Director of Communications

Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau seeks an experienced Director of Communications to shape and execute a bold communications strategy for Birmingham and Jefferson County. You will lead earned media, tell our story across local, national, and international outlets, and protect our brand reputation.

You will collaborate across departments to ensure consistent messaging, guide crisis communications, and oversee executive communications, reporting, and metrics that tie to

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in communications, PR, or media relations.
• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field (master's preferred).
• Experience in travel/tourism, hospitality, or destination marketing strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of the Greater Birmingham Region preferred.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing communications strategies that generate measurable results.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute a cohesive long-term public relations strategy aimed at generating earned media for the Greater Birmingham Region and strengthening visibility as a premier visitor destination.
• Develop and execute a communications plan aligned with organizational goals, covering traditional and emerging media tactics.
• Build rapport with reporters locally and regionally to tell the GBCVB story and establish the organization as a data and travel insights authority.
• Build and maintain relationships with regional, national, international, and industry media.
• Manage media inquiries and coordinate media interviews.
• Oversee press releases, media advisories, and media resources.
• Manage crisis communications plan and provide timely messaging.
• Oversee staff who execute press outreach, media events, and related activities.

Skills

Media relations

PR strategy

Crisis communications

Executive communications

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field

Job description

We're seeking a dynamic, strategic, seasoned communications professional to drive earned media coverage, steward our message, and elevate the story of Birmingham and the CVB at every level.

Director of Communications

DEPARTMENT: Marketing & Communications

About the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) is the official tourism and marketing organization for Birmingham and Jefferson County. Established in 1969, the non-profit agency generates positive economic impact by positioning the Greater Birmingham Region as a premier destination for conventions, sporting events, and domestic and international leisure travel. Birmingham and its neighboring municipalities welcome more than 4.04 million visitors each year, generating $2.57 billion in economic impact. Learn more at inbirmingham.com.

Position Summary

The Director of Communications is responsible for shaping and executing the GBCVB's communications strategy to elevate the Greater Birmingham Region's profile locally, nationally, and internationally. This role oversees public relations, media relations, crisis communications, storytelling, and internal communications. The Director will lead proactive media engagement, manage brand reputation, and work collaboratively across departments to ensure consistent, compelling messaging that supports organizational goals.

The Director of Communications is responsible for generating earned media for the Greater Birmingham Region as a leisure and meetings destination, and for establishing the GBCVB as the go-to resource for data and insights on the travel, tourism, and meetings industry in the region. Responsible for crafting and maintaining the GBCVB's key messaging points - including who we are and what we do, our economic impact, and our value as an organization - for both internal and external audiences.

Key Responsibilities

The duties here may not be an all-inclusive list, as management may add or remove duties as necessary.

Media Relations

• Create and execute a cohesive long-term public relations strategy aimed at generating earned media for the Greater Birmingham Region and strengthening our visibility as a premier visitor destination.
• Develop and execute a communications plan in alignment with overarching organizational goals that include strategy and implementation of emerging and traditional media and public relations tactics.
• Locally, build rapport with reporters to tell the overall GBCVB story, while improving awareness and importance of tourism and of our organization to the community. Establish the GBCVB as the authority on data and travel and tourism trends/insights across the region.
• Build and maintain relationships with regional, national, international, and industry media.
• Manage media inquiries and coordinate media interviews.
• Oversee press releases, media advisories, and media resources.

Crisis & Reputation Management

• Manage crisis communications plan, including ongoing maintenance and review with team.
• Manage internal and external communications relative to issues that have the potential to impact visitor experience and brand image.
• Oversee ongoing media monitoring and provide timely and effective messaging as appropriate.
• Provide strategic oversight of GBCVB staff who execute press outreach, media events, media visits, media calls, crisis communications support, and press material development.
• Supervise external PR agencies as assigned.
• Work closely with the Chief Strategy Officer on public, community, and government affairs initiatives.
• Partner with tourism, sales, and servicing teams to support communications needs.
• Strengthen and grow existing and new relationships with local PR contacts at venues, hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

Messaging, Executive Communications & Reporting

• Collaborate with marketing to ensure alignment of digital, social, and paid media messaging.
• Ensure consistency of brand voice and messaging across all channels.
• Responsible for crafting and maintaining the GBCVB's key message points, including who we are and what we do, our economic impact, and our value as an organization.
• Regularly communicate key messages to GBCVB staff, ensuring the team is speaking with a unified voice.
• Manage communications for the CEO, including drafting talking points, letters, and quotes.
• Establish and implement PR metrics that tie in with broader organizational goals. Evaluate leisure, trade, and local media coverage, and communicate progress on goals and key messaging pull-through to GBCVB leadership.
• Manage media tools to ensure maximum utilization and productivity (Cision, TV Eyes, Travefy, etc.).
• Coordinate, compile, and draft key organization-wide reports, including: Annual report - May; Board of Directors reports - monthly.

Qualifications / Key Competencies

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field (master's preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in communications, PR, or media relations.
• Experience in travel/tourism, hospitality, or destination marketing strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of and experience in the Greater Birmingham Region preferred.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing communications strategies that generate measurable results.
• Strong relationships with local, regional, national, and trade media.
• Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills.
• Experience managing crisis communications.
• Experience serving as an organizational spokesperson.
• Ability to work collaboratively, manage multiple priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Supervisory experience a plus.
• Strategic thinker with a creative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Strong relationship-builder with exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Skilled at balancing big-picture vision with day-to-day execution.