Americas Wealth Communications - Principal

Position Summary

KKR is seeking a well-rounded communications professional to lead Americas Wealth Communications, based in New York, as part of the firm’s global external communications team. The newly created role reports to the Global Head of Wealth Communications in London with a dotted line to U.S. External Communications leadership. They will focus on delivering high-impact media relations and communications programming to support the firm’s Global Wealth Solutions (GWS) business in the U.S., Canada and LatAm.

KKR GWS works with leading wealth platforms and financial advisors to provide eligible individual investors access to the same investment capabilities, strategic partnership and insights that KKR has delivered to the world’s largest institutional investors for decades.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on media relations expert, with a track record of scaling high-impact communications programs, strong technical knowledge and a passion for finance and investing. They will lead delivery of day-to-day communications support for GWS business activity in the Americas and partner closely with members of the external communications team on storytelling across all of KKR’s business areas. They will build relationships with a wide range of media outlets to communicate and build awareness for KKR with financial advisors and individual investors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead media relations for KKR’s wealth business in the Americas:
• Build strong relationships with reporters and editors across relevant business, investing and wealth publications.
• Plan and execute an “always-on” earned media program: story ideation, pitching, briefing materials, interview preparation, staffing interviews and follow-through.
• Manage media engagements for senior wealth spokespeople, ensuring strong preparation, message discipline and adherence to media ground rules.
• Support major wealth announcements and defining moments, helping shape positioning, manage media narratives and execute with rigor and attention to detail.
• Serve as the day-to-day owner of Americas wealth business for communications workflows:
• Manage intake, triage, prioritization and execution in close coordination with internal partners (including marketing, legal & compliance, product strategy, sales and relevant investing teams).
• Provide communications support for major wealth projects and workstreams, including new product and partnership launches, people news, quarterly product disclosures and ongoing efforts to serve Defined Contribution retirement plans.
• Support global wealth communications strategy planning, reporting, materials development and other projects in partnership with global wealth communications team.  
• Contribute to building out of wealth communications capabilities, including developing policies and processes, hiring and managing PR agencies and supporting ongoing reporting and data tracking.
• Contribute broadly to KKR’s external communications work, including supporting efforts beyond wealth, as part of a collaborative global team.
• Work closely alongside KKR’s global communications team to deliver coordinated external communications outcomes that support firm priorities, protecting and enhancing the firm’s brand and reputation.
• Execute announcements, media engagements and other communications workflows in support of KKR’s activities.
• Draft and edit communications content across formats, including messaging development and creating content such as articles, talking points, white papers, briefing packets, statements, fact sheets and scripts.
• Ensure that all communications projects are executed in conformance with legal, regulatory, risk and other applicable standards.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of relevant communications experience, including significant media relations responsibility; in-house and top financial PR agency experience preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of proactive earned media delivery at high pace/volume and the ability to generate story opportunities (not only respond to inquiries).
• Strong familiarity with the investing ecosystem (preferred: private markets, private wealth, capital allocation, or LP/institutional context); experience with public company or registered fund communications (deep knowledge of SEC disclosures and policies) is desirable.
• Established business, financial or wealth trade media relationships or a proven ability to build strong “like and trust” with the press.
• Exceptional judgment and comfort operating in an environment with regulatory, reputational, and business risk considerations; ability to manage highly sensitive, confidential information with complete discretion.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills; trusted advisor and thought partner to executive leadership with ability to interact, influence and communicate effectively within all levels of an organization.
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear, concise, media-ready messaging.
• Proven ability to take initiative, handle multiple projects simultaneously, take a hands-on approach to work, strong organizational skills, a critical eye for detail and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Team player capable of working with internal and external stakeholders in a way that reflects the firm’s core values and principles (high integrity, low ego, curious, commitment to excellence, respectful).
• Ability to work across borders, cultures and time zones, and demonstrated flexibility of communication style in order to operate effectively.

Additional Information

• Travel: moderate, including media roadshows and relationship-building in key cities across North America.