📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: VP, Communications (Remote, Nationwide)
🔹 Company: Edelman Financial Engines
🔹 Location: United States (Remote)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Financial Services
🔹 Date Posted: April 11, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: Remote (Nationwide)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Transforming Edelman Financial Engines' communications strategy
- Leading an in-house team to deliver compelling storytelling and content
- Guiding the approach to building EFE-owned assets and driving earned media and thought leadership
- Collaborating with executives and partners to deliver corporate communications goals
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic and creative communications professional with a strong background in editorial content creation and consumer finance experience.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Create and drive our editorial direction and point of view, distributed through a content platform that delivers scaled awareness, engagement, and preference for EFE amongst our target audience
✅ Influence and inform our messaging and content strategy to deliver breakthrough and compelling content
✅ Cast, coach, and cultivate our roster of financial planners as a foundation to our authentic content; collaborate with executives and partners to deliver corporate communications goals
✅ Innovate and be responsible for an earned media strategy that reaches and engages our target audiences and elevates our profile and awareness through social and PR channels; establish disruptive influencer strategies to expand our reach
✅ Inspire innovation in content creation, distribution, and engagement harnessing emerging trends, standard processes, and technology
✅ Develop and maintain relationships with key opinion leaders, industry stakeholders, and journalists to amplify our messages and content
✅ Lead and develop your team, making “build vs buy” decisions with people, agencies, and vendors to deliver best-in-class results
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong leader who can inspire and catalyze high-performing teams with purpose, while also being scrappy and agile in a fast-paced, high-velocity environment.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field
Experience: 15+ years in communications roles with an emphasis on editorial content creation, building content platforms, and influencing organizations to drive breakthrough messaging in crowded fields
Required Skills:
- Proven expertise in consumer finance and, ideally, wealth management with mass affluent audiences
- Demonstrated curiosity, agility, and ability to solve problems creatively and in partnership with others
- Excellent leadership, influence, and communications skills
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in consumer finance and wealth management with mass affluent audiences
- Extensive knowledge of using research, content, and relationships to drive organic reach through PR, social, influencer channels, and partnerships to drive thought leadership
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a proven track record in transforming communications strategies and driving breakthrough messaging in competitive fields.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $224,400 - $299,200 (based on national market data for this role)
Benefits:
- Discretionary Bonus
- Health Plans
- Dental Plans
- Wellness Plans
- 401(k) Contributions
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on market data for this role and may vary depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Financial Services
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (Mid-sized)
Founded: 1987 (38 years ago)
Company Description:
- Edelman Financial Engines helps over 1.3 million American families achieve their financial goals through personal, comprehensive financial planning and investment advice.
- The company combines advanced methodology and proprietary technology with the attention of a dedicated personal financial planner to deliver personalized plans and financial confidence.
- Edelman Financial Engines is committed to always acting in the best interests of its clients and has been recognized as America’s top independent financial planning and investment advisory firm by Barron's.
Company Specialties:
- Investment Management
- Retirement Planning
- Financial Planning
- Tax Planning
- 401(k)
- 401(k) Rollovers
- Roth IRA
- Estate Planning
- Insurance Guidance
- IRAs
- Wealth Planning
- Wealth Management
- Fiduciary
- and RIA
Company Website: EdelmanFinancialEngines.com
ASSUMPTION: Edelman Financial Engines is a well-established, market-leading player in the financial services industry, with a strong commitment to client-centricity and innovation.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Executive (VP level)
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for leading the communications team and strategy.
Work Arrangement: Remote (Nationwide)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to shape the communications strategy of a market-leading financial services firm
- Opportunity to build and lead a high-performing team of communications professionals
- Possibility to expand the role's scope and influence based on performance and company growth
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with the opportunity to make a substantial impact on the company's communications strategy and reputation.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Remote (Nationwide)
Office Location(s): United States (various locations)
Geographic Context:
- The United States is the primary market for Edelman Financial Engines, with clients and operations across the country.
- The company's headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, with additional offices in Fairfax, Virginia; Overland Park, Kansas; Boston, Massachusetts; Phoenix, Arizona; and Bangalore, India.
- This role can be based anywhere in the United States, with the expectation of occasional travel for meetings and events.
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexibility for remote work
ASSUMPTION: The remote work arrangement for this role allows for greater flexibility and work-life balance, while also enabling the candidate to work from anywhere in the United States.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screening with the HR team
- In-depth interviews with the hiring manager and other team members
- Final interviews with senior leadership
- Background check and reference check
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and communications expertise
- Leadership and team-building skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Edelman Financial Engines' values
- Problem-solving abilities and creativity
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, communications, and problem-solving skills
- Be ready to discuss your vision for transforming Edelman Financial Engines' communications strategy
- Showcase your understanding of the financial services industry and consumer finance trends
ATS Keywords: Communications strategy, editorial direction, content creation, messaging, media strategy, team leadership, influencer strategies, public relations, thought leadership, consumer finance, wealth management
ASSUMPTION: Edelman Financial Engines uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage job applications, so including relevant keywords in your resume can help your application stand out.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Content management systems (e.g., WordPress, Drupal)
- Social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook)
- PR and media relations tools (e.g., Cision, Muck Rack)
- Email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with these tools and technologies is preferred, but not required, as the right candidate will be able to learn and adapt quickly.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Client-centricity: Always acting in the best interests of our clients
- Integrity: Upholding the highest ethical standards in all our actions
- Innovation: Embracing change and continuous improvement
- Collaboration: Working together to achieve our collective goals
- Excellence: Striving for the highest standards in all we do
Work Style:
- Highly collaborative and team-oriented
- Fast-paced and agile, with a focus on execution and results
- Data-driven and analytical, with a strong emphasis on research and insights
- Adaptable and flexible, with a willingness to take on new challenges and learn new skills
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do your personal values align with Edelman Financial Engines' core values?
- How have you demonstrated your ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-velocity environment?
- How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with key opinion leaders, industry stakeholders, and journalists to amplify messages and content?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be able to demonstrate a strong cultural fit with Edelman Financial Engines' values and work style, as well as a proven track record of success in similar roles.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Transforming the communications strategy of a well-established, market-leading firm may require navigating internal stakeholders and overcoming resistance to change
- Driving breakthrough messaging in a competitive financial services landscape may necessitate innovative and unconventional approaches
- Leading a remote team may present unique challenges in terms of communication, collaboration, and team-building
- The role may require occasional travel for meetings and events, which could disrupt work-life balance
ASSUMPTION: The right candidate will be able to overcome these challenges and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike other communications roles, this position focuses on transforming the communications strategy of a market-leading financial services firm, rather than building a brand from scratch or managing day-to-day communications tasks
- This role requires a strong background in consumer finance and wealth management, as well as expertise in editorial content creation and media strategy
- Career progression in this role may involve expanding the scope of responsibilities and influencing the company's overall communications and marketing strategy
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a clear understanding of the unique aspects of this role and how it differs from other communications positions in the industry.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a comprehensive communications strategy to launch a new wealth management product or service
- Creating and implementing an earned media strategy to elevate the company's profile and awareness through social and PR channels
- Building and maintaining relationships with key opinion leaders, industry stakeholders, and journalists to amplify the company's messages and content
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic and innovative nature of the role, as well as the candidate's ability to drive meaningful results through communications and content.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does the company plan to support the transformation of its communications strategy, and what resources will be allocated to this initiative?
- What are the key priorities for the first 90 days in this role, and how will success be measured?
- How does the company approach collaboration and communication in a remote work environment, and what tools and technologies are used to facilitate teamwork?
- What opportunities exist for growth and development within the communications team and the broader organization?
- How does the company support work-life balance for its employees, particularly those in remote roles?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions will help you better understand the role, the company culture, and the expectations for success in this position.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, communications, and problem-solving skills
- Be ready to discuss your vision for transforming Edelman Financial Engines' communications strategy
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after your final interview to inquire about the status of your application
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
