Communications Lead in Istanbul, Turkey

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As part of Microsoft’s Global Communications team, you will join a group of professionals focused on telling stories that help people fall in love with Microsoft, the things we make and the impact we have in the world. 

We are looking for an experienced communications professional to join our Global Media Relations Team as Communications Lead for Türkiye and Southeast Europe (SE) , part of our CEMA (Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa) Area. The role offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable experiences and insights into and co-shape storytelling at the intersection of society and technology during a period of significant technological change.

The successful candidate will be responsible for engaging with a range of stakeholders to create and execute a communications strategy aligned to global storytelling priorities and local business needs. They will focus on securing impactful editorial coverage in top media in Türkiye and other key markets within Southeast Europe as needed (in partnership with Comms colleagues), creating compelling customer success stories , and developing thought leadership to position Microsoft as the most trusted and innovative partner for digital transformation of businesses and public sector organizations. They will also support local and regional leadership with strategic employee and executive communications, in particular, acting as a strategic advisor and providing communications support to the Türkiye GM and General Manager for Microsoft Southeast Europe (SE).

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in corporate communications and media relations , with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a similar role. They should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, a good balance of strategic thinking and the ability to achieve, experience in stakeholder engagement and the ability to work proactively. They should also have a deep understanding of the digital landscape and be able to identify and capitalize on opportunities to drive engagement with key audiences and work as an external communications advisor to the country leadership team.

If you are a seasoned professional looking for an exciting opportunity to grow and have impact, we would love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Communications strategy planning and executing.

• Media and influencer relations.

• Orchestration and agency management.

• Reputation management, managing issues and crisis communication.

• As trusted advisor contribute to executive and employee communications.

• Create relevant, newsworthy stories about how Microsoft drives the AI and digital transformation of core industries – by helping organizations of all sizes to become more innovative, sustainable and resilient; substantiate our storytelling with compelling customer success stories that put a strong emphasis on business outcomes and societal impact. 

• Establish and own the process of landing those stories across earned, owned and amplifiedmedia.

• Serve as a corporate spokesperson, as needed; and ensure we have a strong bench of relevant and trained spokespeople. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications  

• Media Relations experience – strong and active relationships witha wide range of Turkish and English-speaking journalists and influencers based in Türkiye and beyond.

• Ability to manage corporate and solution-focused communication and storytelling, develop compelling, concise, creative, and credible fact-based messaging and stories.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communications skills. 

• Strategic thinking rooted in market knowledge and business acumen.

• Sound judgement and decision-making ability in complex and dynamic scenarios.

• Ability to orchestrate diverse perspectives and stay calm under pressure.

• Experience with issues management and crisis communication.

• Great team player. 

Preferred Qualifications  

• Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders and prioritize for the highest impact. 

• Thrives in fast-changingenvironment and can adapt plans accordingly. 

• Growth mindset with proven track record for new, innovative approaches and smart risk taking. 

• Experience with employee and executive communications.

Languages  

• Fluent in Turkish and English – speaking, writing and reading.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .