Director, Communications

Company Overview:

BNI is a leading global franchise organization with a presence in 76 countries worldwide. We are dedicated to maintaining a unified brand voice while empowering our local franchise partners to thrive. We are seeking a strategic, high-energy Director of Communications to support the global communications function to advance our global narrative, manage public relations needs, support crisis communications, and leverage marketing automation to reach diverse stakeholders. The ideal candidate has experience (and interest) in using AI to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and impact across communications and the broader organization.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the VP, Communications & Events, the Director, Communications leads the day-to-day development and execution of BNI’s internal and external communications programs. This role translates business priorities into clear messaging, ensure alignment between communications plans and organizational goals, and drive consistent brand voice across 76+ countries—while enabling franchisees to succeed in their local markets. The director manages key PR activities, maintains crisis communications readiness (including plans, templates, and escalation protocols), and uses tools such as Marketo and AI platforms to deliver data-informed, high-impact campaigns. This role is ideal for a hands-on leader who combines strong editorial judgment and stakeholder management with modern digital and automation skills.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Franchise Relations & Localization:

• Lead internal organizational messaging and external-facing growth narratives to ensure consistency, alignment, and clarity.
• Coordinate messaging across global, national, and regional audiences to support alignment between Global HQ, franchisees, and the broader BNI community.
• Develop toolkits, templates, and guidance that empower franchisees and market leaders to communicate effectively within their local markets.
• Partner with regional marketing leads to ensure cultural sensitivity and message resonance across diverse global audiences; incorporate feedback loops to continuously improve.

• Global PR & Communications Narrative:

• Develop and execute communications plans that align with VP-set business goals and strengthen brand reputation, providing recommendations and updates to the VP, Communications & Events.
• Lead earned media execution, manage day-to-day PR agency partnership(s), and build relationships with targeted media outlets; escalate sensitive matters and major opportunities to the VP.
• Manage the global awards program by identifying high-impact opportunities, coordinating submissions, and tracking outcomes to support BNI’s market leadership.

• Crisis Communications &ReputationManagement:

• Maintain and operationalize the global crisis communications plan, including escalation protocols and pre-approved holding statements for rapid responses; supporting the VP on high-severity issues.
• Develop and maintain communications playbooks and process documentation for corporate and franchise teams to use in common scenarios (announcements, issues management, leadership updates, etc.).
• Facilitate post-incident reviews and trend analysis with key partners; document learnings and recommended improvements for approval and prioritization.

• Marketing Automation & Digital Excellence:

• Use Marketo and related tools to execute multi-channel stakeholder communications (e.g., newsletters, announcements, targeted updates) and support segmentation, workflows, and reporting.
• Monitor engagement and sentiment signals; provide insights and optimization recommendations to improve performance over time.
• Promote an AI-enabled approach by identifying practical use cases for content development, insights, and workflow efficiency; establish lightweight guidance and training for the team.

• Executive Visibility & Thought Leadership:

• Support executive visibility by coordinating spokesperson opportunities and preparing leaders with briefing documents, messaging, and media training resources.
• Draft and edit content for high-visibility platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, industry events, executive remarks), coordinating reviews and approvals with the VP and relevant stakeholders.

• Integrated Team Leadership & Performance:

• Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing communications team; set clear expectations, build repeatable processes, and foster a culture of accountability, integrity, and continuous improvement.
• Partner cross-functionally to align internal communications and external storytelling, ensuring messages are consistent, timely, and audience-appropriate across channels.
• Define and track team-level goals and metrics (e.g., delivery cadence, engagement, earned media outcomes) and support professional development, keeping the function current on AI, social/digital trends, and best practices.

Competencies:

• Accountability & Integrity
• Communication
• Influence
• Cross-cultural Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Risk Management
• Digital Fluency

Required Qualifications

• Experience:8+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications or PR,3 of which within a global franchise, multi-unit, or matrixed organization.
• Technical Proficiency: 

• Hands-on experience with Marketo (or similar enterprise-level marketing automation) for campaign execution and reporting.
• AI Excellence: Demonstrated enthusiasm for adopting AI tools and integrating them into daily workflows.
• Crisis management under pressure: A proven track record of managing complex, cross-border crises with transparency and speed.

• Communication Skills: Exceptional writing, storytelling, and public speaking abilities, with the skill to translate complex data into compelling narratives.
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field or equivalent experience.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to shape the voice of a globally recognized brand.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.