Senior External Communications Specialist

Title: Temporary Senior External Communications Specialist

Location: San Francisco, CA,  United States

Full time

job requisition id: R2673

Job Description:

Job Description Summary:

Fenwick is seeking a Temporary (estimated 6 months) Senior External Communications Specialist who is a highly organized and detail-oriented communications professional to support the firm's external communications efforts, with a focus on public relations. This position will play a key role in executing strategic initiatives that enhance the firm's visibility and reputation through media engagement, legal rankings, and industry recognition. The ideal candidate will bring strong writing, research, and project management skills, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

This is a full-time exempt position, and can be based in any of our U.S. office locations and some remote locations. For office-based candidates, this role offers a hybrid work arrangement, allowing you to work both from home and at your designated Fenwick office. The frequency of in-office work will be determined by business needs and guided by your department's directives.

Job Description:

• Support the firm's public relations efforts, including maintaining and updating media lists, media monitoring, compiling and distributing press coverage for key stakeholders, and preparing talking points/briefing materials.

• Assist with preparing highly tailored communications plans for major firm news updates such as new partner arrivals.

• Assist with media outreach, interview scheduling, and preparation as needed.

• Identify client alerts for external placement, maintain author guidelines for target publications, and place attorney-authored articles in external publications, in coordination with the content team.

• Compile and analyze performance data related to awards and media coverage for internal and external reporting.

• Track and identify new opportunities for recognition and visibility across all practice areas/industry groups and other departments, including pro bono and recruitment.

• Project management of directory rankings across all practices and industry groups, including overseeing the directory schedule, managing external consultants, maintaining external online profiles, and conducting ranking analyses.

• Collaborate with attorneys and business development to gather content and ensure timely, high-quality submissions.

• Support invoice processing and other administrative tasks related to the communications function.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong editing and proofreading abilities.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

• Strong organizational and analytical skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); ability to learn new tools and systems quickly.

• Familiarity with legal directories such as Chambers and Legal 500 is a plus.

• Curiosity and passion for learning and mastering new technologies to support communications efforts.

Reporting to the External Communications Manager, the ideal candidate will have 5+ years of experience in public relations and communications, preferably in a law firm, professional services, or agency setting. Experience supporting media relations strongly preferred. Bachelor's degree required.

#LI-Hybrid

Benefits and Compensation Details:

At Fenwick, we believe that our partners and employees are our most important asset. Helping you and your families achieve and maintain good health - physical, emotional, and financial - is the reason we offer a comprehensive benefit program. We provide benefits to eligible employees under plans such as Healthcare, Life Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Wellbeing.

The anticipated range for this position is:

$94,000 - $141,250

Depending on the role, the actual base salary offered may depend upon a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

A discretionary bonus for eligible employees may also be available based on performance. Additional information about employee eligibility for benefits and discretionary bonus will be made available upon request.