Head of Communications

Confidential Company; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Company is seeking a Head of Communications to lead the organization's communications strategy and grow its national presence. This senior role requires deep earned media expertise, national press relationships, and a passion for purpose-driven work.

As a member of the senior leadership team, you will shape narratives, manage internal and external communications partners, and build programs that elevate executives, anticipate crises, and drive strategic storytelling across earned,

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive communications leadership experience with national earned media, PR, executive positioning and crisis comms.
• Established relationships with national and trade media and ability to craft compelling stories with meaningful coverage.
• Experience in consumer brand or agency leadership; combination of brand-side and agency preferred.
• Exposure to philanthropy, nonprofit, CSR, civic engagement, or purpose-driven initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead an integrated communications strategy aligned with priorities and long-term goals.
• Drive proactive earned media leveraging national press relationships to pitch stories.
• Shape narrative, messaging architecture, and strategic communications calendar.
• Build executive visibility and thought leadership programs, including media opportunities, speaking engagements, podcasts, op-eds, and strategic content.
• Develop tailored comms strategies for external leaders and partners to amplify voices.
• Advise senior leadership on reputation management, sensitive issues, and crisis communications.
• Oversee PR and comms agency partners across earned, owned, social, digital, and partner channels.
• Lead and develop a senior communications team and set strategic direction.
• Establish comms processes, measurement frameworks, and reporting to evaluate impact.
• Partner with senior leadership across strategy, brand, partnerships, and analytics.

Skills

Earned media strategy

Public relations

Executive positioning

Crisis communications

Media relations

Strategic storytelling

Thought leadership

Team leadership

Agency management

Job description

We’re partnering with a new, well-funded, mission-driven organization focused on bringing people together, strengthening communities, and creating meaningful cultural impact. Working across sports, entertainment, civic engagement, and social impact, the organization is building a national platform designed to inspire connection and participation.

We’re seeking an exceptional Head of Communications to lead the organization's communications strategy, build its national presence, and shape how its story is told. This is a senior leadership opportunity for a strategic, culturally connected communications executive with deep earned media expertise, strong relationships with national press, and a passion for purpose-driven work.

The Role

The Head of Communications will own the overall communications strategy, translating the organization's vision into compelling narratives, earned media opportunities, executive thought leadership, and integrated campaigns. This person will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership while overseeing internal communications teams and external agency partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead an integrated communications strategy aligned with organizational priorities, audiences, and long-term goals.
• Drive proactive earned media, leveraging strong national press relationships to identify, develop, and pitch compelling stories.
• Shape the organization's narrative, messaging architecture, and strategic communications calendar.
• Build executive visibility and thought leadership programs, including media opportunities, speaking engagements, podcasts, op-eds, and strategic content.
• Develop tailored communications strategies for influential external leaders and partners, helping amplify their voices and expand the organization's reach.
• Serve as a senior communications advisor on reputation management, sensitive issues, and crisis communications.
• Oversee PR and communications agency partners, ensuring alignment across earned, owned, social, digital, and partner communications.
• Lead and develop a senior communications team, setting strategic direction while empowering the team to execute.
• Establish communications processes, measurement frameworks, and reporting to evaluate effectiveness and impact.
• Partner closely with senior leadership across strategy, brand, creative, partnerships, and analytics.

Ideal Background

• 12+ years of progressive communications leadership experience, with significant expertise in national earned media, public relations, executive positioning, and crisis communications.
• Established relationships with national and trade media, with a demonstrated ability to craft compelling stories and secure meaningful coverage.
• Experience within a major consumer brand, leading communications agency, or both. A combination of brand-side and agency experience is particularly compelling.
• Exposure to philanthropy, nonprofit, CSR, civic engagement, or other purpose-driven initiatives.
• Strong strategic storytelling capabilities, with the ability to translate complex ideas and organizational ambitions into culturally relevant narratives.
• Experience advising C-suite executives and influential leaders on media strategy, reputation, and thought leadership.
• Proven ability to lead senior teams and manage multiple external agency partners.
• Experience integrating communications across traditional media, social, digital, and emerging channels.
• Exceptional judgment, cultural awareness, executive presence, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships.
• A genuine interest in mission-driven work and the opportunity to help build something with meaningful national impact.

Why This Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the voice, reputation, and national visibility of an ambitious, well-funded organization at an early stage of its growth. The ideal candidate will bring both the strategic vision and earned media relationships to tell compelling stories, elevate influential voices, and build lasting cultural relevance.