Strategy & Operations Manager

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.

As a member of the Communications team, you’ll be on the cutting edge of bringing autonomous driving technology to the public, developing strategies that will increase understanding, acceptance, and adoption of this life-saving technology. We work with reporters, editors, bloggers, and other influencers to tell stories about Waymo and the potential of our technology to change how we move and live. We partner with the engineering, business, policy, marketing, and product teams to create messaging for new products and other initiatives, counter misinformation, and shape our reputation.

We are hiring for a Strategy and Operations Manager, Public Relations. This is a rare opportunity to build the operational backbone for the team telling the story of the world’s leading autonomous driving technology. You won't just be working on PR; you'll be designing the scalable systems that allow us to launch new cities, execute world-class demos, and protect our reputation in one of the most interesting and watched industries on the planet.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and reports to the Head of Public Relations.  

You will:

• Drive Communications Operations: Establish and manage scalable processes for the Communications team, including media routing, resource management, and maintaining up-to-date team toolkits.
• Support High-Impact Events: Support PR team on end-to-end execution of press events and demonstrations, ensuring seamless coordination between cross-functional partners.
• Manage External Partner Relationships: Oversee agency and vendor selection process, budgeting and relationships to ensure high-quality delivery.  
• Champion Data & Reporting: Identify the team’s evolving data needs and implement the right tools and frameworks to provide ongoing, actionable insights into communications impact and reach.    
• Prepare Spokespeople: Help lead spokesperson training and briefing preparation for executives and subject matter experts to ensure message consistency.    
• Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with product, engineering, and policy teams to ensure communications strategies are integrated and support broader business objectives. 

You have:

• 10+ years of experience in communications or public relations, ideally at a high-growth or technology company.
• Proven track record in media relations, event management, and working directly with event organizers.
• Experience developing and executing communications strategies across product, business, and rapid-response scenarios.
• Exceptional writing and storytelling skills with a sharp eye for detail and tone.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple complex projects independently while maintaining a high bar for excellence.
• A strategic and resourceful mindset, with the proven ability to transition between high-level planning and tactical execution.

We prefer:

• Experience within the technology, automotive, or autonomous vehicle industries (in house or agency)
• Direct experience launching new products or entering new markets with a sophisticated communications playbook.
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field, preferred but not required.
• A creative approach to audience engagement, with a history of finding innovative ways to reach both internal and external stakeholders.

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process. 

Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements. 

Salary Range$200,000—$247,000 USD