Communications Strategy and Performance Manager

H&R Block; Missouri; Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

H&R Block is seeking a Communications Strategy and Performance Manager to lead the listening and intelligence function within the Communications team. You will monitor narratives shaping our reputation, including AI-generated content, and translate signals into executive-ready intelligence.

You will partner with External and Internal Communications to ensure insights drive messaging strategy and risk management. This role blends data and storytelling for impact.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in communications or media intelligence.
• Deep expertise with media monitoring platforms (e.g., Meltwater, Brandwatch, Sprinklr, Cision).
• Ability to distill data into executive-ready narratives.
• Strong instincts for reputational risk and escalation decisions.
• Experience partnering with content teams in fast-paced environments.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise listening strategy to monitor reputation, sentiment, competitors, and trends.
• Monitor brand perception across traditional, digital, AI-powered search, and generative AI.
• Provide data-driven insights for communications, PR, and executive messaging.
• Identify emerging risks, trends, and opportunities with actionable recommendations.
• Measure impact of news and reputational events to guide future communications.
• Analyze audience feedback and performance metrics to uncover insights.
• Translate complex data into clear reports and executive summaries.
• Partner with comms and PR teams to support issue management and crisis response.
• Build dashboards and reporting frameworks for brand health visibility.
• Leverage AI-powered tools with sound judgment for interpretation and escalation.

Skills

Communications experience

Media intelligence

Executive storytelling

Reputational risk awareness

Stakeholder collaboration

Written and verbal communication

Tools

Meltwater

Brandwatch

Sprinklr

Cision

Job description

About The Role

We are looking for a Communications Strategy and Performance Manager to lead our listening and intelligence function within the Communications team. In this role, you'll be the strategic nerve center for how H&R Block monitors, understands, and responds to the narratives shaping our reputation, including those generated by AI systems.

You'll own reputational listening from defining what we track and why, to translating raw signals into clear, executive-ready intelligence. You'll partner closely with External and Internal Communication teams to ensure insights drive our messaging strategy.

This role is for a sharp, intellectually curious communications professional who thrives at the intersection of data and storytelling.

Day to day, you'll...

• Lead H&R Block's enterprise listening strategy to monitor reputation, stakeholder sentiment, competitor activity, and industry trends
• Monitor brand perception across traditional, digital, AI-powered search, and generative AI platforms
• Provide data-driven insights that inform communications, public relations, and executive messaging strategies
• Identify emerging risks, trends, and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to leadership
• Measure the impact of company news, major announcements, and reputational events to evaluate effectiveness and guide future communications
• Analyze internal and external audience feedback, engagement, and performance metrics to uncover meaningful insights
• Translate complex data into clear reports, executive summaries, and recommendations for a variety of stakeholders
• Partner with communications and PR teams to support issue management, crisis response, and reputation protection efforts
• Build and maintain dashboards and reporting frameworks that provide visibility into brand and reputational health
• Leverage AI-powered monitoring and intelligence tools while applying sound judgment to interpretation, escalation, and decision-making

Required Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in communications, media intelligence or a related field with a track record of owning research or insights functions
• Deep expertise with media monitoring and social listening platforms (e.g., Meltwater, Brandwatch, Sprinklr, Cision, or similar)
• Proven ability to distill complex data into sharp, executive-ready narratives that drive action
• Strong instincts for reputational risk, seeing around corners and knowing when a signal is worth escalating
• Experience partnering with content teams in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence

Preferred Qualifications

• A collaborative mindset and a bias toward clarity, making complexity simple
• Experience in financial services, consumer brands, or highly regulated industries is a plus
• Experience creating executive-ready presentations and slide decks for leadership reviews and cross-functional updates is a plus

Why work for us

At H&R Block, our purpose is simple: to provide help and inspire confidence in our clients and communities everywhere. For more than 70 years, we've led the tax industry and we continue to evolve through our Block Next strategy, blending human expertise with digital innovation.

That same commitment to care extends to our associates. When you join us, you become part of a High Performing, Connected Culture built on strong relationships, continuous learning, and a shared commitment to making a meaningful impact. We invest in your well-being through competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and support for life both in and outside of work.

Pay Range Information

The pay range for this position is listed below. Local minimum wage laws apply. This information is posted pursuant to local requirements to provide applicants with information about what they might be eligible to receive. Individual pay decisions will depend on job-related factors such as experience, education, skill, performance, and geographic location where work will be performed. Successful candidates may be able to participate in one or more incentive compensation or short-term incentive plans, which could generate additional earnings in accordance with the terms of each plan.

• Qualifying associates can enroll themselves and/or their eligible dependents in medical and prescription drug coverage;
• can participate in the H&R Block Retirement Savings Plan (401(k) Plan), the Employee Assistance Program, (virtual) fitness center programs, and the associate discount program;
• are automatically enrolled in Business Travel Accident Insurance;
• and receive Associate Tax Prep benefit.

Pay Range

$81,600.00 - $122,400.00/Yr.