Internal Communications Editor in Chief

Ford - Augusta, ME

Full-time - Mid Level

Augusta, ME

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

At Ford Motor Company, we are committed to building a better world through innovative mobility solutions. As the Editor in Chief for the Internal Communications team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative that connects over 170,000 global employees to our mission and values. This position is not just about managing content; it’s about inspiring and engaging our workforce through strategic storytelling and effective communication channels. You will oversee the @FordOnline intranet and the BlueOvalNow employee app, which serve as vital resources for current and former team members seeking company news and updates. Your leadership will ensure that our internal communications are not only informative but also resonate with our employees, fostering a sense of community and trust in Ford's future. In this role, you will develop and implement creative editorial strategies that enhance the effectiveness of our internal communications. You will lead a diverse team of content creators, including interactive designers and videographers, to produce compelling stories that highlight our innovations and achievements. By leveraging data and insights, you will identify unique storytelling opportunities that drive engagement and align with our business objectives. Your ability to inspire a culture of creativity and excellence will be crucial as you monitor content performance and adapt strategies to meet the evolving needs of our audience. As a key member of the Ford Communications team, you will collaborate with various departments to ensure that our editorial strategy supports major company initiatives, such as product launches and corporate announcements. Your experience in online publishing and content management will be essential as you navigate the fast-paced environment of internal communications, ensuring that our messaging is timely, relevant, and impactful. This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to Ford's reputation and employee engagement, helping to shape the future of mobility through effective communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop creative, streamlined editorial content for Ford's employees, partners, and alumni via the @FordOnline intranet, the BlueOvalNow employee app, digital signage, and alumni communications.
• Build and lead the editorial process and content team, including cross-functional partners, interactive designers, videographers, and internal reporters.
• Collaborate with the larger Ford Communications team to create editorial plans to support all major skill team moments like product launches.
• Re-evaluate and reimagine processes and practices to maintain a high-performance internal communications newsroom.
• Inspire the team to tell compelling stories through various media, including film, video, graphic design, and prose tailored to internal audiences.
• Use data and insights to identify unique storytelling opportunities that drive attention, excitement, engagement, and business results.
• Identify and exploit emerging content and creative platform trends/software.
• Deliver multi-channel content propositions to optimize storytelling objectives.
• Act as an organizational leader and partner within the Ford Employee Communications team to align the editorial strategy with Employee Engagement.
• Inspire a culture of optimism, competitiveness, and creative excellence.
• Monitor and evaluate content performance and engagement, utilizing data and research to ensure campaign success.
• Balance staff and production budgets.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English, or a related field.
• 8-10 years of experience in communications, including experience in online editorial or content management roles.
• Five or more years of experience leading online publishing, channel planning, or content amplification strategies.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a news-making environment plus public relations or internal communications, digital content marketing, or content creation.
• Demonstrated track record developing comprehensive, integrated strategies designed to tell an enterprise story to internal audiences.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills with an ability to develop compelling stories that are persuasive, engaging, and quotable.
• Energetic and skilled storyteller with experience in long form, short form, and visual storytelling, up to date with the latest trends.
• Self-starter, comfortable operating in a fast-paced and less-defined environment.
• Experience applying quantitative methods, including data, research, impact, and measurement to content strategy.
• Demonstrable experience with and knowledge of social and digital media platforms and tools to bring a mobile-first approach to our employee app.
• Experience managing a multi-disciplined, creative team.
• Strong knowledge of AEM-based publishing and collaboration tools such as Trello.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.