Senior Director, Strategic Communications

Penta Group; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Coverage

Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with match

Income Protection: STD/LTD/Life

Paid Parental Leave

Flexible PTO

Monthly cell phone stipend

Pet insurance (employee-paid)

Firm-wide events

Employee Assistance Programs

Wellness benefits

Job summary

Penta Group in Washington, D.C. is seeking a Senior Director to lead multiple client teams in a fast-paced environment. You will oversee strategy execution, deliverables, and daily client interactions while mentoring associates and driving quality.

A strong policy background and 7–10 years of relevant experience are essential for this role. The role emphasizes stakeholder engagement, media relations, and bespoke public affairs strategies across tech, finance, energy, and healthcare sectors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, political science/government, business, journalism, public policy, or related field
• 7-10 years of professional experience in communications or policy roles in a related field: political campaign, Capitol Hill, Administration, consultancy, nonprofit, or corporate enterprise; experience working in a client service environment preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, mentor, and motivate multiple talented, high-achieving teams at once, empowering different types of personalities with a team-first mentality
• Experience in using research and/or working in a relevant policy field (ideally technology, financial services, transportation, food/agriculture, healthcare and/or energy); familiarity with politics, the legislative process, and corporate industries
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, coupled with strong analytical skills
• Proficiency in utilizing AI tools and emerging technologies, where appropriate, to enhance efficiency, quality, and impact, while staying current on evolving capabilities and incorporating relevant innovations into day-to-day work
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and manage multiple competing priorities
• Willingness to learn new skills and participate in new projects, leading by example and embracing new challenges
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day manager on multiple clients, including leading client engagement, team management, and deliverable planning, execution, and delivery. This includes managing internal team assignments, setting deadlines, reviewing and providing substantive feedback on deliverables, regularly engaging management, and developing and implementing processes to ensure quality, effective, and efficient client service.
• Ensure the highest quality of client service by leveraging prior experience and strengthening individual and team issue expertise on clients’ business and issues. This includes serving as the primary lead for all client communications to ensure clear, timely responses; proactive, thoughtful idea generation; and quality deliverables.
• Ensures the internal team has the necessary skills and substantive client/issue expertise to develop high-quality products. This includes providing clear, constructive feedback on deliverables and day-to-day direct coaching and mentorship, as well as developing, implementing, and enforcing appropriate norms and processes for teams.
• Develops, maintains, and strengthens understanding of the core business, industry, and policy issues of clients, which is essential to translating complex policy issues to target audiences.
• Develops and executes bespoke public affairs strategies for clients that may include stakeholder mapping and engagement, media relations, event planning, message development, collateral development, and more. This also includes building and maintaining relationships with key reporters, producers, think tanks, academics, etc.
• Participate in proposal writing process, pitch preparation, and coordination, contributing to potential clients understanding of Penta’s value proposition.

Skills

Leadership

Client service

Policy expertise

Communication skills

AI tools

Multi-tasking

Public policy

Problem solving

Presentation skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Penta is a leading corporate affairs advisory firm that helps organizations predict what matters and shape outcomes. By combining proprietary intelligence, stakeholder insights, and strategic counsel, we help CEOs and leadership teams navigate the increasingly complex intersection of business, policy, culture, and reputation. Our clients turn to us when the stakes are high, the signals are difficult to interpret, and the consequences of getting it wrong are significant. We are building a new model for corporate affairs advisory and are seeking leaders who want to help define the future of the industry.

Penta’s global team brings decades of experience in business, government, communications, research, data science, and media. Our clients include many of the world’s most influential organizations across technology, financial services, energy, healthcare, and other sectors, including over 25% of the Fortune 100. Penta has offices in New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, London, Brussels, Dublin, and Singapore.

Position Summary:

Penta is seeking a Senior Director to join our dynamic team of strategic communications and public affairs professionals. Senior Directors at Penta lead multiple client teams and internal projects and work in a fun, fast-paced, and challenging environment. Senior Directors are responsible for all components of client and internal team management: implementing the agreed-upon strategy, overseeing all deliverables, leading daily client interactions, organizing teamwork internally, and guiding and mentoring associates. The successful candidate has seven to ten years of relevant experience, is intellectually curious, has a bias towards action and problem-solving, is eager to learn and contribute, and has an interest in public policy.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Management: Day-to-day manager on multiple clients, including leading client engagement, team management, and deliverable planning, execution, and delivery. This includes managing internal team assignments, setting deadlines, reviewing and providing substantive feedback on deliverables, regularly engaging management, and developing and implementing processes to ensure quality, effective, and efficient client service.
• Client Service: Ensure the highest quality of client service by leveraging prior experience and strengthening individual and team issue expertise on clients’ business and issues. This includes serving as the primary lead for all client communications to ensure clear, timely responses; proactive, thoughtful idea generation; and quality deliverables.
• Staff Development: Ensures the internal team has the necessary skills and substantive client/issue expertise to develop high-quality products. This includes providing clear, constructive feedback on deliverables and day-to-day direct coaching and mentorship, as well as developing, implementing, and enforcing appropriate norms and processes for teams.
• Policy & Business Expertise: Develops, maintains, and strengthens understanding of the core business, industry, and policy issues of clients, which is essential to translating complex policy issues to target audiences.
• Public Affairs Expertise: Develops and executes bespoke public affairs strategies for clients that may include stakeholder mapping and engagement, media relations, event planning, message development, collateral development, and more. This also includes building and maintaining relationships with key reporters, producers, think tanks, academics, etc.
• Client Acquisition: Participate in proposal writing process, pitch preparation, and coordination, contributing to potential clients understanding of Penta’s value proposition.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, political science/government, business, journalism, public policy, or related field
• 7-10 years of professional experience in communications or policy roles in a related field: political campaign, Capitol Hill, Administration, consultancy, nonprofit, or corporate enterprise; experience working in a client service environment preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, mentor, and motivate multiple talented, high-achieving teams at once, empowering different types of personalities with a team-first mentality
• Experience in using research and/or working in a relevant policy field (ideally technology, financial services, transportation, food/agriculture, healthcare and/or energy); familiarity with politics, the legislative process, and corporate industries
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, coupled with strong analytical skills
• Proficiency in utilizing AI tools and emerging technologies, where appropriate, to enhance efficiency, quality, and impact, while staying current on evolving capabilities and incorporating relevant innovations into day-to-day work
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and manage multiple competing priorities
• Willingness to learn new skills and participate in new projects, leading by example and embracing new challenges
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Salary Range:

The base salary range for this position will be $120,000 - $190,000 per year, depending on a candidate’s experience and qualifications as they relate to the position.

Benefits:

Penta Group is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to support the well-being and financial security of our employees. Our benefits include:

• Healthcare Coverage: Excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance through Cigna and UNUM, with the company covering the majority of individual employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums
• Retirement Benefits: A 401(k) plan with a generous employer match, contributing 100% on the first 3% of salary deferred and 50% on the next 2%, helping employees maximize their retirement savings
• Income Protection: Employer-paid short-term disability (STD), long-term disability (LTD), and life insurance
• Paid Parental Leave: 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Flexible Paid Time Off: Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy and a generous holiday schedule

Additional Perks & Support:

• A monthly cell phone stipend
• Optional employee-paid pet insurance coverage through Nationwide
• Frequent firm-wide social events and team-building activities
• Access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), including confidential counseling and resources for personal and work-related issues
• Wellness benefits including a gym membership discount program, mental health resources, and access to virtual health consultations

Location and Hybrid Schedule:

For this position, we are only considering applicants in the greater Washington, D.C., area and looking to fill the role as soon as possible. This person will be expected to join our team in our downtown DC office in person Monday through Thursday and has the option to work remotely on Fridays.

Penta Group, LLC values diversity and inclusion, is committed to equal employment opportunity, and to compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws. We also comply with District of Columbia law, which prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, applicants for employment and interns based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, reproductive health decisions and breastfeeding), national origin, disability, age (18 and over), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation (e.g., being enrolled in a college or university or in a business, nursing, professional, secretarial, technical or vocational school), political affiliation, genetic information (including family medical history), lawful use of tobacco products, unemployment status and status as a victim or the family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense or stalking.

Penta Group, LLC is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, participate in an interview, or otherwise engage in the recruitment process, please contact us at [e-mail]. We will work with you to ensure appropriate arrangements are made.