PR & Communication Specialist

Koala is a high growth ecommerce startup originating in Sydney, Australia. We provide furniture for the digital age, and have become well known in Australia and Japan because of our approach to marketing & retail which is more akin to a tech-company. In just over 6+ years in Japan we have achieved significant growth and we're only just getting started! 

Koala’s mission is: Better furniture experiences, designed with the World in mind. Combining customer-centric products, a world-class technology and fulfillment platform, incredible customer service and social good; we are changing the way  in Japan people buy and enjoy furniture to create happier, healthier habitats.

Why we have this role @ Koala
Earned media and influencers are a key growth driver for brand awareness & revenue for Koala Japan. The chosen candidate will be someone who brings a modern approach to a traditional industry in Japanese PR & Communications, constantly on the lookout for new ways to grow the business via worthy PR stunts, campaigns & initiatives.

What key responsibilities does this role have @ Koala?

• Create PR & Communication strategies for brand, new products and promotions 
• Work with PR agency, lead ideation & execution of PR initiatives that will drive earned media or viral attention
• Develop PR plan and calendar monthly, quarterly in line with marketing strategy
• Work with other Marketing functions (Creative and Sales Marketing) to align brand voice, and communicate this across holistic media channels
• Content production of PR-related materials such as press releases, PR event production, campaigns etc
• Tap into a broad network of journalists & TV networks to drive earned media 
• Work with agencies, create and manage influencer campaign that will drive site traffic and conversion
• Plan & manage owned and earned social media contents and operations 
• Support to supervise metric driven reporting of PR & communication activities 
• Bring a revenue & growth-oriented mindset to PR
• Project management and future team management

Ideal background…

• 5+ years working experience with a PDCA cycle mindset
• Experience of learning a lot from work failures
• 3+ years experience of producing owned media content
• 5+ years experience working within a communications agency or in-house consumer brand
• Experience and enjoyment working in fast-paced global start-up business environment
• Prior contacts with local journalists and media preferred 
• Experience working within social media/ influencer marketing/ PR preferrable 
• Demonstrable knowledge showing use of data/how data informs PR
• Interest in growth or performance marketing, and how these interact with PR is a bonus
• Japanese native level and English business level is required

Treehouse Perks and Privileges…

Koala is only as good as its employees are happy - and we’re one happy international bilingual bunch! We offer our teams flexible hybrid working options and the freedom and autonomy to do their best work in a way that works for them from anywhere in the globe! Whether that’s working your own version of 9-6, working from home in your pajamas from time to time or hanging out at our Treehouse (this is what we call our office digs) in Omotesando, or enjoying the 20+ days annual leave (+generous time off for volunteer, parental, Koala life leave and more) you decide whatever helps you find your flow! The Treehouse has plenty of social activities to get involved with, including Thursday lunches, and help you get to know your fellow Koalas better as well as free Koala products for all employees - who better to shout from the tree tops how awesome our products are, right?! We also recognize that we can’t grow as a brand unless we support the growth of our teams so this is a strong focus for us via our Learning Management platform Juno, as well as individual and team growth budgets and dedicated days. Lastly and importantly our employee experience respects and embraces all families, formed, found and evolving. You’ll have access to our Employee Assistance Program, which includes unlimited sessions for financial, work, relationship, family or wellbeing support. We believe that simply doing ‘no harm’ isn’t good enough  So, how are we doing our part? BCorp Certified, WWF Partnership, volunteer days, a member of SoftLanding,  1% and so much more. All in all, the Koala Kommunity is a great place to hang out in and belong to!

Koalities we look for…

At Koala, we do things a little differently and we don’t shy away from the fact that we expect a lot from our employees! We want you to challenge expectations, always look to make a difference and give us something different from the norm. We want people that bring great energy, that have a long-game focus and are always curious to find new angles and approaches to the way we work. We're a team full of entrepreneurial spirit and have a relentless focus on 'what's next' but while always reviewing 'what's been done' and learning, growing and adapting. We're confident, but NEVER arrogant and we adapt to change uber quickly. Honesty and selflessness drive everything we do, as well as a total focus on exceeding our customers’ expectations. So if you feel like this could be you... well what are you waiting for? Drop us a line, and let's see what you've got! ;)

There’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ candidate, Koala is a place where everyone has opportunity. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day. We’re an equal opportunity employer, and recognize that a diverse workforce is crucial to our success as a business.

To read more, check out our careers, LinkedIn, or the great work we do with Work180.