External Communication Specialist

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

The External Communications Specialist will support the development and execution of Sun Life Indonesia’s external communications strategy to strengthen brand reputation, build positive media presence, and reinforce Sun Life’s position as a trusted and credible partner in financial protection, health, financial literacy, and sustainability. The role will work closely with internal stakeholders, regional communications, agency partners, and external media to deliver clear, engaging, and compliant communications that support business priorities and reputation management objectives.

Key Accountabilities

• External Communications Planning: Develop and execute integrated communication plans that strengthen Sun Life Indonesia’s reputation with clients, partners, job seekers, advisors, employees, regulators, industry stakeholders, and the media.
• Media Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, media organizations, industry associations, and relevant external stakeholders to generate positive, high-quality earned media coverage.
• Content Development: Draft, edit, and localize external communication materials including press releases, media pitches, briefing notes, executive talking points, Q&As, bylined articles, opinion pieces, award submissions, and stakeholder updates.
• Thought Leadership and Executive Visibility: Support campaigns, speaking opportunities, executive profiling, and media engagements that position Sun Life Indonesia as a trusted voice in financial resilience, insurance protection, health, wellness, sustainability, and financial literacy.
• Media Engagement and Events: Coordinate press conferences, media briefings, interviews, media visits, spokesperson preparation, media invitations, event run-downs, and post-event follow-ups.
• Reputation and Issues Management: Monitor media sentiment, industry developments, competitor activity, and emerging reputation risks; support issues management through timely messaging, holding statements, Q&As, stakeholder updates, and post-issue learnings.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, distribution, partnership, legal, compliance, customer experience, HR, regional communications, and external agency partners to ensure messaging is accurate, aligned, timely, and compliant.
• Storytelling and Advocacy: Develop and amplify client, advisor, partner, and community stories that make Sun Life Indonesia’s impact more authentic, relatable, and relevant to the public.

Performance Measurement: Track, analyze, and report external communications performance including earned media volume, positive sentiment, share of voice, message pull-through, speaking opportunities, engagement, and campaign impact.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Communications: Ability to translate business priorities into clear, audience-relevant external communication plans and messages.
• Media Relations and Storytelling: Strong understanding of Indonesia’s media landscape with the ability to shape compelling story angles, media pitches, and executive narratives.
• Writing and Content Development: Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills in Bahasa Indonesia and English, with the ability to produce polished communication materials for media and external stakeholders.
• Issues and Reputation Management: Sound judgment in identifying sensitive issues, preparing clear messaging, and supporting calm, coordinated communication responses.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions, senior stakeholders, agency partners, and regional teams.
• Project Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple campaigns, deadlines, approvals, vendors, and deliverables with attention to detail.
• Digital and Social Awareness: Familiarity with online news cycles, social media trends, SEO-friendly writing, and content amplification across digital channels.
• Data and Measurement: Ability to interpret media monitoring reports, campaign metrics, sentiment analysis, and communications performance dashboards.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from a reputable university; Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 3-5 years of professional experience in external communications, public relations, corporate communications, media relations, journalism, or a related field.
• Preferred Background: Experience in financial services, insurance, health, consumer brands, PR agencies, or multinational corporations is an advantage.
• Media Network: Established media relationships and strong understanding of Indonesia’s business, lifestyle, health, financial services, and insurance media landscape.
• Executive Communications: Experience supporting executive profiling, interviews, media engagements, press events, and speaking opportunities.
• Portfolio: Writing samples or portfolio demonstrating press materials, media pitches, thought leadership content, or corporate storytelling are preferred.

Key Success Measures

• Increased volume and quality of positive earned media coverage for Sun Life Indonesia.
• Successful delivery of media engagement, executive visibility, thought leadership, sustainability, and financial literacy communication initiatives.
• Timely and accurate development of communication materials that are aligned with brand, business, legal, and compliance requirements.
• Effective monitoring and escalation of reputation risks, media sentiment, and emerging issues.
• Clear reporting of communications performance, insights, and recommended actions to support continuous improvement.

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