Vice President, Global Communications in San Francisco, California at Zendesk

Location: San Francisco, California, United States of America

Requisition ID: R35274

Position_Type: Full time

Job Description

Join us at Zendesk, where we're on a mission to power exceptional service for every person on the planet. We're accelerating that ambition by building products rooted in AI, automation, and intelligent customer experiences, because behind every interaction lies an opportunity to make a human connection.

We’re seeking a proven Vice President, Global Communications to lead enterprise-wide internal communications, executive and C‑suite advisory, analyst relations, and public relations. In this role, you will elevate Zendesk’s voice with employees, customers, analysts, and the media ensuring clear, trustworthy, and strategically aligned communications that advance our brand, support growth, and enable our AI-driven product and go-to-market priorities.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead and shape global communications strategy (internal and external) that advances Zendesk’s business objectives, product narrative, and AI-enabled positioning.
• Provide day-to-day counsel and strategic communications support to the C‑suite (CEO, CFO, SVPs) and senior leaders - prepare speeches, talking points, executive briefings, and media/analyst prep.
• Own enterprise internal communications for mission-critical initiatives (product launches, org change, M&A, major announcements) to ensure clarity, speed, and alignment across regions and functions.
• Direct external reputation programs: media relations, thought leadership, and public relations campaigns that drive share of voice and favorable influencer/media perception.
• Lead crisis and issues communications, developing playbooks, rapid response protocols, and cross-functional coordination with Legal, Investor Relations, and HR.
• Build and manage a high-performing global communications team, external agencies, and cross-functional partners; set priorities, budgets, KPIs, and measurement frameworks.
• Use data and insights to measure communications impact (awareness, sentiment, employee engagement, analyst feedback) and iterate on strategy.
• Work hand in hand with the Content & Brand strategy team to drive company and brand narrative & vision thru key internal and external channels

What you bring to the role

• 10+ years of progressive communications experience with 5+ years leading global, cross-functional communications teams (or equivalent agency leadership).
• Demonstrated experience advising and preparing C‑suite executives for complex, high-stakes stakeholder interactions.
• Proven track record in media/PR that resulted in measurable lifts in analyst recommendations, coverage quality, and/or share of voice.
• Strong crisis communications experience with demonstrated ability to lead rapid, cross-functional response under pressure.
• Strategic storyteller with excellent writing and presentation skills; able to craft concise executive messages and enterprise-wide narratives.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving SaaS/tech environment; experience with product-led, AI-enabled messaging is strongly preferred.
• Collaborative leader who builds influence across functions (Product, Marketing, Legal, IR, HR, Sales) and across regions.
• Experience as a Comms professional helping a company write an S-1 for a public offering a plus

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of communications experience (agency or in-house), including significant experience in enterprise/internal communications and external PR/analyst relations.
• 5+ years managing and scaling global communications teams or equivalent leadership responsibility.
• Proven experience advising executives and managing enterprise announcements, crisis communications, and cross-functional programs.
• Demonstrated AI literacy: comfortable using AI tools for drafting, ideation, research, and measurement, and able to assess how AI impacts messaging, risk, and channels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience at a high-growth SaaS or enterprise software company or agency with technology clients.
• Track record working with analysts (Gartner, Forrester, IDC) and achieving measurable analyst outcomes.
• Experience managing global communications budgets and external agency relationships ($1M+).
• Experience with M&A communications and coordination with Investor Relations.
• International experience across APAC/EMEA markets.

AI literacy requirement (required language)

• AI literacy is a core expectation for this role. You should be comfortable using AI and generative tools to accelerate content creation, research, executive prep, and measurement; understand risks (hallucination, privacy, brand voice drift) and controls; and be able to incorporate AI capabilities into communications workflows and governance.

#LI-WO1

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $320,000.00-$480,000.00. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.