RESPONSIBLE TO | Chief Marketing Officer
SUPERVISES | Director, Communications and Manager, Communications
STATUS | Full-Time

COMPANY BACKGROUND
The Houston Dynamo Football Club (HDFC) is a multi-faceted organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting soccer participation and growth in Houston, TX and beyond. The Club’s brands include men's and women's professional teams - the Houston Dynamo (MLS) and Houston Dash (NWSL), a development academy, Houston Dynamo Dash Charities, as well as Shell Energy Stadium and Houston Sports Park. The Club has a rich history, including MLS Cup titles (2006, 2007) and in-season tournament championships for both the Dynamo (2018) and Dash (2020) and is focused on building toward the next championships, inspiring and uniting the city of Houston through the sport of soccer and community outreach, and creating the most inclusive sporting experience and diverse fan base in the city and state.

Purpose of the Job
The Houston Dynamo Football Club is seeking an individual for the position of Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs. This leadership role will lead the development and execution of the Communications and Corporate Affairs strategy, inclusive of government relations, communications, and media relations. The Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs is a spokesperson for the company and ensures integration and consistency of messaging to numerous stakeholders, including employees, media, community partners, elected officials, etc. The position reports to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and will work closely with the Vice President, Marketing, as well as other key departments across the organization, to drive awareness and relevancy by realizing opportunities within the strategic plan, as well as in the moment opportunities to deliver against overall business objectives.

Duties and responsibilities

Lead the overarching strategic communications plan and messaging platform to drive consistency of Club narrative across its brands to internal and external audiences
Partner with the CMO, Vice President, Marketing and Executive Director, Dynamo & Cash Charities to develop and implement publicity and communications strategies and generate positive media coverage for the Club
Oversee and support execution of corporate communications and branding across Club owned channels (e.g., LinkedIn) and external industry and local media channels
Oversee the management and execution of day-to-day needs for the Club’s teams across the sporting calendar
Develop and manage effective crisis and issues management program; monitor on-goings within sport, local and regional government, social causes, and other relevant topics to identify potential scenarios that the Club may need to and/or want to address
Devise process for monitoring and reporting Club’s media coverage (broadcast, print, digital) to determine external perceptions of the organization and anticipate needs to address
In coordination with the CMO, develop executive communications, presentations, and talking points on behalf of the ownership, executive leadership of the Club to deliver key messages through strategically relevant and impactful opportunities
Lead and manage a high-performing communications team; provide mentorship and coaching to team members
Plan and manage the function’s budget and resources to support the PR and Communication strategy and overall business objectives
Travel, as needed, with the teams to oversee and monitor execution of department strategy
Additional duties as assigned

Qualification Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, or a related field is required.
Minimum of eight (8) years of full-time sports marketing and/or entertainment experience with team(s), league and/or agency in communication, public relations, or media relations capacity– required
Established national and regional sports, business, and non-sports media contacts – required
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) – required Bilingual English/Spanish – preferred
Ability to work evenings, weekends and some holidays based on soccer season schedule

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Attributes

Knowledge of the Houston market, MLS and/or NWSL ideal
Agility to respond optimally to the constantly evolving needs of a fast-paced organization and industry and work on tight deadlines with accuracy
Strong work ethic with an attention to detail, strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize projects and multi-task
Ability to identify problems and their root causes, and to develop and recommend effective solutions Exceptional written and oral communication skills at all levels of the organization and with external contacts
Proven ability to manage cross-functional projects
Maintains Organizational Core Competencies

Organizational Core Competencies
Accountable – Holds themselves (and when appropriate others) accountable for achieving goals and objectives.
Collaborative – Works collaboratively with others to achieve organizational outcomes.
Progressive – Open minded, accepting, creative, and innovative in approach.
Values Driven – Being ethical in decision making and operating with professional integrity.
Agile – Achieves personal and organizational success within a changing, dynamic, and complex environment. Ability to handle ambiguity.

OTHER INFORMATION
Diverse candidates of all backgrounds are welcome, and the Club seeks individuals passionate about sport, inspiring the city and devoted to the organization's growth. While duties and responsibilities vary across positions, we are seeking individuals who are accountable, collaborative, progressive, agile and ethical/values driven.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

VP, Communications and Corporate Affairs