Sr. Director, Pivotal Communications

Reporting to the Managing Director of Program Strategy, Investment and Communications, the Sr. Director of Pivotal Communications (PV Comms) is responsible for leading a strategic communications function that advances the mission, reputation and strategic priorities of the organization. The Sr. Director, Pivotal Communications is the senior leader responsible for shaping communications efforts and messages among stakeholders and key audiences to support Pivotal’s work to advance social progress in the United States.

The Sr. Director will lead a cross-functional team of approximately 15 people with expertise and responsibility for media relations, digital media, events and experiences, creative, brand and financial and operations functions. The Sr. Director will establish and maintain a team culture of creativity and collaboration with critical partners from across the organization, notably with the Executive Communications team who supports the communications needs of our principal. They will ensure the PV communications team upholds and advances equity principles both in internal engagement, with our partners and throughout our strategic work. They will also serve as a member of the organization’s Executive Leadership Team and will play a key role – with the three Sr. Directors of Executive Communications, Investment and Program Strategy – driving next generation work, issues and impact for the organization.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Overall leadership and management of the Pivotal Communications Team

• Lead and manage a team of approximately 15 talented and experienced communications professionals dedicated to using communications tools to drive impact for Pivotal’s strategic priorities, across all Pivotal Communications work streams including earned media, digital platforms, brand and creative, events and experiences, as well as strategic operations functions.
• Oversee development and implementation of the team’s annual strategies and plans, ensuring a coherent and full integration of all communications workstreams and tools.
• In addition to supervising direct reports, serves as a mentor and guide for the professional development and progress of communications team members, ensures that individual strengths are recognized and used effectively, growth plans are defined and pursued, and builds a positive team culture of respect, collaboration and accountability.
• Continue to build successful culture, equity, learning and team-building efforts and initiatives across the team.
• Holds accountability for team budgets by actively monitoring and tracks team budgets and expenditures, including vendors, and consultants; accountable for annual budget processes and requests.
• Accountable for team growth and capacity building, including on-boarding new members and integrating new individuals and capabilities into the team.
• Provide direct support to the team as they build out their infrastructure and other practices and tools to normalize and clarify the work of the team.
• Responsible for team-wide communications and information flow, ensuring the team has awareness of org-wide work, issues, priorities and learnings in a transparent and timely fashion.
• Ensure team-wide participation in Pivotal retreats, Pivotal HR trainings, equity and belonging activities and other cross-org people-centric initiatives.

Accountability for the strategic direction and performance of communications strategies and assets

• Learn the language and substance of the organization’s programmatic and investment work and become expert in translating it for engaged external audiences.
• Work with Pivotal Comms senior staff to set and hold direction for the team’s priorities as they work to drive impact. Ensure the direction is clear and make trade-offs in priorities as needed.
• Oversee the ongoing development and integration of key assets (such as websites, social media, etc.) and identify and work to build new capabilities and functions as identified.
• Oversee efforts to provide appropriate, industry-specific communications support for Pivotal’s growing investment function and portfolio.
• Establish, clarify and share team processes and procedures, so that the team’s work and practices are knowable, clear and repeatable.
• Ensure that our strategy and execution is reaching and engaging our priority audiences.
• Develop and manage a practical and right-sized measurement and insights approach to track cross-portfolio and interdependent outcomes.
• Show progress year over year that our work is deepening in sophistication for equity-informed communications approaches, partners and practices.

Key Partner with Sr. Directors of Executive Communications, Program Strategy and Investment teams, to align and drive impact across teams.

• Work closely with the Executive Communications team and Executive Engagement teams, as well as key program and operational directors, to build and maintain strong relationships across the organization and align communications strategies with institutional goals.
• Regularly and proactively engage other Sr. Directors to ensure Pivotal Communications work is demonstrably driving impact for our partners, portfolio companies and issues, and that the teams are working optimally and efficiently together to drive impact.

Active member of the Executive Leadership Team, with shared accountability for setting org-wide priorities and approving cross-org bodies of work.

• Actively participate in weekly meetings, committee work and bi-annual retreats.
• Understand and advance the overall work of Pivotal in addition to representing and advocating for the Pivotal Comms team on the ELT.
• Take on periodic leadership assignments within the ELT, as needed.
• Communicate ELT agendas and decisions to team and ensure the Pivotal Comms team is well-versed and aware of the objectives and practices of the ELT.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Senior leader with at least 15+ years of strategic and/or programmatic communications experience, and no less than 5 years managing teams.
• Communications experience in the following industries preferred: media, advocacy communications, journalism, impact investing, philanthropy, etc. Varied experience is preferred over specialization.
• Experience in social impact investing and the venture capital sector, a significant asset.
• Success in inspiring and developing a flexible and self-directed team of colleagues; an accessible, supportive management style that inspires trust, motivates staff to work hard and well together and provides them with a clear sense of direction.
• Understanding of and experience with all channels of paid and unpaid media across platforms.
• Experience and/or strong familiarity with philanthropy, non-profit, policy and advocacy and impact investment communities; ideally with a focus on gender/women’s rights domestically.
• Excellent communications skills: a strong writer, editor and presenter of ideas.
• Ease with budgets management, financial reporting and tracking.
• Familiarity with vendor and consultant management; managing external agencies and other vendors towards effective and efficient partnerships that fall within budget.
• Experience navigating political environments successfully and with grace, humility and humor.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• A humble and self-aware leader who can give and receive feedback on their performance and behaviors and demonstrably adjust as needed.
• Deep commitment to team development and formation, with expert people management skills and ability to manage and coach to people’s strengths while being direct about areas for growth.
• High integrity, sound judgment in decision-making and discretion with confidential matters and sensitive information.
• Understanding of and commitment to principles and values of equity in social impact work and as a team leader and manager.
• Demonstrated strategy development ability including long-term planning against identified goals utilizing a variety of communications tools and assets including media, digital, content, brand, experiences, etc.
• Ability to work informally as well as formally to collaborate with others to achieve results; ability to remain credible and objective while maintaining a personable and favorable disposition.
• Negotiation, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills and an ease with ambiguity, white space, and grace under pressure.

TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT

• We offer a competitive salary, with a strong benefits package that includes performance-based bonus, paid parental leave, and comprehensive health coverage.
• This job can be based in Seattle with the broader team, in Washington DC, or, potentially, held remotely. Please note, remote workers will be required to travel to Seattle regularly and periodically.
• This role requires frequent and sometimes extensive domestic travel.

Base annual compensation range for this role is from $322,400 - $350,500.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, long-term disability and long-term care insurance, fertility benefit, backup caregiving solution, 144 hours of vacation, 96 hours of sick leave, 401k, HSA, FSA, discretionary annual target performance bonus and more.