Senior Director of Communications

The Senior Director will oversee a dedicated communications team of three, reports to the Vice President for Communication and Creative, and is based in our NY office in person four days per week.

Key Responsibilities

Storytelling Strategy & Narrative Oversight

Working in partnership with the Vice President of Communications and Creative, set the high-level strategy and vision for all organizational storytelling platforms, including the website, social media channels, email ecosystems, etc.
Serve as an editorial filter for the Institute’s public-facing messaging, ensuring all messaging reflects Hartman’s intellectual rigor, ideological commitments, and nuanced voice.
Serve as a strategic partner to program, development, education, and Israel-based colleagues and build a deep understanding of the Institute’s work across teams and geographies, including the intellectual, educational, and communal work emerging from Israel, and translate that work into clear, compelling narratives for North American audiences.

Media Relations & Public Voice

Develop and execute a proactive media relations strategy to elevate the Institute's profile and amplify the work of our scholars and leadership.
Leverage an existing, robust network of contacts across Jewish, secular, and specialized media to secure op-eds, interviews, and features.
In partnership with the VP, execute rapid-response and crisis communications efforts, providing steady, pressure-tested guidance to executive leadership during complex communal or geopolitical moments.

Audience Growth

Leverage digital and email platforms to support program teams and relational marketing in alignment with institutional priorities.
Develop and execute a strategy for dynamic audience engagement, implementing strategies that predictably grow our reach and deepen connection with key cohorts.
Oversee a team responsible for the day-to-day execution of these channels, ensuring their output is cohesive, impactful, and mission-aligned.
Establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) for the team to measure channel performance, utilizing audience insights and data analytics to continuously refine our digital footprint and distribution methods.

Brand Consistency and Collateral

Build out and ensure consistent application of brand standards and institutional voice across materials and platforms, while developing clear brand guidelines that help different departments adapt the Institute’s voice, look, and feel to their specific audiences and bodies of work.
Oversee production and review of marketing collateral, including digital assets, email templates, program materials, educational resources, and new products, ensuring each reflects a high-quality, cohesive visual identity.
Partner with creative and content teams to strengthen a cohesive, compelling brand presence.
Provide strategic oversight of graphic design and the overall look and feel of educational content, resources, and emerging products, ensuring that design choices strengthen clarity, accessibility, and connection to the Institute’s brand.

Team Leadership & Management

Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of three communications professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, high-quality writing, and proactive thinking.
Set clear priorities and strategies, manage team workflows, and ensure the communications department operates as a highly responsive, nimble, and strategic partner to the rest of the organization.

Qualifications

12+ years of experience in marketing and communications, public relations, journalism, media relations, or executive communications.
Exceptional editorial judgment and writing skills, with a demonstrated ability to edit complex, intellectual concepts into accessible, persuasive narratives.
A pressure-tested professional who remains calm, strategic, responsive, and decisive in fast-paced or crisis situations.
Ability to lead complex projects from idea to execution, while managing demands from multiple stakeholders.
High emotional intelligence with a talent for relationship-building; comfortable navigating complex stakeholder dynamics and managing a team.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams, listen for the core story within different areas of work, and help colleagues communicate their impact in ways that advance the Institute’s broader mission.
Executive presence and the ability to confidently represent the Institute publicly.
Mission-aligned and deeply familiar with Jewish communal life and landscape, Israel discourse, and the mission-driven non-profit landscape.