Head of Corporate PR, Whatnot
$285-335k
+ Equity
Live stream platform & marketplace
Be an early applicant
Live stream platform & marketplace
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
$285-335k
+ Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce.
Role
Who you are
- The ideal candidate is a seasoned storyteller and strategic operator who thrives in fast-moving environments, knows how to manage complexity and nuance, and can counsel senior leaders with confidence. The focus areas for this role are:
- Curious about who thrives at Whatnot? We've found that low ego, a growth mindset, and leaning into action and high impact goes a long way here
- As our Director, Head of Corporate PR, you should have 12+ years of communications experience, plus:
- Deep expertise shaping corporate narratives for high-growth companies, ideally within consumer tech, marketplace, fintech, or creator-driven industries
- Strong relationships across business, financial, and trade press – from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg to industry-specific outlets covering commerce, retail, and the creator economy
- A track record of leading communications through high-stakes moments: fundraises, executive transitions, regulatory scrutiny, product issues, and rapid growth
- Exceptional writing and messaging skills, with the ability to translate complex business situations into clear, credible, and compelling narratives
- Experience partnering directly with C-suite executives – you're a trusted advisor who can push back, move fast, and deliver under pressure
- Strong people management experience – you've built and led high-performing teams and know how to develop talent while staying hands-on yourself
- Low ego and high ownership: you're equally comfortable in a strategy meeting and drafting a statement at midnight
- A builder's mentality: you're excited about creating programs, playbooks, and processes from the ground up in a fast-changing environment
- You are a problem solver with sharp judgment and the ability to stay calm when the stakes are high
What the job involves
- Whatnot's mission is to enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce
- We're looking for a strong communications leader to join the Communications & Policy team to help shape how the world understands Whatnot – our business momentum, our leadership in live, and our role in the broader commerce landscape
- The Director, Head of Corporate PR will lead our corporate PR strategy, building and protecting Whatnot's reputation with the press, key partners, and the broader industry
- Corporate Brand & Business Narrative: Own the PR strategy that establishes Whatnot as the defining company in live commerce – with business press, financial media, and industry influencers
- You'll shape how we articulate our growth, our market position, and our vision for the future of shopping, translating complex business developments into clear, compelling stories that resonate with sophisticated audiences
- You'll own executive thought leadership programs that build visibility for senior leaders across business press, podcasts, and industry stages
- Financial Communications: Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Data and the leadership team to lead communications around financial milestones and strategic announcements
- You'll develop the narratives and materials that inform and excite key audiences, ensuring Whatnot's story is told accurately and ambitiously in moments that matter most
- Reputation Management: Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on reputational risk, developing the frameworks, playbooks, and instincts to navigate sensitive situations with speed and judgment
- You'll build a proactive issues management practice that anticipates challenges before they arise and responds decisively when they do – protecting Whatnot's credibility with all stakeholders
- B2B, Partner & Industry Communications: Lead communications that deepen Whatnot's credibility and visibility with sellers, brand partners, and the broader commerce and creator economy ecosystem
- You'll build relationships with trade and industry press, support key partnership announcements, and position Whatnot as the platform of choice for the next generation of live commerce entrepreneurs
- This role will report into the VP of Communications & Policy
Our take
Live shopping is changing the way people engage with eCommerce and Whatnot is one of the key platforms driving this shift. The company operates across the US, UK, and Europe, where millions of people connect each day to buy, sell, and build communities around shared interests.
Founded in 2019, Whatnot allows real-time auctions where buyers can watch sellers showcase products and share their expertise, creating a more interactive and personal shopper experience. Sellers include individual creators and small businesses who use live shows to reach audiences and grow their online presence.
As of 2025, the company reports over $6B in sales, with sellers earning significantly more on average than other major marketplaces. And with a range of investor support, Whatnot is committed to developing new ways to make online shopping more social and community-driven.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Meet the team
Jon Malkemus, VP Product Design
Insights
54% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)
Oct 2025
$225m
SERIES F
Jan 2025
$265m
SERIES E
Total funding: $974.2m
Company benefits
- Wellness: Health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. We also cover some of the cost for your dependents as well.
- Compensation: Generous compensation, including a competitive base salary and equity. Whatnot offers monthly reimbursement for internet and phone costs, along with a one-time home office set-up allowance. Whatnot offers a pension plan and matches employee contributions of up to 4% of the employee’s base salary.
- Recharge: Whatnot gives you the freedom to take time off as you see fit. And, we take company-wide Winter and Summer breaks so we can recharge. Whatnot provides a monthly allowance for wellness expenses. We know that to take care of our customers, we have to take care of ourselves. Supplemental health and life insurance coverage comes standard at Whatnot. 16 weeks of paid parental leave, and an additional one-month gradual return-to-work period.* Plus an additional childcare allowance, and a lifetime allowance for family planning, including adoption and fertility expenses. *The leave allowances provided by Whatnot may be dictated / informed by your country’s legal requirements,
- Flexibility: As a remote co-located team, we’re inspired by innovation and anchored in our values. With hubs in the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, and Poland, we’re building the future of online marketplaces –together.
Company values
- Always listen to customers
- Move uncomfortably fast
- Prioritize impact ruthlessly
- Own everything and nothing
- Set crazy goals
- Provide extreme transparency
- Optimize for the upside
- Team over ego
- Figure it out
- Deeply understand why
- Have fun & be kind
Company HQ
Venice, Los Angeles, CA
Articles
Leadership
Grant LaFontaine
(Co-Founder & CEO)Former Product Marketing Manager at Google, Project Manager at Facebook. Also co-founded Kit.
Logan Head
(Co-Founder & CTO)Experience in Engineering, including at Maker's Row, Factr, and Flight Club. Former Senior Product Manager at GOAT.
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