Senior Director, Executive Communications.

How You’ll Contribute

The Communications, Marketing, and Brand team uses creative and strategic tools to further the mission of the National Geographic Society (NGS), while maintaining our place as one of the world’s most trusted non-profit organizations and global brands. The Division’s creative minds develop and execute mission-driven, on-brand strategies and integrated strategic communications, marketing, creative and audience growth for the National Geographic Society and unifying our efforts across our owned channels, through owned channels, outside partners and earned media. The team is composed of six integrated departments: Creative, Integrated Brand Marketing, Partnerships Marketing, MarCom Operations and Internal Communications, Strategic Communications, Executive Communications and Public Relations.
The Senior Director, Executive Communications elevates the Society’s mission and overall brand by raising awareness of the organization’s primary ambassadors, the CEO and other key senior leaders where needed. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Executive Communications & PR, this role serves as a critical, strategic thought partner while also leading a high-performing team responsible for executing the CEO's internal and external communications portfolio. Blending high-level vision with meticulous execution, the Senior Director ensures that every organizational milestone and executive appearance powerfully advances the Society’s mission.
Reporting to the Vice President of Executive Communications & PR, the Senior Director is the primary speechwriter for the CEO, while also supporting executive visibility strategies and thought leadership pipelines for other key strategic leaders at the Society. The position ensures all executive communications—across spoken, written, and digital platforms—authentically reflects the vision and voice of its strategic leaders, while advancing the Society’s strategic priorities.
The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer, collaborative leader and highly-organized communicator who excels at translating complex ideas into clear, compelling and impactful narratives.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include

CEO Communications & Executive Messaging Development (70%)

• Serve as the primary writer and messaging architect for CEO communications, ensuring a consistent, authentic voice across all platforms while managing the operational execution of the CEO’s communications portfolio.

• Liaise across the Society to ensure all executive communications are factually precise, highly polished, on-brand, and aligned with the NGS messaging.

• Draft speeches, talking points, scripts, statements, letters, op-eds, briefing materials, and other communications that are tailored specifically to the CEO's voice, vision and messaging.

• Lead and oversee the creation of visual presentations and multimedia assets that accompany CEO communications and engagements.

• Support the briefing and preparation process for the CEO's engagements and appearances, providing on-the-ground staff support as needed.

• Support the strategy and lead the content development for the CEO's LinkedIn presence, expanding executive visibility while amplifying major NGS milestones and impact.

• Partner closely with the VP of Executive Communications & PR to manage rapid-response, issue mitigation, and crisis communications. Draft holding statements and other messaging, as needed. to protect the reputation of the CEO and the Society during sensitive or unfolding situations.

• Oversee day-to-day communication workflows, briefing pipelines, and prep processes to ensure the CEO is seamlessly equipped for all engagements.

Executive Thought Leadership & Strategic Engagements (10%)

• Develop strategies to strengthen the Society’s executive visibility and thought leadership and pipeline to elevate the organization’s mission, vision, impact and leaders.

• Support the development of, shape and execute the Society’s overarching visibility and thought leadership strategies for key strategic leaders, including high-value speaking opportunities and PR and media opportunities that elevate the organization’s mission, vision, impact and leaders.

• Support and oversee the evaluation, prioritization, vetting and management of speaking requests and event appearances for the CEO and other senior leaders.

• Partner closely with media and PR colleagues to vet and prepare the CEO and other senior leaders for PR & media opportunities through the creation of comprehensive briefing materials and executive preparation.

Strategic Messaging & Organizational Priorities (10%)

• Serve as key messaging architect for the Society's next strategic plan to advance the organization’s longer-term priorities.

• Serve as a central resource to partners across the Society on framing, alignment, and communications tied to the strategic plan.

• Develop messaging frameworks that enable the CEO to effectively communicate the strategic plan to staff and external constituencies, including Explorers, donors, and partners.

Team Leadership (10%)

• Develop a high performing team building innovative solutions and strategies to complex problems, articulate clear goals, KPIs, insights and plans, and move forward key projects to meet business objectives.

• Manage a team to support the development and execution of the communications strategies.

• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, conduct annual performance appraisals, and administer salary adjustments.

Minimum Education Required

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field.

Minimum Years and Type of Experience

• 12+ years of progressive communications and public relations experience, with a heavy emphasis on executive or corporate communications (e.g., executive positioning, speechwriting, and message development).

• 5+ years of experience directly managing and developing professionals.

Necessary Knowledge and Skills

• Outstanding written communication skills, including the ability to effectively write in the “voice” of a Society's senior leaders.

• Proven track record supporting C-suite level executives to ensure effective, consistent and coordinated communications.

• Hands-on experience navigating speaking engagements, conferences and presentation development.

• Strong communications and presentation skills, including comfort using Keynote.

• Significant experience and comfort level working with media — from opinion editors and news reporters to social and digital media platforms

• Demonstrated initiative, innovation and organizational abilities with strong project management and prioritization skills.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to work with a variety of internal constituents.

• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially and exercise good professional judgement.

• Strong leadership, management and interpersonal skills with the ability to mentor team members effectively.

Supervision

2 direct reports

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $185,250.00 - $195,000.00.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.