Director, Internal Communications

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.

The Internal Comms team at Upwork acts as the company’s internal connectors and storytellers, building common-sense strategies, advising and guiding leaders and partners, and executing programs that inform, motivate, and activate team members, Upwork’s most important audience and asset. Plus, we’re a kind, creative, motivated team that’s never content with the status quo and always enjoyable to work with (if we do say so ourselves!).

We’re seeking a seasoned, strategic Director of Internal Communications to lead and manage our internal communications function. Reporting to the VP, Communications the Director, Internal Communications will be a key leader on Upwork’s larger Brand & Communications team, which is responsible for telling stories that increase Upwork awareness and favorable brand perception with internal and external stakeholders. 

As the Director, you’ll play a central role in shaping the organization's internal messaging, and driving and ensuring consistent, impactful, and creative communications that align with our company's values, goals, and culture. You’ll join us at an exciting moment in Upwork’s trajectory, where we’re bringing the energy and bold risk-taking of a startup to achieving some ambitious goals around enabling the future of work. 

We’ll ask you, as a thoughtful builder, to assess our programs and take point on designing and executing comprehensive communication strategies that engage and inform our team members across various levels and locations. You will work alongside our executive team and bring your maturity and emotional intelligence to bear in this high-visibility and high-accountability role. This is an exciting chance to make your mark by educating and inspiring our workforce of both full-time employees and freelancers to do their best work.

Your Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a forward-thinking internal communication strategy that supports the organization's business objectives, fosters team member engagement, and enhances overall company culture.
• Lead all corporate internal communications and content for various channels – including All Hands, weekly Q&As, annual Kick-Off, and communications from our C-suite.
• Expand our internal communications tools and systems for maximum impact and utility, including nurturing our nascent company intranet and developing an achievable editorial strategy.
• Be a trusted advisor, building relationships across the business, speaking with candor, and partnering with our leadership team to ensure buy-in on the strategy and excellence in execution.
• Manage our Internal Comms team effectively and empathetically to achieve consistent high performance – and encourage growth that supports business needs and individual team member goals.
• Ideate and drive effective campaigns around critical company priorities and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams on change management and crisis communications.
• Collaborate with our People team to design and execute programs that drive employee engagement, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging within the organization.
• Evolve our metrics and feedback mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of internal communication initiatives. Use data-driven insights to continually refine strategies and tactics.
• Stay current with industry best practices, emerging trends, and technologies in internal communication to recommend and implement innovative tools and approaches.

What it takes to catch our eye:

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Experience working for organizations that are scaling and going through change.
• Experience working remotely and communicating with distributed teams.
• Proven success collaborating with and influencing cross-functional partners and executives.
• Experiencing building and leading a team.
• Equal parts thinker and doer; this role involves both strategy and tactical execution.
• Strong project management skills, ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize.
• Flexibility and growth mindset.
• A calm, kind demeanor under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail.

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We’re a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also support hiring of corporate full-time employees in 15 states in the United States. Please speak with a member of our recruitment team to determine whether you are located in a state in which we are hiring corporate full-time employees.

Our vibrant culture is built on shared values and our mission to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster amazing teams, put our community first, and have a bias toward action. We encourage everyone to bring their whole selves to work and grow together through development opportunities, mentorship, and employee resource groups. Oh yeah, we’ve also got amazing benefits.

Check out our Life at Upwork page to learn more about the employee experience.

Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.