Director of Communications

Residence; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Residence is seeking a Director of Communications to drive storytelling and visibility across media relations, public relations, social media, internal communications and strategic initiatives.

Reporting to the Head of Communications, this role owns execution of communications strategy, developing narratives, building relationships, and elevating Residence’s reputation across creative, culture, and technology.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in strategic communications leadership.
• Proven autonomy and ability to manage multi-stakeholder projects.
• Proven top-tier media relationships and speaking engagements.
• Strong alignment with a creative, community-driven brand culture.

Responsibilities

• Drive storytelling and visibility across media relations, PR, social media, internal communications and strategic initiatives.
• Develop narratives and positioning for network-level stories.
• Lead proactive media outreach and manage editorial calendars for network storytelling.
• Coach executives for media moments and public appearances.
• Oversee budgets and resource planning; guide high-stakes conversations with partners and leadership.

Skills

Media relations

Thought leadership

Executive coaching

Strategic communications

Project management

Job description

At Residence we're looking for a Director of Communications to join our team.

About The Job

The Director of Communications drives storytelling and visibility for Residence across all communications disciplines including media relations, public relations, social media, internal communications and strategic initiatives. Reporting to the Head of Communications, this role owns execution of communications strategy, developing narratives, building relationships, and elevating Residence’s reputation across creative, culture, and technology. Working in service of Residence’s mission to empower creative potential within individuals, communities, and companies, the Director partners with company leadership across all nine studios to identify reputation‑building moments and translate them into compelling external and internal narratives that reflect who we are and what we’re building.

Reporting & Location

This role reports to the Head of Communications and works in close partnership to execute Residence's communications strategy.

The role is based in New York City and requires 2-3 days per week in the office.

Key Responsibilities

Proactive Storytelling & Story Mining

• Unearth and develop high-impact storytelling opportunities for Residence leadership and across network companies
• Identify moments, trends, and news angles that serve network-level visibility and reputation
• Develop narrative strategy and positioning for network-level stories, staying ahead of industry momentum
• Partner with company leadership to translate their work and perspectives into compelling external narratives

Media Relations & Earned Media

• Lead proactive media outreach and build/maintain relationships with top-tier and trade journalists (marketing and creative industry expertise preferred)
• Develop and execute earned media campaigns in influential publications
• Own editorial calendars for network storytelling, mapping work, moments, awards, and industry opportunities into a coordinated reputation strategy
• Conduct competitive landscape analysis and media audits to inform strategy

Thought Leadership Development

• Develop thought leadership platforms and positioning for network leadership
• Identify and pitch speaking opportunities at industry events
• Coach and prepare executives for media moments and public appearances
• Work with network companies to develop POVs on industry trends and business challenges

Brand Stewardship

• Embody Residence's purpose across all communications, ensuring every effort reflects our core values: craft, collaboration, community, inspiration
• Safeguard consistency in voice and messaging across all internal and external touchpoints
• Reinforce Residence's position as a premier creative network that combines resources, connections, and cultural energy

Strategic Impact & Partnership

• Direct complex, cross-functional communications projects with high autonomy
• Provide input on budgets and resource planning
• Guide high-stakes conversations with partners and company leadership, offering strategic recommendations on timing and risk
• Build and maintain relationships with top-tier media, influencers, and strategic partners

Team Support & Mentorship

• Collaborate with team members to strengthen communications capability and narrative strategy across the network
• Mentor on narrative development, media relationship-building, and strategic positioning
• Share frameworks and insights that strengthen team capability across the network

Operational Excellence

• Maintain rigorous operating hygiene including status tracking, clear ownership, accurate timelines
• Surface issues early with recommended solutions and impact assessment
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with independence and accountability
• Work closely with the Head of Communications on network strategy, feeding insights into network-level storytelling

Content & Technical Expertise

• Develop communications content and guide messaging and content strategy at the senior level
• Deep technical fluency in analytics, content management systems, and PR tools is required
• Use data and AI to inform and refine strategic communications decisions and output

What We're Looking For

• Proven track record building top-tier media relationships and generating earned media placements in influential publications and securing speaking engagements on key industry stages
• Experience developing thought leadership platforms and positioning from concept through execution
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on complex, multi-stakeholder projects with minimal direction
• Portfolio showing proactive media wins and strategic communications campaigns
• Strong alignment with creative, community-driven brand cultures and ability to authentically represent values-based work

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in strategic communications leadership with broad expertise across media relations, thought leadership, speaking engagements, and brand positioning.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy and sound, independent decision-making.
• Strong alignment with and ability to authentically represent a creative, community-driven brand culture

The salary range for this position is $150,000 - $190,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Residence is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.