Description
The Blue Nile Difference
We believe there are moments in life that have great meaning to people, which don't fall on the calendar of the traditional milestone occasions for gifting. Blue Nile is here to celebrate all of life's moments big and small.
Founded in 1999, Blue Nile is the Original On-line Jeweler. We are the largest online retailer of certified diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Our standards are among the highest of all jewelers. We provide a superior customer experience, extraordinary value and industry leading product quality and style. We obsess about our customers and are passionate about providing each customer with an amazing experience.
We embrace a culture of adaptability. Our teams are committed to innovation, creativity and collaboration. We value hard-work, flexibility and curiosity and collaborate to creatively solve problems, constantly improve and implement meaningful changes. Our team celebrates achievements and is inspired by success.
The Opportunity
As Director of Public Relations, you will lead Blue Nile efforts in championing our story among mainstream media, regional press, the industry trade and category influencers to drive Blue Nile brand awareness and recognition. Your skill as a collaborator, communicator, project manager and creative thought leader will connect the dots across the organization to allow development of a strategic communications strategy centered on celebrating Blue Nile as an innovative brand that is changing the landscape of the traditional jewelry category and leading the way through innovative products, customer centered experiences and an eTailor forward strategy the shares the value of meeting the needs of customers from online experiences to Blue Nile Showrooms. In addition, you will build the reputation of Blue Nile as a growing force within the category and financial performer.
The right candidate will drive our strategic approach to PR, advocate and align our program internally and create winning executional programs that capture both media interest and consumer attention. In addition, you'll integrate programming that supports performance of our ecommerce-based business through link building and site authority activities. This position will report to the VP of Brand Marketing.
If you are ready to demonstrate your leadership capabilities in a category centered on "brilliance", Blue Nile is your place.
Capabilities

• Strategist / Creative Innovator: Define a clear PR / Communication strategy, to propel annual, seasonal and project objectives, while also being able to translate into creative ideas and approaches to telling the Blue Nile Story.
• Agency Performance Management: Experience managing PR agency with the ability to develop comprehensive agency strategy directly tied to Blue Nile Company and brand initiatives while driving executional performance.
• Communication: Develop high impact presentations that communicate our strategy, key insights and results with key audiences and senior executives
• Media / Influencer Savvy: Understand the national media landscape including fashion press seasonal and data trends, on both a hyper-local and national scale and are comfortable driving story idea / outcomes with this audience.
• Leadership: Exhibit leadership and influencing skills including the ability to collaborate across multiple stakeholders, drive teams for outcomes and results, manage ambiguity and influence others to enable buy-in and action

Key responsibilities

• Develop the annual strategic PR and communications plan, driving all national PR initiatives Pitch national media on both print and digital product/fashion stories. Secure and strategize press for key media outlets.
• Establish Blue Nile as the brand that is revolutionizing the category through a customer centric approach to servicing and supporting our customer's lifetime jewelry needs while consistently delivering strong financial performance.
• Manage annual relationship with agency partners while driving execution to meet agreed upon budget and timelines while both defining and delivering KPIs (Print, Broadcast, on-line and influencer outlets)
• Develop relationships with key editors and fashion press / influencers to improve coverage of Blue Nile within the category.
• Own Seattle press by building our reputation and story in our home city.
• Lead cross functional relationships with brand, product development and other key departments within the company to identify critical product differentiation for storytelling on both regular business and new products
• Accountable for ensuring key stakeholders (both internal and external) are informed, updated and supportive of direction and plans
• Drive consistency of brand messaging to fashion press both nationally and locally.
• Manage team that handles influencer relations and partners to plan, schedule, execute, and measure influencer programs directly tied to seasonal and ongoing brand objectives
• Manage team that drives collaboration and programming through our social media channels to ensure integrated communication strategy across consumer facing platforms

Cultural Fit and Qualifications

• You are a strong cultural fit and can thrive within Blue Nile's Guiding Principles: Delight every customer, Create amazing jewelry; Operate as one team; Help each other grow; Be bold; Take ownership; Deliver Quality results; and Find joy in the everyday.
• Highly organized with the ability to juggle multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to collaborate with and influence internal and external partners
• Self-starter with strong initiative, ownership and accountability for business
• Ability to work efficiently in a high-pressure, fast paced, deadline driven environment
• Highly engaged in the fashion world; continually up on news in the industry to drive ideas for Blue Nile
• An outstanding professional will have a Bachelor s Degree in Public Relations or Communications with 7+ years of relevant PR experience
• Working knowledge / experience within social media / influencer marketing.
• Experience in the fashion industry a plus
• Experience with national press required
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required