Managing Director, Brand Strategy & Communications

San Francisco, CA (Unknown)

$175K/yr – $205K/yrSenior Level12+ years expFull time

Posted 1 month ago

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Job Summary

Own SF Ballet\'s external voice and brand narrative, coordinating institutional storytelling, media strategy, crisis comms, and integrated communications to deepen audience and donor engagement while aligning with partnerships and digital strategy.

  • Brand leadership: steward branding, positioning, messaging, and partnerships to extend reach.
  • Media & crisis: oversee national/international coverage, agency relations, and crisis response.
  • Integrated comms: align executive, board, education programs, and fundraising materials with institutional priorities.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Brand Strategy & Positioning — Lead and steward SF Ballet's institutional brand — identity, voice, messaging architecture, and standards — ensuring consistency across all touchpoints and constituencies.
  • Lead competitive positioning and differentiation strategy, including brand health monitoring and ongoing market analysis.
  • Build the institutional narrative that connects SF Ballet's artistic vision to its audiences, donors, and community, including the Comprehensive Enterprise Strategy (CES) messaging framework.
  • Develop and manage brand partnerships that extend SF Ballet's reach and visibility, in collaboration with the Director of Strategic Partnerships as appropriate.
  • Media and Public Relations — Lead a proactive, multi-platform media strategy that builds SF Ballet's national and international profile and advances the Artistic Director's visibility.
  • Personally manage key editorial relationships and high-stakes media situations; serve as primary liaison to SF Ballet's external communications agency, overseeing agency scope, direction, and deliverables.
  • Develop and manage media partnerships that serve both earned revenue and brand goals, working in close coordination with the Senior Director of Audience Development & Earned Revenue.
  • Lead crisis communications planning and response; develop thought leadership strategies in partnership with the Executive Director and Artistic Director.
  • Integrated Communications & Editorial — Lead organization-wide communications strategy — including executive messaging, Board communications, stakeholder communications, and internal communications — ensuring consistency and alignment with institutional priorities.
  • Develop and maintain the messaging frameworks and editorial content that serve as the foundation for communications across all teams and channels.
  • Oversee the editorial and creative production of the program book, annual report, newsletters, and other institutional publications.
  • Oversee the development of campaign communications, fundraising materials, and event promotion content in support of the philanthropy team's goals.