Director, Communications

Role Overview

• Lead internal organizational messaging and external-facing growth narratives to ensure consistency, alignment, and clarity
• Coordinate messaging across global, national, and regional audiences to support alignment between Global HQ, franchisees, and the broader BNI community
• Develop toolkits, templates, and guidance that empower franchisees and market leaders to communicate effectively within their local markets
• Partner with regional marketing leads to ensure cultural sensitivity and message resonance across diverse global audiences; incorporate feedback loops to continuously improve
• Develop and execute communications plans that align with VP-set business goals and strengthen brand reputation, providing recommendations and updates to the VP, Communications & Events
• Lead earned media execution, manage day-to-day PR agency partnership(s), and build relationships with targeted media outlets; escalate sensitive matters and major opportunities to the VP
• Manage the global awards program by identifying high-impact opportunities, coordinating submissions, and tracking outcomes to support BNI’s market leadership
• Maintain and operationalize the global crisis communications plan, including escalation protocols and pre-approved holding statements for rapid responses; supporting the VP on high-severity issues
• Develop and maintain communications playbooks and process documentation for corporate and franchise teams to use in common scenarios (announcements, issues management, leadership updates, etc.)
• Facilitate post-incident reviews and trend analysis with key partners; document learnings and recommended improvements for approval and prioritization
• Use Marketo and related tools to execute multi-channel stakeholder communications (e.g., newsletters, announcements, targeted updates) and support segmentation, workflows, and reporting
• Monitor engagement and sentiment signals; provide insights and optimization recommendations to improve performance over time
• Promote an AI-enabled approach by identifying practical use cases for content development, insights, and workflow efficiency; establish lightweight guidance and training for the team
• Support executive visibility by coordinating spokesperson opportunities and preparing leaders with briefing documents, messaging, and media training resources
• Draft and edit content for high-visibility platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, industry events, executive remarks), coordinating reviews and approvals with the VP and relevant stakeholders
• Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing communications team; set clear expectations, build repeatable processes, and foster a culture of accountability, integrity, and continuous improvement
• Partner cross-functionally to align internal communications and external storytelling, ensuring messages are consistent, timely, and audience-appropriate across channels
• Define and track team-level goals and metrics (e.g., delivery cadence, engagement, earned media outcomes) and support professional development, keeping the function current on AI, social/digital trends, and best practices

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications or PR
• 3 of which within a global franchise, multi-unit, or matrixed organization
• Hands-on experience with Marketo (or similar enterprise-level marketing automation) for campaign execution and reporting
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for adopting AI tools and integrating them into daily workflows
• A proven track record of managing complex, cross-border crises with transparency and speed
• Exceptional writing, storytelling, and public speaking abilities, with the skill to translate complex data into compelling narratives
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field or equivalent experience

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package