Chief Communications Officer

At Ocean First Bank, each one of our employees plays an important role in delivering value to our customers and executing daily tasks in accordance with our core values. We recognize that our employees are essential to our success, making Ocean First a great place to work and do business.

Great benefits include: employee perks & discount programs, tuition assistance, incentive compensation program, professional development opportunities, and more!

This is an opportunity to lead the next chapter of communications for a growing, respected financial institution.

The Chief Communications Officer will serve as the Bank's senior communications strategist and trusted advisor to the CEO, Chief of Staff, executive team, and Board. This highly visible role will shape how the Bank tells its story, engages stakeholders, strengthens its reputation, and supports continued growth. The successful candidate will unite corporate, executive, employee, customer, media, community impact, ESG, reputation, and crisis communications under a clear enterprise strategy, ensuring communications actively advance the Bank's priorities.

This leader will translate strategy into compelling narratives, coordinate stakeholder engagement, and help the Bank anticipate growth-related opportunities and risks. The role also offers the opportunity to build the communications function, establishing standards, an operating model, stronger capabilities and talent, and more sophisticated measurement, analytics, and AI-enabled approaches. For an accomplished communications executive, this is a chance to shape the Bank's voice, reputation, and trajectory at an important point in its evolution.

• Define the communications strategy for the enterprise. Develop and own a multi-year communications strategy that supports the Bank's business plan, growth objectives, reputation, brand, and value proposition.
• Be a strategic partner to the CEO. Serve as the CEO's principal communications advisor and partner with the Chief of Staff to develop an integrated CEO communications strategy, annual plan, and rolling 90-day calendar.
• Elevate executive visibility. Develop integrated stakeholder and thought-leadership strategies for the CEO and senior leadership, spanning customers, prospects, employees, investors, media, community, industry, and digital channels.
• Lead through moments that matter. Establish the communications framework for crises, issues, regulatory developments, M&A, and other high-stakes corporate events. Serve as the senior communications decision-maker and escalation point when the Bank's reputation or stakeholder relationships are at risk.
• Crisis Strategy. Sets the strategic framework for crisis and issues management and serves as the senior decision-maker and escalation point during high-stakes events such as mergers, acquisitions, regulatory matters, and crises.
• Build a high-performing function. Lead, coach, and develop the broader communications team. Build the talent, capabilities, processes, and resources required to support an increasingly sophisticated enterprise.
• Bring the enterprise together. Partner across the Office of the CEO, Marketing, Investor Relations, Human Resources, Finance, Legal, ESG, and the lines of business to ensure a coordinated approach and a unified enterprise voice.
• Bring the enterprise together. Defines and manages the CEO's integrated stakeholder‑engagement strategy and schedule, including customer and prospect meetings, employee communications, investor engagements, media appearances, Linked In and social content, community events, and industry. Directs executive visibility and thought‑leadership strategy for the CEO and C‑suite, aligned to the Bank's strategic priorities. Partner…