Job Classification:

Marketing & Communications - Communications

Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU), an industry leader in financial services for more than 140 years, offers customers world-wide a variety of innovative solutions for growing and protecting wealth. With over $1.6 trillion assets under management and office presence in 20 countries across 5 continents, Prudential strives to service customers and create long-term value for stakeholders through strong ethics and business fundamentals. We provide a wide array of financial products and services, ranging from individual life insurance, retirement and annuities to asset management.

Role:

The Vice President, Strategic Financial Communications is a key leadership role responsible for shaping Prudential’s financial, strategic growth and business story for stakeholders inside and outside the company.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Communications, the successful candidate will design and execute a communications program that enhances understanding of Prudential’s strategic transformation, growth strategy, financial strength, and position on important financial, regulatory, and policy issues.

This leader will lead a team responsible for strategic communications planning, executive positioning, stakeholder engagement, financial communications and media relations. This includes the development of a holistic earnings communication strategy, the development of key messaging and materials around financial performance, leading transaction and transformation communications including key leaderships transitions, M&A activity, and reinsurance transaction communications.  

Critical to this work is effective engagement and collaboration with key partners including the offices of Prudential’s CEO, CFO, Investor Head of Investor Relations, Head of External Affairs, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Governance Officer, and Corporate and Business Development Teams.

This is a unique opportunity to elevate the role of financial communications at a leading global insurer and asset manager, evolving the role that Corporate Communications plays in driving outcomes for the company, and enhancing understanding of Prudential’s position as a global leader in expanding access to investing, insurance and retirement security.

Responsibilities:

• Design and execute a comprehensive communications program that amplifies Prudential’s financial growth and business transformation story, including its evolving industry position at the intersection of insurance and asset management.
• Serve as a key partner and advisor to senior leaders on financial communications opportunities including message development, media relations, speaking opportunities and transaction support.
• Manage execution of quarterly earnings materials and process in partnership with Investor Relations, including development of executive scripts, press releases, fact sheets and financial media engagement.
• Lead communications workstreams related to significant financial and major enterprise-level corporate disclosures, including M&A, capital markets transactions and other events.
• Lead media engagement strategy related to financial policy and regulation, including message development, media engagement and broader policy positioning.
• Serve as a proxy and additional senior level support to the VP, Crisis and Reputation Communications as needed on topics including cybersecurity, policy issues and litigation.
• Oversee a team of 3-4 direct reports.

Experience:

• 12+ years of professional experience in corporate and/or financial communications, ideally at least part of which includes experience in a highly structured, in-house corporate environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications plans in partnership with senior leaders, such as narrative development and positioning, media relations programs, and other programs.
• Track record of leading financial communications workstreams related to quarterly earnings, M&A and other transactions and leadership-related announcements.
• Strong degree of comfort with corporate disclosure and processes, including regulatory filings, annual and sustainability reports, press releases and other materials.
• Conceptual fluency in finance fundamentals, including the ability to translate complex earnings materials, deal term sheets and other information into understandable communications materials.
• Deep knowledge and curiosity about the financial services industry, including insurance, asset management private equity and economics is highly desired.
• Confidence building relationships and working directly with top-tier media journalists, as well as new and emerging social and digital media outlets.
• Exceptional writer, ideally with demonstrated experience creating and placing op-eds and other thought leadership externally.
• Experience building and maintaining stakeholder relationships, particularly in a hybrid environment.
• Minimum bachelor’s degree. Advanced degree including MBA or CFA is a plus.

Core Skills:

• Business and Financial Acumen: excellent business judgement and understanding of business strategy and financial goals. Ability to connect the dots and think laterally about disparate issues and stakeholder issues.
• Trusted business advisor: track record of success in counseling senior business leaders such that insights derived from communications’ capabilities influence their business strategies, and communication strategy is driven by business needs and aligned with the enterprise-wide comms strategy.
• Influencing with impact: skilled in influencing business, function and other communications leaders on complex business issues through a combination of impeccable verbal and written communication skills, highly developed emotional intelligence and savvy navigation of complex business structures.
• Strategic leadership: demonstrated willingness to challenge the status quo and tackle difficult issues in a constructive and solutions-oriented manner, while retaining a forward-looking, innovative mindset.
• Effective Partner: proven success working within a matrixed environment and building alignment across multiple stakeholders and groups.

Our Culture:

Prudential Financial, Inc. is focused on creating a fully inclusive culture, where all employees feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. We don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it. At Prudential, employees have a unique opportunity to build their career path by owning their development, their career and their future. We encourage employees to hone their skills and explore continued opportunities within Prudential.

Note: Prudential is required by state specific laws to include the salary range for this role when hiring a resident in applicable locations. The salary range for this role is from $207,800.00 to $281,200.00. Specific pricing for the role may vary within the above range based on many factors including geographic location, candidate experience, and skills. Roles may also be eligible for additional compensation and/or benefits. Eligibility to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance. In addition, employees are eligible for standard benefits package including paid time off, medical, dental and retirement.