Senior Communications & PR Manager

aikidosecurity; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Aikido, a San Francisco security startup, is hiring a Senior Communications & PR Manager to raise its presence among developers, security teams, and top-tier media. This role sits in the growth team and works with our Content Marketing Lead to shape and execute our communications strategy.

As the first in-house PR lead, you will spot opportunities in industry news, translate product updates into compelling stories, and build relationships with journalists, analysts, creators, and podcasts to

Qualifications

• 5+ years in PR, communications, or journalism.
• Strong network of media contacts across trade and top-tier publications.
• Ability to translate complex products into clear media stories.
• Comfortable working independently and taking initiative.

Responsibilities

• Shape and execute Aikido's communications strategy.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists across security, developer, and top tier media.
• Pitch stories, commentary, and research to relevant outlets.
• Identify industry news and trends and develop timely commentary with internal experts.
• Turn product launches, research, and marketing initiatives into PR opportunities.
• Work with product, marketing, and content to maintain a clear narrative.
• Build relationships with analysts, creators, influencers, podcasts, and other voices in the developer and security ecosystem.
• Partner with the events team to build in-person relationships with media.
• Coordinate with external PR partners when needed.
• Track and report on the performance of communications and PR activity.

Skills

Strong media network

Storytelling for media

Independent work

Job description

Location: San Francisco

We're making security suck less for developers.

Security tools haven't kept up with how software is built today. They interrupt teams, slow releases, and turn security into a bottleneck instead of a capability. We built Aikido to change that. Aikido builds developer-first security products that reduce real risk without getting in the way of shipping software. We focus on what actually matters and automate the rest.

We're taking on legacy security tools teams have been stuck with, and we're winning. If you want to help us take market share and build products developers actually enjoy using, you're in the right place.

Founded in 2022 by third-time founders, Aikido has $85M in the bank, a long runway ahead, and unicorn status. We're building toward self-securing software. Join an all-star team. Take real ownership. Push boundaries. Build things that matter.

We're hiring a Senior Communications & PR Manager to help build Aikido's presence among developers, security teams, and top-tier media.

Comms at Aikido sits within the growth team, and this role will work closely with our Content Marketing Lead to shape and execute our communications strategy. We're looking for someone who understands how the media works, has strong relationships with journalists, and knows how to turn product updates, research, and industry insight into stories people actually want to cover.

A big part of the role is spotting opportunities in industry news and trends where Aikido's perspective is relevant. You'll connect what's happening in the market with what we're building, and get those stories in front of the right audiences.

As our first dedicated in-house communications hire, you'll play a key role in shaping how Aikido approaches PR as we continue to grow.

Responsibilities

• Help shape and execute Aikido's communications strategy
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists across security, developer, and top tier media
• Pitch stories, commentary, and research to relevant outlets
• Independently identify industry news and trends where Aikido's perspective is relevant, and work with internal experts to develop timely commentary
• Turn product launches, research, and marketing initiatives into PR opportunities
• Work closely with product, marketing, and content to maintain a clear and consistent narrative
• Build relationships with analysts, creators, influencers, podcasts, and other voices in the developer and security ecosystem
• Partner with the events team to build in-person relationships with media
• Coordinate with external PR partners when needed
• Track and report on the performance of communications and PR activity

• 5+ years of experience in PR, communications, or journalism
• Strong network of media contacts across relevant trade and top-tier publications
• Ability to understand complex products and translate them into clear stories for the media
• Comfortable working independently and taking initiative

Nice To Have

• Experience working with developers or cybersecurity audiences
• Experience working in a fast-paced startup environment
• Background in journalism or strong writing skills
• Experience working with industry analysts