About this role
We are seeking a communications leader to own media relations, public relations, and messaging strategy for Compound Foundation as the Compound ecosystem enters its next chapter.
Reporting to the Head of Marketing, this role is for a hands-on operator who can set narrative direction and execute against it — shaping how Compound Foundation and the Compound ecosystem are understood by press, partners, institutions, and the broader market. You will own the media strategy end to end, from building relationships with reporters to landing coverage in top-tier business and crypto press, and you will serve as the connective tissue between our story and the journalists, partners, and stakeholders who carry it. This is initially an individual contributor role, with potential external agency support.
You will be expected to lead from the front: writing and refining messaging, pitching reporters directly, preparing executives as spokespeople, and managing communications through high-stakes and time-sensitive moments. This is a builder's role for someone who can bring this discipline to an organization that is fast-moving and is establishing a dedicated communications function.
What you’ll do
- Own media relations and public relations strategy for Compound Foundation, from narrative development through placement, across both traditional financial and crypto-native media.
- Build and maintain direct relationships with reporters, editors, and producers at tier-1 business outlets and leading crypto publications.
- Land interviews, briefings, and feature coverage, and develop the pitches and news hooks that make the Compound ecosystem worth covering.
- Lead spokesperson strategy: identify the right voices for the right moments, prepare executives for interviews and media engagements, and develop messaging and talking points.
- Develop and steward Compound Foundation's core narrative and messaging, ensuring consistency across press, partner communications, executive thought leadership, and public channels.
- Partner with business development and leadership to translate product milestones, partnerships, and launches across the Compound ecosystem into compelling, newsworthy stories.
- Lead crisis and issues communications for Compound Foundation: anticipate risks, prepare response plans, and manage messaging calmly and decisively under pressure.
- Build the systems, calendars, and processes that turn reactive communications into a proactive, sustained program.
- Coach and align internal stakeholders on communications best practices, with a focus on the highest-impact communications priorities.
What success looks like
- Compound Foundation builds a credible, sustained presence in tier-1 business media and maintains selective, high-quality coverage in crypto-native press.
- Executives are well-prepared, consistent, and confident spokespeople, supported by clear messaging and disciplined preparation.
- Compound Foundation's narrative is coherent and compelling across its external touchpoints, and lands with the institutional and partner audiences that matter most.
- Product milestones, partnerships, and launches are consistently translated into earned coverage that reaches the right audiences.
- The organization is prepared for high-stakes and sensitive moments, with response plans and messaging ready before they are needed.
- Communications shifts from ad hoc and reactive to a proactive, well-run program with a clear calendar and measurable outcomes.
- You become a trusted advisor to executive leadership on reputation, positioning, and public engagement.
Requirements
- 6+ years of experience in communications, public relations, or media relations, including substantial experience owning media strategy and execution.
- A demonstrated track record of landing coverage and interviews in top-tier business media, with strong existing relationships across both traditional financial and crypto media.
- Experience leading spokesperson strategy, including preparing and supporting executives for high-profile media engagements.
- Direct crisis and issues communications experience, with the judgment and composure to manage messaging under pressure.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to craft press materials, messaging, and narratives that resonate with sophisticated audiences.
- Strong news judgment and the ability to identify and build newsworthy hooks rather than simply distributing announcements.
- A high degree of ownership and the ability to operate independently in a fast-paced environment without an established communications function to lean on.
- Comfort working directly with executives, partners, and reporters, and the credibility to advise senior stakeholders.
- Experience in crypto or DeFi, with an understanding of how these audiences and media ecosystems work.
Qualifications
- Familiarity with institutional and B2B communications, particularly where the primary audience is partners and enterprises rather than retail.
- An existing network across financial and technology press that can be activated quickly.
- Comfort translating complex or technical subject matter into clear, accessible stories for non-specialist audiences.
About Compound
Compound Foundation supports the development, adoption, and responsible growth of Compound - one of DeFi's original lending protocols with over $57B in loans processed - and related decentralized finance tools. We’re now focused on Compound’s next chapter: building Compound V4, the universal credit layer.
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