About the job
Manager, Communications – Andretti Autosport
Reporting to: Director, Corporate Communications – Andretti Autosport
Department: Communications – Andretti Autosport
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Background:
Led by racing legend Michael Andretti, the Andretti Autosport team fields multiple entries in INDYCAR, Indy Lights, IMSA and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship; and has collaborations in Extreme E as Andretti United Extreme E and Australian Supercars as Walkinshaw Andretti United. The global racing enterprise boasts over 200 race wins, four INDYCAR Series championships, five Indy Lights titles, one Indy Pro 2000 and one USF2000 championship, a Silver Class GT4 championship and has captured victory five times at the famed Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. The team also holds two X Games Gold Medals and five U.S. rallycross championships.
Purpose of the Role:
Andretti Autosport has an opportunity for a Communications Manager to join our team! This role will handle the day-to-day communications needs for the INDYCAR team including all communications needs, scheduling, media relations and logistics for multiple drivers both at the track and away from race weekends. The ideal candidate will have second-to-none organizational skills as well as a strong attention to detail. Refined writing skills and general knowledge of the sporting media landscape are a must. You must be someone who thrives working in a fast-paced environment, be used to managing multiple stakeholders and work streams, be able to think on your feet and love working as part of a team.
General Summary:
This role will be based at our HQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, and will be required to travel to all INDYCAR events and possibly additional events outside of the INDYCAR schedule. You'll be reporting to the Director, Corporate Communications but will need to build strong relationships with people across both the wider Communications, Partnerships and Marketing teams. This role will require you to work on weekends and there may be some flexibility with working hours.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Serve as the main press officer for Andretti Autosport’s INDYCAR program facilitating any media needs
- Support and manage the day-to-day running of the communications team’s operations and activities
- Responsibility for the creation and distribution of high-quality written materials such as press releases, media briefs and other race weekend communications such as advances, day-end reports, driver quotes and recaps
- Own scheduling for communications needs for multiple INDYCAR drivers both away and at the track
- Conduct media pitching highlighting key moments throughout the INDYCAR season and pre-defined Andretti Autosport spokespeople to support the overall communications objectives
- Ability to effectively follow and execute a pre-defined plan in times of crisis
- Support in planning and executing strategic communications campaigns, engaging with diverse sectors and audiences
- Provide assistance with coverage monitoring, reporting and evaluation for the wider company and key internal stakeholders
- To effectively and professionally support photography, filming and media needs at the track, and work with key stakeholders and management across the company to result in positive media coverage for Andretti Autosport
- Assisting in the creation of quarterly, monthly, KPI and flash reports
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Excellent and thorough written skills with a keen attention to detail
- Proficiency in media pitching with results to share is preferred
- Inquisitive and self-starting in their nature, with the ability to manage individual workload
- Knows the value of teamwork and is able to work both proactively within a small team and co-ordinate the management of tasks within the team, as well as play an active role in the wider department
- Ability to build strong and meaningful relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally and become a trusted representative of the communications team
- Able to multi-task and juggle several ongoing projects at once
- Experience in a busy communications environment within a specialist communications/media/PR role
- Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills and the ability to confidently communicate with stakeholders of all levels of seniority throughout the business
- The ability to build strong and meaningful relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally and at all levels
- Able to work flexibly, adjusting working hours and occasional weekend travel when necessary
Andretti Autosport is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building a diverse, inclusive and high performing workplace.
Physical Demands
Physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time, stand, stoop, reach, walk up and down stairs.
- The role frequently uses hands and fingers for grasping and repetitive movements such as keyboarding and manipulating controls on electronic devices.
- The employee occasionally required to lift up to 25 lbs.
- Specific hearing abilities required in this job include: in-person one-on-one conversation, group or conference room, telephone.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, ability to adjust focus, ability to regularly view a computer monitor.
- This position requires employee to be able to communicate verbally.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- The noise level in the work environment is occasionally moderate to loud.
