Communications Specialist

Reposted 3 Days Ago
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Chicago, IL, USA
Hybrid
100K-500K Annually
Mid level
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Enterprise Web • Fintech • Software • Financial Services
Empowering Investor Success
The Role
Write and adapt internal and external communications—press releases, media pitches, social posts, executive materials, FAQs, and event content. Support media inbox triage, amplify research insights with PR outreach, and contribute messaging for M&A, change, and high-sensitivity moments. Collaborate with research and leadership to craft clear, audience-focused communications and manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders.
Summary Generated by Built In

The Team 
Morningstar’s Global Communications team protects and strengthens the company’s reputation, amplifies our mission to empower investor success, and helps employees, leaders, clients, and the media understand the company’s priorities with clarity and credibility. 

The Role 
As Communications Specialist you’ll help turn Morningstar’s research, business priorities, and company moments into clear, credible communications across internal and external audiences. This is a hands-on communications role for a strong writer who can move quickly, simplify complex topics, and support both planned and fast-moving communications needs.  

In this role, you’ll draft and adapt content for press releases, internal announcements, social posts, executive materials, media responses, FAQs, and event communications. You’ll support the PR team’s newsroom response, amplify research insights from Morningstar’s Equity, Retirement, and Policy research teams across media and internal audiences, and contribute to communications for M&A, change, and other sensitive company moments. This is a role where your voice shapes how Morningstar's work reaches the world and where your expertise grows with every story you tell. 

This role reports to the Director of Public Relations. To be successful in this role, you’ll possess excellent writing, sound judgment, strong organization, curiosity about financial services and investing, and the ability to work across internal and external communications without losing clarity or audience focus.

 

Responsibilities: 

Develop multi-channel communications content: Draft press releases, media pitches, employee announcements, intranet posts, social posts, talking points, FAQs, and other communications that make complex topics clear for employees, managers, media, and external stakeholders. 
 
Amplify Morningstar research: Partner with our Equity, Retirement, and Policy Research teams to turn research into media-ready and employee-facing content, helping connect Morningstar’s insights to timely conversations and business priorities. Support visibility of analysts and experts across earned, owned, and shared channels. 

Support newsroom management: Participate in the shared media inbox rotation with members of the PR team. Triage journalist inquiries, connect reporters to appropriate Morningstar experts and data, draft responses, coordinate approvals, and support pitching and reporter follow-up as needed. 
 
Create internal communications: Draft employee announcements, leader messages, FAQs, manager guidance, and other materials that keep employees informed and aligned during routine and high-sensitivity moments. 
 
Support M&A, change, and sensitive communications: Help develop messaging, timelines, stakeholder materials, and supporting content for acquisitions, organizational changes, restructurings, and other confidential or high-impact topics. 
 
Support events and media moments: Contribute communications support for company events, town halls, media engagements, and key business milestones, including drafting materials and coordinating logistics. 
 

Qualifications: 
 
Required: 

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 

  • 2–4 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism, internal communications, external communications, or a related field. 

  • Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to make complex topics clear and accurate. 

  • Sound judgment, attention to detail, and comfort working with sensitive or confidential information. 

  • Strong organization and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders. 

  • Interest in media relations, employee communications, financial services, investing, or research-driven storytelling supported by responsible AI. 

Preferred:

  • Experience drafting press materials, internal announcements, executive messages, FAQs, social content, or media responses as well as filming and editing short-form video. 

  • Experience working with journalists, media inboxes, monitoring tools, or pitching processes. 

  • Experience supporting communications for events, business changes, acquisitions, or other high-visibility moments. 

  • Familiarity with financial services, investing, retirement, policy, research, technology, or similarly complex industries. 

Compensation and Benefits

At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:

  • Financial Health

    • 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary

    • Stock Ownership Potential

    • Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission

  • Physical Health 

    • Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages

    • Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual

    • Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance

  • Emotional Health 

    • Trust-Based Time Off

    • 6-week Paid Sabbatical Program

    • 6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave

    • Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave

    • Adoption Assistance

    • Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities

    • Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses

    • Tuition Reimbursement

  • Social Health 

    • Charitable Matching Gifts program

    • Dollars for Doers volunteer program

    • Paid volunteering days

    • 15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups

Total Cash Compensation Range

$74,325.00-109,008.33

Inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive

Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.

001_MstarInc Morningstar Inc. Legal Entity

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
  • 2-4 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism, internal communications, external communications, or a related field
  • Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to make complex topics clear and accurate
  • Sound judgment, attention to detail, and comfort working with sensitive or confidential information
  • Strong organization and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders
  • Interest in media relations, employee communications, financial services, investing, or research-driven storytelling supported by responsible AI
  • Experience drafting press materials, internal announcements, executive messages, FAQs, social content, or media responses; filming and editing short-form video
  • Experience working with journalists, media inboxes, monitoring tools, or pitching processes
  • Experience supporting communications for events, business changes, acquisitions, or other high-visibility moments
  • Familiarity with financial services, investing, retirement, policy, research, technology, or similarly complex industries

What the Team is Saying

Anna
Upasna
Saurabh
Wendell
Raaghavendar
Jeff
Brandon
Kunal Kapoor
Elizabeth Collins
Marie Trzupek Lynch
Rod Diefendorf
Christine

Morningstar Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Leave & Time Off Breadth A recurring paid sabbatical and flexible time off in North America provide substantial time away and are presented as a signature differentiator. The program’s active use alongside paid volunteer days underscores broad time-off options.
  • Parental & Family Support A global standard for paid parental leave plus paid caregiving leave and adoption assistance signals robust family support. These policies are positioned as company-wide standards with location-specific administration.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility A shared ownership program enables converting part of a bonus into RSUs with a company match, adding long‑term value beyond salary. Performance-based RSU awards can further enhance equity outcomes for high achievers.

Morningstar Insights

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The Company
HQ: Chicago, IL
11,500 Employees
Year Founded: 1984

What We Do

At Morningstar, we believe in building great products in-house in a highly collaborative, agile environment where we focus on technical excellence, the user experience, and continuous improvement. Our technologists represent a range of skills and experience levels, but they all view their work as a craft and push technology’s boundaries.

Why Work With Us

Imagining big things is in our blood -- it's transformed us from a company with just a few employees in 1984 to a leading independent investment research company with a worldwide presence today. As of April 2020, we acquired Sustainalytics to drive long-term meaningful outcomes for investors in the ESG space. Join us on this exciting journey!

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Morningstar Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Typical time on-site: 3 days a week
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