Senior Director, Public Affairs

Orchestra; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Year-end bonus

Job summary

Orchestra's Glen Echo Group in Washington, D.C. seeks a Senior Director to lead high‑profile media campaigns for leading brands and public sector clients. You will translate complex issues into simple, compelling narratives and manage cross‑disciplinary teams.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of communications leadership, strong media relationships, and a track record in cybersecurity or defense. This hybrid role requires in‑office presence 2–3 days weekly, with competitive pay and end‑of‑year

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressively responsible communications experience developing and leading communications strategies.
• Strong project management experience with the ability to juggle multiple clients in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong media relationships and networks, excellent writing skills and utilization of best-in-class communications tools.
• Demonstrated understanding and expertise in public sector media, politics and public affairs.
• Expertise in crafting and executing integrated issue campaigns; a strong record of building relationships across the technology and public affairs communities.
• Ability to identify and counsel on emerging and breaking issues, highly responsive to urgent client requests and ability to navigate a constant and challenging media and political environment.
• Ability to secure new business opportunities for the firm and grow our existing client relationships.
• Experience managing and mentoring young communications professionals.
• Have attention to detail, enthusiasm, creativity and professionalism, a desire to work hard and be part of an extraordinary group of people.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary client manager, core team member and communications lead across a variety of clients.
• Strategic thinker able to quickly understand client businesses, targets, influencers and competitive landscape. Quickly grasp key issues and develop successful communications campaigns.
• Develop media strategies and create a variety of creative assets to execute across a wide range of media platforms. Build and cultivate trusted relationships across media platforms and leverage them to stay ahead of story angles and news cycles. Provide sound media counsel, judgment and analysis to clients.
• Understand content marketing channels and employ excellent written, verbal and creative communications skills to create and deliver compelling and persuasive content.
• Provide strategic counsel and guidance across the company, mentor team members and ensure the firm’s success by overseeing work quality and productivity level.
• Serve as brand ambassador for the Glen Echo Group, active within the third-party community and contribute to new business strategy, execution and outreach.

Skills

Communications strategy

Project management

Media relations

Public sector communications

Issue campaigns

Business development

Mentoring

Job description

Location: Washington, D.C. (hybrid)

ABOUT ORCHESTRA

Orchestra is a new communications company that helps brands and organizations reach audiences in a more effective and precise way. Its growing team of 700+ storytellers and strategists is shaping what's next in communications, with experience that spans consumer, technology, climate and sustainability, education, healthcare, philanthropy, real estate, sports, travel, hospitality, and arts and culture, to name a few. Since 2022, it’s acquired nine firms, including: BerlinRosen , Civitas Public Affairs Group , Derris , Glen Echo Group , Inkhouse , M18 , Message Lab , Onward and Small Girls PR . It also launched Brightmode , a talent acquisition firm for communications professionals. Learn more at: www.orchestraco.com .

People of all backgrounds and abilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Orchestra is committed to building and maintaining a diverse staff, and recognizes that its continued success depends on hiring and retaining high-quality creative professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Opportunities for advancement exist, and we are committed to helping all staff develop and grow.

ABOUT THE GLEN ECHO GROUP

Glen Echo Group seeks a Senior Director to join our fast-growing, DC-based team. As one of the leading storytellers for the internet-enabled world, this role will combine passion, industry and policy knowledge and creative communications expertise to tell the stories of innovation and how it can move the world forward as a force for good.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

This is an exciting opportunity to join our growing team and work every day with the leading brands and innovators of the new economy. Our ideal candidate is a senior-level communications professional with strong storytelling and media expertise, the ability to lead multiple, high-profile accounts and manage a cross-disciplinary team. This person should be an excellent team player with a proven track record of developing and implementing successful media relations campaigns and a background in cybersecurity and/or defense within the public sector. Our ideal candidate is an experienced self-starter who can translate complex issues into simple, compelling narratives for a variety of audiences.

Role location: This role is available in our Washington, D.C. office on a hybrid basis. The team is in-office at least 2-3 days per week.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

As a Senior Director with the Glen Echo Group Public Affairs team, you will…

• Serve as the primary client manager, core team member and communications lead across a variety of clients
• Strategic thinker able to quickly understand client businesses, targets, influencers and competitive landscape. Quickly grasp key issues and develop successful communications campaigns
• Develop media strategies and create a variety of creative assets to execute across a wide range of media platforms. Build and cultivate trusted relationships across media platforms and leverage them to stay ahead of story angles and news cycles. Provide sound media counsel, judgment and analysis to clients
• Understand content marketing channels and employ excellent written, verbal and creative communications skills to create and deliver compelling and persuasive content
• Provide strategic counsel and guidance across the company, mentor team members and ensure the firm’s success by overseeing work quality and productivity level
• Serve as brand ambassador for the Glen Echo Group, active within the third-party community and contribute to new business strategy, execution and outreach

Essential skills:

We love our work and take it seriously, but not ourselves. We work hard and we have fun. Our ideal candidate will have:

• 10+ years of progressively responsible communications experience developing and leading communications strategies, including the ability to translate complex issues into simple and compelling campaigns
• Strong project management experience with the ability to juggle multiple clients and deliver results in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• Strong media relationships and networks, excellent writing skills and utilization of best-in-class communications tools
• Demonstrated understanding and expertise in public sector media, politics and public affairs
• Expertise in crafting and executing integrated issue campaigns; a strong record of building relationships across the technology and public affairs communities
• Ability to identify and counsel on emerging and breaking issues, highly responsive to urgent client requests and ability to navigate a constant and challenging media and political environment
• Ability to secure new business opportunities for the firm and grow our existing client relationships
• Experience managing and mentoring young communications professionals
• Have attention to detail, enthusiasm, creativity and professionalism, a desire to work hard and be part of an extraordinary group of people

Preferred skills:

• A background in and working knowledge of the internet, cybersecurity and/or defense industries

WORKING AT ORCHESTRA

Salary range (commensurate with experience and skills): $115,000 - $130,000

Senior Directors are eligible for end of year bonuses based on firm, team and individual performance.

Note: Orchestra offers temporary (non-immigrant) work visas for new and existing employees and green card sponsorship for existing staff.

Note: This role is based in our Washington, D.C. office and follows a hybrid work model.