Potomac Flacks

REMAINDERS: Items we missed

Some recent items of interest that we missed:

• Longtime Democratic flack Nu Wexler has joined Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications as Vice President of Public Affairs.  Wexler was most recently Communications Director for U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).  He also previously led communications for the House Budget Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee. (Politico’s “Huddle”)
• Jerri Ann Henry has moved to Widmeyer Communications, where she is a digital media expert and digital account lead on the higher education and public affairs team.  Henry previously worked at JDA Frontline, Ed Gillespie Strategies and the Hawthorn Group.  (Politico’s “Influence”)
• Departing DCI Group, Catherine Gatewood is the new Communications Director for Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY).  She’s a Kentucky native.  (Politico’s “Influence”)
• Recently the Communications Director for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (majority), Leslie Phillips, departed to become Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications for FairWinds Partners, a small IT consultancy specializing in domain name management and internet governance.  (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Senior Manager, Internal Communications - Global Talent (Mountain View, CA)

Job Description

We’re currently seeking an experienced Senior Manager of Internal Communications to primarily support the Global Talent Organization (GTO) and strategic projects. This role helps to ensure that LinkedIn employees are well informed about the company’s talent/HR programs and offerings, feel connected to the strategy, and are inspired to do their best every day. This position reports to the Head of Internal Communications, and is a member of the global Corporate Communications team.

The ideal candidate has proven communication and relationship-building skills, the ability to be strategic and to execute, great instincts, brilliant ideas, and a knack for connecting the dots. They must be at ease working with execs and virtual teams; have a good understanding of different cultural nuances; and able to demonstrate a track record for developing and implementing innovative internal communications and related programs that help drive business results, build culture, and inspire employees – preferably for a global organization. Knowledge of current internal communication approaches and tools for talent communications is also important for this role.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, manage, and execute global internal communication strategies and plans that support LinkedIn’s aspirational “best on planet” talent practices and programs, including: recruiting, performance management, learning & development, bi-annual pulse survey, total comp and benefits, among others.
• Partner with GTO to develop consistent messaging and relevant approaches for talent organization/communications worldwide.
• Write, edit, and produce a wide variety of internal communication materials for various voices and global audiences in diverse job functions via multiple channels (e.g., email, toolkits, FAQs, video scripts, presentations, etc.).
• Provide communication support for various employee engagement and culture programs and events; company meetings; M&A activities; and strategic projects.
• Develop and manage communication channels and materials for informing and engaging people managers globally.
• Identify, draft, and curate employee stories from across the organization that will help to reinforce the talent brand and company culture internally and externally.
• Proactively identify internal communication opportunities at the company, make recommendations, and develop supporting programs/materials.
• Create and maintain mechanisms for gathering feedback from leaders and employees to measure communication effectiveness.
• Advise and support business leaders in developing various employee communications, presentations, and programs.
• Build strong working relationships with business leaders, internal clients, and colleagues across
  the company and at all levels.

Relevant Experience, Education and Skills:

• A bachelor’s degree and 8-10 years of internal communications experience, preferably supporting talent/HR initiatives (global and/or technology company experience preferred)
• Extensive experience developing and executing measurable, multi-channel, internal communication strategies that include traditional and social media
• Outstanding writing, editing, and verbal communication skills; able to understand complex material and translate to various audiences
• Strong attention to detail and high expectations for quality
• Solid business acumen
• Strategic, energetic, self-starter with strong interpersonal skills and team orientation who thrives in a fast-paced and unstructured, deadline-oriented environment; able to scale
• Well-developed project management and decision-making skills; able to execute multiple high-quality communication programs simultaneously with speed, accuracy, and efficiency
• Must be creative, innovative, proactive, collaborative, flexible, a quick study, and have a great
  sense of humor
• Flexibility to travel and work outside of standard office hours as necessary

Leadership Competencies:

• Must be able to work independently and accomplish projects with little supervision
• Must have outstanding organizational and prioritization skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Able to influence others in order to create alignment and achieve business results
• Possess a high degree of integrity, tact, and sense of confidentiality
• Demonstrate good judgment at all times
• Building and maintaining relationships is critical to this position

TO APPLY: Visit this page.  (LinkedIn website)

EXCLUSIVE: NRCC Flack Sillin Joining Visa, Moving to San Francisco

This afternoon NRCC regional press secretary Nat Sillin told friends and colleagues that he is leaving Washington after nearly a decade to join Visa’s public affairs team.

His last day is expected to be February 16 and he will be moving to the Bay Area, although he says he will be traveling to DC frequently for work.

Sillin had served on Capitol Hill as Communications Director for Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-NY) and for a PR firm.

He is a graduate of the University of Vermont.  (PF reporting)

Christie, Senior VP of Corp Comms for New York Times Company, Departs as Position is Eliminated

Robert Christie, the senior vice president of corporate communications for The New York Times Company since 2010, has departed as his position was eliminated.  He joined NYT from the Wall Street Journal.

Eileen Murphy, the vice president of corporate communications, will lead the communications department.  (NYT’s Media Decoder blog)

Kerry Comms Director Seth headed to Facebook

Jodi B. Seth, who had been serving as Communications Director for U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA) since January 2009, announced today that this is her last week in that office.  She begins a new job with Facebook as Manager of Public Policy and Communications on Monday, Jan. 7.  Seth took the new job before Sen. Kerry was chosen to be the next Secretary of State.

Seth previously served as Communications Director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, under Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) from 2003-2009.

Seth holds a Masters in Journalism from American University and a Bachelor’s in Communications from Rhode Island College.  (PF tipster)

JOB(S) OF THE WEEK: BAE Systems, Inc., External Communications (2)

BAE Systems, Inc. is seeking “dynamic individuals to fill two external communications roles.”

  Director, External Communications - Services Sectors

  Director, External Communications - Products Sectors (PF tipster)

Experienced Flack Lee Departs TSA for Senior Communications Role at Microsoft in DC

Microsoft has hired Kristin Lee as a Senior Public Relations Manager in the DC office.

Lee brings nearly a decade of communications experience in the federal government, campaign, and non-profit sectors. Most recently, she served in the Obama administration’s U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the Director of Public Affairs at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  In this role, Lee directed the agency’s external and internal communications – including rapid response and social media operations – and served as the chief spokesperson. 

During her tenure at TSA, Kristin focused on strengthening the agency’s ability to communicate with the public and the press.  She helped coordinate the agency’s rapid response efforts to many high-profile events including the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day 2009 and the air cargo bomb plot, and shaped the agency’s media strategy for the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. 

Before joining the Obama administration, Lee worked as the Majority Communications Director for the House Rules Committee.  During the 2008 presidential campaign, she served as the Surrogate Press Secretary for the Obama campaign in Pennsylvania.  Prior to joining the Obama campaign, Kristin worked for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in seven states, serving as a statewide communications director and press desk, among other roles.  In the 2006 election cycle, Lee worked as the National Press Secretary for the League of Conservation Voters.

A California native, Lee also served as Deputy Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA).  She started her career as an editorial assistant at The Los Angeles Times.

Lee holds a Masters degree in political communication from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelors degree in journalism and literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz.  She is a native of Auburn, CA.  (PF tipster)

DOT Speechwriter Kieffer Heads to West Wing Writers as Principal

First reported in Politico’s “Playbook,” the DC-based firm West Wing Writers announced that Jonas Kieffer, Director of Speechwriting at the U.S. Department of Transportation, is joining the firm as its newest Principal.

Jonas served as Chief Speechwriter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Before joining the Obama administration in 2010, Kieffer was Chief Speechwriter / Senior Writer at the Rockefeller Foundation from 2007-2010.  Before that he was a speechwriter for former Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ).

Kieffer is a native of Ann Arbor, MI and a 2005 magna cum laude graduate of Brown University.  (Politico’s “Playbook”)

Griffis departs Commerce for the Podesta Group

Kevin Griffis recently departed the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he had served first as Director of Public Affairs and then as a Senior Adviser to the Chief of Staff to join the Podesta Group as a principal.

As Director of Public Affairs at Commerce, Griffis departed oversaw communications for 11 bureaus, including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

He had previously served as Communications Director for the Democratic Party of Virginia and the state’s Coordinated Campaign during Tim Kaine’s successful bid for Governor in 2005.  He then joined Obama for America as an early state communication director, serving in South Carolina.  After running communications in Virginia in the general election, he went on to serve as a spokesperson for President-elect Obama’s inaugural committee.

Earlier in his career, Griffis was a journalist in Maryland and Atlanta.

He is a graduate of Beloit College.  (PF tipster)

Former Clinton White House Press Secretary Siewert Name Global Head of Corporate Communications for Goldman Sachs

First reported in Politico’s “Playbook,” John F. W. Rogers, Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board of Goldman Sachs, released an announcement in an internal memo the news that Jake Siewert has joined the firm as a Managing Director and Global Head of Corporate Communications.

Jake served as Counselor to the U.S. Treasury Secretary from 2009 to 2011, during which time he advised the secretary and also acted as his liaison to the business community.  From 2001 to 2009, Jake worked at Alcoa.  From 1993 to 2001, Jake held several positions in the Clinton administration, including serving as White House Press Secretary.  He began his career in Washington in 1991 as Communications Director for the Democratic Governors Association.

He is a 1986 graduate of Yale University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a degree in the Humanities.  (Politico’s “Playbook”)