Head of Communications & PR
Who we are
At CarGurus (NASDAQ: CARG), our mission is to give people the power to reach their destination. We started as a small team of developers determined to bring trust and transparency to car shopping. Since then, our history of innovation and go-to-market acceleration has driven industry-leading growth. In fact, we’re the largest and fastest-growing automotive marketplace, and we’ve been profitable for over 15 years.
What we do
The market is evolving, and we are too, moving the entire automotive journey online and guiding our customers through every step. That includes everything from the sale of an old car to the financing, purchase, and delivery of a new one. Today, tens of millions of consumers visit CarGurus.com each month, and ~30,000 dealerships use our products. But they're not the only ones who love CarGurus—our employees do, too. We have a people-first culture that fosters kindness, collaboration, and innovation, and empowers our Gurus with tools to fuel their career growth. Disrupting a trillion-dollar industry requires fresh and diverse perspectives. Come join us for the ride!
Role overview
We are seeking a creative and results driven leader to bring awareness and positive sentiment for CarGurus from consumers, dealers, industry analysts, investors, and other partners. This leader will partner with internal teams like Brand, Investor Relations, Product Marketing, and Market Research, to position us in our multiple markets and lead the communication strategy to drive share of voice in the press and earned media. You will bring proactive thought leadership on new ways to expand our brand visibility, partnering with the brand team on initiatives such as events, sponsorships, endorsements, and partnerships.
What you'll do
- Develop and own our overall Communications strategy and campaigns, including setting measurable metrics to demonstrate return on investment on activities
- Lead a team to of internal and external resources to implement and deliver on the plan.
- Evaluate and select external agencies and platform as needed.
- Develop a deep understanding of our customers and product offerings to inform all communications efforts.
- Develop relationships with media organizations and important influencers, proactively finding opportunities to amplify our messages in the press.
- Speak on behalf of the company in interviews and press conferences.
- Measure and communicate campaign success and media coverage.
- Ensure brand consistency in all marketing content.
- Connect other internal efforts in corporate social responsibility and company culture and values with our overall messaging.
- Manage public relations budget to achieve efficient return and deliver on/exceed expectations.
- Anticipate and address negative press or PR crises if they occur.
- Identify, train and prepare other executives and leaders who interact with the press and/or speak as a voice for the company, ensuring our messaging is unified and consistent.
- Track and publish relevant activity in the press to inform your efforts, and to educate other areas in the company.
What you'll bring
- Strategic leader who will bring a strong POV to communications and is skilled at driving positive debate and action the executive team.
- 8+ years of leading and managing public relations efforts.
- Portfolio of successful efforts and campaigns you have been responsible for.
- Very strong communication skills, both written and verbal. You are able to write tightly constructed releases and other content, and to edit others’ work for impeccable structure, tone, grammar, and word choice.
- Established connections with media outlets and influential accounts.
- Avid follower of news and media, you are curious and informed on current marketing trends, and relevant technology to support your team.
- Understanding of how to use and construct market research and reports for maximal impact in media.
- Presence and strategic strength to interact and drive high credibility with senior executives.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, who also enjoys taking on elements of execution and staying close to the details.
- Creative thinking with an affinity for innovation and problem-solving.
- Inspiring leader who brings energy, ideas, and a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude to the role.
- Thrives working in our collaborative and passionate culture, helping make CarGurus a better place for all of us to work.
Working at CarGurus
We reward our Gurus’ curiosity and passion with best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us. Our career development and corporate giving programs, as well as our employee resource groups (ERGs) and communities, help people build connections while making an impact in personally meaningful ways. A flexible hybrid model and robust time off policies encourage work-life balance and individual well-being. Thoughtful perks like daily free lunch, a new car discount, meditation and fitness apps, commuting cost coverage, and more help our people create space for what matters most in their personal and professional lives.
We welcome all
CarGurus strives to be a place to which people can bring the ultimate expression of themselves and their potential—starting with our hiring process. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We foster an inclusive environment that values people for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. That’s why we hope you’ll apply even if you don’t check every box listed in the job description. We want to know what only you can bring to CarGurus.
Additional information
US employees must provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation. #LI-Hybrid