About the Organization

The Public Theater is a theater of, by, and for all people. Artist-driven, radically inclusive, and fundamentally democratic, The Public continues the work of its visionary founder Joe Papp as a civic institution that engages, both on-stage and off, with some of the most important ideas and social issues of today. Conceived over 60 years ago as one of the nation's first nonprofit theaters, The Public has long operated on the principles that theater is an essential cultural force and that art and culture belong to everyone. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public's wide breadth of programming includes an annual season of new work at its landmark home at Astor Place, Free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, The Mobile Unit touring throughout New York City's five boroughs, Public Forum, Under the Radar, Public Studio, Public Works, Public Shakespeare Initiative, and Joe's Pub. Since premiering HAIR in 1967, The Public continues to create the canon of American theater and is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Their programs and productions can also be seen regionally across the country and around the world. The Public has received 59 Tony Awards, 169 Obie Awards, 53 Drama Desk Awards, 54 Lortel Awards, 32 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Desk Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes.

Learn more about The Public Theater at https://www.publictheater.org

About the Position

The newly created Director of Institutional Communications will strengthen and build upon the storied brand of The Public Theater. Responsible for enhancing, amplifying, and expanding awareness of The Public's work across all channels, the Director will play a critical role in advancing its work on the local, national, and international scale.

As a cultural institution, The Public is dedicated to upholding principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ideal candidate must be willing to investigate how those principles apply in the context of institutional communications.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Marketing & Communications, the Director will lead a team of professionals overseeing communication and outreach efforts to multiple constituencies across New York City, and beyond. This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and collaborative leader to build a topnotch communications function and make a significant and immediate impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications:

• Develop, execute and manage a comprehensive communication strategy to amplify the mission and impact of the institution in support of short and long-term objectives - provide strategic planning, messaging, collateral creation and internal stakeholder alignment
• Create and deliver messaging that crystalizes mission, vision, and key values to align internal staff, donors, trustees and media
• Lead, craft, refine and align artistic program, event and production positioning, messaging and copy for both internal and external stakeholders
• Manage the execution of e-communications related specifically to form and frequency while partnering with Director, Marketing to oversee and prioritize a complex communication calendar

Team and Stakeholder Management:

• Build a strategically integrated communications function through strong relationships, fostering a collaborative culture and putting in place the right operational processes for effective collaboration
• Lead a team of communication specialists providing direction, mentorship and support in the areas of public and media relations, social and digital media, website and copywriting
• Manage the Associate Director, Digital Engagement to drive and manage a comprehensive social media strategy, as defined by institutional and marketing goals and objectives
• Manage the Director, PR and Media Communications in the development and execution of media strategies in relation to productions, events and institution objectives

Organizational Leadership:

• Provide strategic planning and management for leadership messaging, strategic placement of leadership at core convenings, craft speeches and provide occasional presentation input
• Drive and implement an effective Board of Trustees communication channel in collaboration with leadership
• Drive and implement a crisis management communication process
• Partner and collaborate with Human Resources and key stakeholders in driving internal communication efforts via the institution's intranet, crafting leadership letters, presentations and provide talking points as needed

Candidate Requirements:

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• 10+ years of relevant work experience in external and internal communications; experience working within a non-profit setting a plus
• Ability to think creatively with exceptionally strong written and oral communication skills a must
• Solid understanding of shifting social media and digital communication technologies and digital communication best practices
• Experience in shifting between strategy and execution while handling a high volume of projects and deadlines
• Exceptional management skills, working with multiple stakeholders and decision makers, manage and mentor internal direct reports
• Demonstrate the capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, complex organization, working with both artistic and administrative teams that have competing priorities and unpredictable schedules and agendas
• Knowledge of current media landscape and pre-established relationships across multiple platforms