Head of Media Relations

This is a global role, responsible for protecting and enhancing Nokia's reputation across all media, while positioning the company as a market leader advancing the future of connectivity (AI Supercycle) . You will manage a team of media relations experts who are audience-centric and cover corporate, core products and solutions, and key regions. Your team will be responsible for creating and delivering proactive, strategic media plans that communicate Nokia's strategy, financials, key capabilities and key achievements to help deliver agreed business outcomes and establish Nokia's leadership. Collaborating with senior stakeholders across Nokia's Global Leadership Team, Business Groups and Functions, and communicate regularly with senior journalists across the world to build Nokia's reputation as an innovative technology leader.

The position will also be responsible for managing Nokia's media relations agencies and freelance journalists to drive best coverage for Nokia in the most efficient manner while ensuring strategic alignment across all external communications.

• Responsible for protecting and enhancing Nokia's reputation while positioning Nokia as the market leader that’s advancing connectivity 

• Develops and executes comprehensive media strategies that establish Nokia's competitive advantage and thought leadership, including proactive plans for thought leadership, breaking news, and innovative storytelling across key audiences and growth areas 

• Provides expert counsel to senior leaders, leads financial results communications, and develops Nokia executives as recognized industry thought leaders and sought-after media sources 

• Collaborates across Nokia to define company's position on various issues while helping to anticipate likely reactions to messaging 

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with tier-1, trade, and regional media across global markets 

• Simplifies complex technical messages for external audiences while maintaining accuracy and impact

• Develops and executes rapid response strategies during crisis situations, monitors competitive landscape for threats/opportunities, and brings external perspective to internal discussions 

• Manages media training programs for Nokia leadership to enhance their media effectiveness and messaging consistency 

• Manages global team of media relations experts and Nokia's media relations agencies, allocating resources and ensuring optimal ROI and strategic alignment 

• Measures impact of media relations through agreed measurements, including MCA scorecard, sentiment analysis, and business correlation metrics, and plans/manages the Media Relations budget

Key interfaces

• Nokia Group Leadership Team 

• GMC leadership team and peers

• Business leaders 

• Regional communications teams and country leadership

• Functions including Finance for earnings communications

• External media relations agencies and consultants

• Tier-1, trade, and regional media contacts globally

Role requirements

• Ensure Nokia’s key messages land well with the media, telling Nokia’s story in a focused way 

• Growing our footprint in the media circles in relation to AI Supercycle ecosystem 

• Establish Nokia executives as top-tier industry spokespeople and trusted media sources in their domains

• Ensure crisis communication readiness that maintains stakeholder confidence and minimizes reputational damage during challenging periods

• Build and maintain media relationships that provide Nokia with preferential access and coverage opportunities

• Deliver consistent messaging alignment across all Nokia communications while enabling business group flexibility

• Achieve budget targets while maximizing media coverage impact and reach

• Maintain Nokia's position as a go-to source for industry commentary and thought leadership

• Ensure all media activities support business objectives and demonstrably contribute to commercial outcomes

• Foster a culture of external thinking and media readiness across Nokia's leadership team

• Build best-in-class media relations capabilities that position Nokia ahead of key competitors

• At least 10+ years relevant media relations experience with progressive leadership responsibility in a similar position 

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills (in English) with a notable ability to convert complex ideas into compelling stories

• Proven ability to deliver key messages in an innovative fashion that encourages maximum engagement and media pickup

• Experience in leading media relations for financial reporting and major corporate announcements

• Experience in collaborating with senior management and building extensive networks both inside and outside the business

• Excellent existing relevant media contacts and a proven ability to communicate effectively with media across multiple markets

• Skilled at honing stories and delivering relevant media pitches that result in high-quality coverage

• Excellent crisis management skills and strong experience in managing sensitive communications situations

• Solid process and governance experience with ability to maintain consistency across global operations

• Experience of working in a matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities

• Proven experience in team leadership and people management managing a distributed global teams

• Clear understanding of business impact of communications and ability to demonstrate ROI of media relations efforts

• Experience working in a large, listed, international company, preferably in technology sector

• Experience managing budgets and external agencies/consultants effectively

It would be nice if you also had:

• Background in emerging technology communications (5G, AI, cloud, IoT)

• Experience positioning companies as technology thought leaders and industry shapers

• Multilingual capabilities

• Experience with modern media monitoring and analytics tools

• Background in investor communications or financial PR