[Hiring] Senior Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications @Pacific Institute

Role Description

The Senior Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications, leads the strategy and execution of integrated marketing and communications campaigns that grow the Pacific Institute’s audiences, strengthen its reputation as a definitive voice on global water solutions, and build the visibility and positioning that drive partnership and funding growth.

Reporting to the President and CEO and serving as a full member of the Executive Management Team, the Senior Director leads a team spanning content, digital, media relations, and partner communications. This role builds the campaigns, messaging, and marketing infrastructure that convert the Pacific Institute's work into greater visibility, partnerships, and funding.

This is a role with room to grow. As we enter our next planning period through 2030, they will shape what marketing and communications looks like at the organization for the next five years.

Responsibilities

• Marketing, Brand, and Audience Growth (45%)
  • Create and lead the Pacific Institute’s marketing strategy: audience definition, positioning, and a campaign calendar tied to organizational priorities.
  • Plan and execute time-bound, outcome-measured campaigns tied to research launches, initiative milestones, and funding priorities.
  • Steward the Pacific Institute’s parent brand and associated sub-brands, maintaining a consistent voice, messaging frameworks, visual identity standards, and editorial integrity across all properties.
  • Lead content and audience strategy across the Pacific Institute’s digital marketing infrastructure.
  • Build the analytics and reporting capability that shows what marketing and communications activity produced, in terms leadership and funders can act on.
  • Partner with the Chief Growth Officer to build marketing capability that directly supports revenue growth.
  • Partner with the Chief Research and Programs Officer and programmatic team to integrate communications into research and program initiatives.
  • Build a sustained executive visibility and thought leadership program for the Pacific Institute leadership and subject matter experts.
  • Represent the Pacific Institute externally on brand, marketing, and organizational positioning matters.
• Communications Systems and Functional Leadership (25%)
  • Design and maintain the communications system: processes, workflows, quality standards, and decision-making norms.
  • Set priorities and manage intake across programs and initiatives.
  • Lead organizational media strategy and establish spokesperson strategy and protocols.
  • Serve as the communications voice at EMT meetings.
  • Align communications planning with organizational strategy, funding priorities, and capacity constraints.
• Team Leadership and Development (15%)
  • Foster a team culture of collaboration, creative excellence, psychological safety, and continuous learning.
  • Build and maintain a team structure that can scale as the organization grows.
  • Direct the team budget and workforce planning.
  • Build strategic redundancy and shared institutional knowledge across the team.
• Execution and Quality Assurance (15%)
  • Ensure the quality, consistency, and timeliness of external communications.
  • Translate complex research findings, programmatic initiatives, and partnership activities into audience-appropriate messaging.
  • Establish and enforce publication processes, timelines, and quality checkpoints.
  • Write, edit, and produce communications and campaign materials directly.

Qualifications

• At least 14 years of progressive experience in marketing, strategic communications, media relations, or public affairs.
• At least 7 years in a leadership role managing and developing a communications team.
• At least 5 years in a marketing leadership role, independently responsible for a large brand.
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly evolving communications systems, processes, and team structures.
• Track record of translating complex, technical, or research-based content into compelling narratives.
• Experience owning departmental budgets, workforce planning, vendor portfolios, and resourcing strategy.
• Experience with media strategy at the national or international level.
• Experience advising executive leadership or serving in an executive-level communications advisory capacity.
• Working knowledge of how to apply AI tools for strategic advantage in communications and marketing.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Advanced degree preferred but not required. Equivalent professional experience will be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Outstanding writing and editing skills.
• Strategic thinker who is comfortable setting direction and executing.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities and manage competing demands.
• Deep understanding of digital communications, social media strategy, and analytics platforms.
• Experience with brand management and marketing infrastructure development.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative approach to leadership.
• Comfort operating in a remote-first environment.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, or mission-driven sector.
• Familiarity with water, climate, environmental sustainability, or natural resource policy issues.
• Experience communicating with diverse audiences.
• Experience translating program and organizational impact data into compelling narratives.
• Experience managing communications for organizations undergoing growth or transition.
• Fluency in other languages.
• Experience working with international organizations or global sustainability networks.

Compensation and Benefits

• This position is eligible for paid vacation and benefits.
• The Pacific Institute offers an excellent compensation package, including health, dental, and retirement plan.
• Hiring Range: $150,000 – $170,000 per year.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Pacific Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity is a core value at Pacific Institute. We are dedicated to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our team and culture.

To Apply

Please submit the following:

• A cover letter (no more than two pages).
• Your CV/Resume.
• A campaign case study (2-3 pages).