Strategic Communications Director

New York, USA (On-site)

$110K/yr – $120K/yrSenior Level8+ years expFull time

Posted 3 months ago

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Job Summary

Own strategic communications leadership for luxury fashion clients by shaping brand narratives and executive voice.

  • Develop brand narratives, messaging frameworks, and positioning documents
  • Must-have: 8+ years in strategic communications with strong written output
  • Standout: deep luxury/fashion media knowledge and senior-executive advisory experience

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Develop communications architecture for clients — brand narratives, messaging hierarchies, positioning platforms, and creative communications frameworks
  • Build strategic communications playbooks and long-form planning documents that set the direction for how clients speak across all channels
  • Lead executive and founder voice development, including op-eds, Q&As, content, speeches, and media briefing narratives
  • Cross-team collaboration with our fashion, beauty, lifestyle and design departments to shape messaging and storytelling for key client projects
  • Participate in client meetings and calls, acting as a senior strategic counsel
  • Go beyond traditional media relations to identify where culture is moving and how to engage in ways that are unexpected, relevant, and effective
  • Stay ahead of shifts in media consumption, platform evolution, and audience behaviour in the luxury and fashion space
  • Recommend and develop strategies across new and emerging formats, including creator partnerships, editorial newsletters, podcasts, video-first platforms, and beyond
  • Bring unexpected angles and reference points that elevate client work above category norms
  • Ground all strategic recommendations in research and a deep knowledge of the cultural conversation

Requirements

  • 8+ years in communications, PR, brand strategy, or editorial — with a clear emphasis on strategic and written output
  • Demonstrable experience developing brand narratives, positioning documents, and messaging frameworks
  • Experience working with senior executives or public-facing leaders
  • Deep knowledge of the luxury and/or fashion media landscape
  • Strong new business instincts - comfortable leading or significantly contributing to pitches and strategic proposals
  • A genuine point of view on where media is heading and the ability to articulate it clearly
  • Intellectually curious, widely read, and able to bring cultural reference and research into client work
  • Restless with convention and excited by formats, platforms, and collaborators that sit outside the traditional PR model
  • Exceptional written communication skills - precise, considered, and adapted to audience
  • Creative and strategic thinker with strong presentation skills

Preferred

  • Proven experience in a fast-paced environment with excellent prioritisation and time management

Benefits

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
  • 401K Employer Match program
  • Commuter Benefits
  • Paid Time Off including Vacation Days, Personal Days, Sick Days, and additional Comp Days
  • Company-wide closure last week of the year
  • 10 Federal Holidays Observed
KARLA OTTO logo

KARLA OTTO

WHO WE AREFounded in 1982, Karla Otto is a full-service brand-building agency, operating from fifteen cities across the globe, Milan, Paris, London, Munich, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul. WHAT WE DOKarla Otto’s service is unparalleled. Built on the founder’s pioneering spirit, discerning eye and intuition, our global team is dedicated to delivering work that expertly combines detail and local precision with large-scale impact.Blending the best of fashion, beauty, design, lifestyle, and arts & culture, we offer a panoramic view of opportunities and the ability to execute complex ideas.Our loyal network and unrivalled approach to culture and community enables us to take brands to brave new territories.CAREERSAt Karla Otto we are always interested in hearing from our industry's experts in Strategy, Creative, Talent, Experiences and Communication. If you are a driven to deliver excellence, agile and conscientious, as well as want to work with remarkable clients, please review our openings. THE INDEPENDENTSThe Independents is a global group of industry leaders across luxury and lifestyle, comprising Atelier Athem, Atelier LUM, Bureau Béatrice, Bureau Betak, Bureau Future, CTZAR, INCA, K2, Karla Otto, Kennedy, Kitten Production, Lefty, PRODJECT, Sunshine and The Qode. The collective is powerfully positioned to offer streamlined strategy, creative, talent, influencer marketing, experiences and communications services for leading brands across key territories. To find out more, please visit:http://www.the-independents.com/

Founded in 1982
London, England, GBR
485 employees (162 in marketing)

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
9.7K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
45.3%
Direct
36.5%
Referral
7.6%
Social
8.9%
Paid
1.4%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~485

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
143 (29% of company)