External Communications Executive

The Dot Group; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Pension

Private Healthcare

Job summary

The Dot Group in Austin, TX is seeking a hands-on Communications professional to oversee external communications across Dot and its portfolio. You will draft press releases, create social content, manage website updates, and support events, with scope across PR, media relations, SEO and audience insights.

This role suits a strong writer with experience across media relations, listening, content creation and crisis support, willing to work flexible hours including out-of-hours when needed.

Qualifications

• Excellent writing skills with strong attention to detail
• Confident using social media professionally
• Comfortable working with data and analytics
• Willingness to work flexibly, including out-of-hours support

Responsibilities

• Draft press releases, media pitches, statements and Q&A materials
• Build relationships with journalists across corporate, property, higher-education, investment and consumer titles
• Monitor media coverage, social conversation and trends for insights
• Keep corporate websites up to date using CMS and apply SEO/GEO best practices
• Plan and manage the social media calendar; create and edit content for articles, blogs and posts
• Coordinate events, conferences and awards entries; prepare speaker materials
• Follow brand guidelines and manage reputational risk; assist with crisis responses
• Compile regular reports on coverage, website and social performance

Skills

Excellent writing

Attention to detail

Social media proficiency

Data-driven

Flexibility

Tools

SEO tools

GEO tools

AI search

Job description

About Dot

Dot is home to a set of businesses united by a bold ambition: to redefine student living and support over one million students each year.

About Dot

Dot is home to a set of businesses united by a bold ambition: to redefine student living and support over one million students each year. Spanning 180+ cities in 30 countries, our companies include, Global Student Accommodation (GSA), Yugo and Student.com. Together, we bring global scale and local insight, powered by more than 2000 passionate people. We believe progress happens when people come together with purpose. We're committed to building long term value through everything we do. With three decades of continuous evolution, Dot's strength lies in how we work. We are pioneering, purposeful and positive, driving smart, sustainable growth across our portfolio. We connect expertise with opportunity to turn ideas into impact and momentum into lasting change.

Our Values

• Pioneering: With three decades of groundbreaking achievements and a passion for international expansion, our distinctive proposition remains stronger than ever
• Purposeful: Every action we take is intentional, designed to align with our values and create lasting benefits for our people, communities, and the planet
• Positive: We tackle challenges with resilience and seek to create a supportive and empowering environment for our teams and communities

Role Purpose

You will deliver the Group's external communications day to day across Dot and its portfolio companies - from drafting press materials and managing website updates to creating social content, gathering insights and supporting events.

It is a hands-on role with broad exposure, suited to a strong writer with ambitions to develop experience across all elements of communications.

Requirements

PR and media relations

• Draft press releases, media pitches, statements, Q&As and briefing notes
• Build relationships with journalists across corporate, property, higher-education, investment and consumer titles
• Handle routine media enquiries and coordinate interviews and spokesperson requests
• Prepare spokesperson briefing packs, researching journalists, outlets and topics

Insight and listening

• Monitor media coverage, social conversation and trends for the Group on key issues, including on platforms where students are active
• Track policy and sector news to help shape our communications plans

Website and GEO

• Keep the corporate website(s) up to date, accurate and on brand using the CMS
• Publish news, case studies and campaign content, applying SEO, GEO and accessibility best practice
• Track how Dot and its brands appear in AI-powered search and answer tools, and flag inaccuracies

Social media and content

• Plan and manage the social media calendar across channels
• Write, edit and publish content including articles, blogs, newsletters and posts
• Create and edit short-form video and visual content, and brief designers or videographers where needed
• Use generative AI tools responsibly to work efficiently, in line with Group policy

Events

• Coordinate logistics and communications for conferences, awards entries and owned events
• Prepare speaker materials and capture content for use across channels

Risk Awareness

• Follow approval processes and brand guidelines for all external content
• Spot and accelerate emerging reputational risks quickly, in the media or on social platforms
• Support issues and crisis responses, including monitoring, logging and drafting holding statements, and join the out-of-hours rota when required

Reporting

• Compile regular reports on coverage, website and social performance, highlighting what's working and what to change
• Maintain media, content, events and stakeholder trackers

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Up to 5 years in communications, PR, marketing or journalism (ambitious graduates with relevant internships welcome)
• Excellent writing skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Confident using social media professionally and creating engaging content
• Comfortable working with data and explaining what it shows
• Willingness to work flexibly, including out-of-hours support when issues arise

Desirable

• Exposure to corporate / B2B media in real estate, financial services, or hospitality and leisure
• Experience of B2C communications in an operational, customer-facing business
• Video skills: filming, editing and producing content for social
• Experience with communications platforms, including media databases, listening and analytics tools
• Understanding of SEO, GEO or AI search
• Interest in international markets; additional languages a plus

Personal Attributes & Competencies

• Organised, able to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Good judgement and awareness of reputational risk
• Curious and insight-minded: notices what matters and asks 'so what?'
• Collaborative, working well across brands, teams and time zones
• Proactive and keen to learn

What Success Looks Like In Year One

• Website and social channels consistently up to date, accurate and on brand
• Regular listening and insight summaries that the team acts on
• A growing network of journalist contacts and regular secured coverage
• AI search visibility tracked monthly, with inaccuracies flagged and corrected
• Regular performance reports delivered on time
• Trusted to draft external materials needing minimal edits
• A reliable contributor during issues, handling routine enquiries with confidence

Benefits

• Bonus scheme, Pension, Private Healthcare + other benefits.