Senior Director, Strategic Communications

Responsibilities

• Management: Day-to-day manager on multiple clients, including leading client engagement, team management, and deliverable planning, execution, and delivery. This includes managing internal team assignments, setting deadlines, reviewing and providing substantive feedback on deliverables, regularly engaging management, and developing and implementing processes to ensure quality, effective, and efficient client service.
• Client Service: Ensure the highest quality of client service by leveraging prior experience and strengthening individual and team issue expertise on clients’ business and issues. This includes serving as the primary lead for all client communications to ensure clear, timely responses; proactive, thoughtful idea generation; and quality deliverables.
• Staff Development: Ensures the internal team has the necessary skills and substantive client/issue expertise to develop high-quality products. This includes providing clear, constructive feedback on deliverables and day-to-day direct coaching and mentorship, as well as developing, implementing, and enforcing appropriate norms and processes for teams.
• Policy & Business Expertise: Develops, maintains, and strengthens understanding of the core business, industry, and policy issues of clients, which is essential to translating complex policy issues to target audiences.
• Public Affairs Expertise: Develops and executes bespoke public affairs strategies for clients that may include stakeholder mapping and engagement, media relations, event planning, message development, collateral development, and more. This also includes building and maintaining relationships with key reporters, producers, think tanks, academics, etc.
• Client Acquisition: Participate in proposal writing process, pitch preparation, and coordination, contributing to potential clients understanding of Penta’s value proposition.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in economics, political science/government, business, journalism, public policy, or related field
• 7-10 years of professional experience in communications or policy roles in a related field: political campaign, Capitol Hill, Administration, consultancy, nonprofit, or corporate enterprise; experience working in a client service environment preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, mentor, and motivate multiple talented, high-achieving teams at once, empowering different types of personalities with a team-first mentality
• Experience in using research and/or working in a relevant policy field (ideally technology, financial services, transportation, food/agriculture, healthcare and/or energy); familiarity with politics, the legislative process, and corporate industries
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, coupled with strong analytical skills
• Proficiency in utilizing AI tools and emerging technologies, where appropriate, to enhance efficiency, quality, and impact, while staying current on evolving capabilities and incorporating relevant innovations into day-to-day work
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and manage multiple competing priorities
• Willingness to learn new skills and participate in new projects, leading by example and embracing new challenges
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Benefits

• Healthcare Coverage: Excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance through Cigna and UNUM, with the company covering the majority of individual employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums
• Retirement Benefits: A 401(k) plan with a generous employer match, contributing 100% on the first 3% of salary deferred and 50% on the next 2%, helping employees maximize their retirement savings
• Income Protection: Employer-paid short-term disability (STD), long-term disability (LTD), and life insurance
• Paid Parental Leave: 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Flexible Paid Time Off: Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy and a generous holiday schedule
• Additional Perks & Support:
• A monthly cell phone stipend
• Optional employee-paid pet insurance coverage through Nationwide
• Frequent firm-wide social events and team-building activities
• Access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), including confidential counseling and resources for personal and work-related issues