Financial Times, Bloomberg, WSJ forums, The Economist), focusing on quality of audience and consistency of narrative over prestige.
• Coordinate all aspects of event participation including submission of abstracts, speaker bios, logistics, and maintaining a forward-looking calendar.
• Develop materials such as talking points, Q&A, and keynote drafts and conduct practice sessions to ensure readiness.
• Maintain consistent messaging and thematic alignment across media, LinkedIn, and speaking engagements.
• Draft and edit executive-level materials to support media and speaking activities.
• Provide weekly reports and lead regular check-ins to review all ongoing communications projects and outcomes.
• Keep thorough, organized records of media contacts, pitches, approvals, and event details.
• Collaborate with any external PR or communications agencies to ensure message cohesion.

Qualifications

• 4 to 7 years of experience in communications, media relations, public relations, or executive communications with proven success securing coverage in top national business and tech media.
• Excellent writing and editing skills capable of adapting an executive’s voice across formats including pitches, opinion pieces, talking points, and LinkedIn content.
• Hands-on experience managing relationships and pitching to prominent business, technology, and financial journalists.
• Experience sourcing, obtaining, or supporting speaking invitations at leading industry conferences.
• Comfort working in close coordination with a CEO in a public, fast-paced environment demanding rapid turnarounds.
• Strong project management abilities, juggling multiple live pitches, editorial schedules, and event pipelines simultaneously.

Preferred Attributes

• Background supporting high-level executives or board members, especially in AI, enterprise tech, or venture capital environments.
• Established contacts among tier-1 reporters/editors in major outlets like WSJ, NYT, FT, or Bloomberg.
• Insight into executive reputation management, brand governance, and rapid-response communication tactics.
• Experience integrating earned media, owned content, and speaking engagements into unified strategic campaigns.
• Polished and discreet demeanor, trusted advisor to a public-facing leader.
• Proactive and strategic thinker, identifying media and speaking opportunities early.
• Calm under pressure with confident communication and editorial judgment.
• Detail-oriented, humble, and highly efficient in a demanding, accountability-driven setting.

Why This Role Is Crucial

The visibility and credibility of Velastegui Ventures in the market heavily rely on the CEO’s consistent presence in the right forums and publications. This position powers that visibility by converting a strong viewpoint into regularly placed stories, a cohesive LinkedIn footprint, and influential speaking engagements — all unified under a single strategic narrative.

Additional Details

• This is a remote role based in the USA.
• Position type: part-time contractor.
• Monthly pay ranges from $3900 to $5000, dependent on experience.