Director of Marketing and Communications

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Marketing and Communications based in Italy.

We are seeking an ambitious and experienced Director of Marketing and Communications to lead and scale an integrated marketing and communications function within a rapidly growing global organization. In this strategic leadership role, you will shape the organization's brand, public presence, and communications strategy while expanding awareness and engagement with its mission and initiatives. You will oversee multiple disciplines, including media relations, brand development, content, and marketing, empowering specialist leaders to deliver measurable results. Working closely with the CEO and senior leadership team, you will influence organizational priorities, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and guide public narratives in a complex and increasingly visible environment. You will also build high-performing teams, develop new capabilities, and create innovative initiatives to reach new audiences while maintaining the trust of existing communities. This is an opportunity to drive meaningful global impact through strategic storytelling, thoughtful leadership, and effective communications.

Accountabilities

Responsibilities

As Director of Marketing and Communications, you will lead the organization's integrated marketing and communications strategy, develop a high-performing team, and ensure that all initiatives contribute to its broader mission and long-term objectives. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Build and lead a high-performing team: Recruit, coach, and develop senior leaders responsible for Media, Brand and Content, and Marketing, empowering them to build effective teams and deliver outstanding results.
• Define the department's organizational structure, capabilities, priorities, and performance expectations while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, trust, and continuous development.
• Develop and execute an integrated strategy: Establish an ambitious marketing and communications strategy that strengthens brand positioning, advances organizational priorities, and increases awareness and understanding of the movement and its principles.
• Identify opportunities to reach new audiences, develop creative campaigns and initiatives, and convert awareness and interest into meaningful engagement and action.
• Shape public narratives and protect organizational reputation: Guide external communications and ensure messaging is accurate, accessible, compelling, and appropriate for different audiences.
• Exercise independent editorial judgment, oversee high-profile communications, and manage sensitive topics, public scrutiny, and potential reputational challenges.
• Maintain trust and credibility with existing communities, major donors, senior leadership, and other important stakeholders.
• Build strategic relationships across the ecosystem: Collaborate with leaders and communications teams at aligned organizations to identify shared opportunities, coordinate initiatives where appropriate, and strengthen public understanding of the movement.
• Contribute to organizational leadership: Act as a strategic partner to the CEO and senior leadership team, helping shape organizational direction and ensuring communications priorities align with broader business and mission objectives.
• Challenge established approaches, identify opportunities to build new capabilities, and introduce innovative initiatives that increase the organization's reach and impact.
• Communicate strategic risks, trade-offs, and progress clearly to senior stakeholders while ensuring alignment across functions.

Requirements

The ideal candidate is a strategic and entrepreneurial leader with deep expertise in at least one major marketing or communications discipline and the ability to lead specialists across complementary areas. You should bring:

• Significant professional experience and a strong track record in at least one of the following areas: marketing, communications, media relations, or brand strategy.
• Broad expertise across marketing and communications disciplines, with the ability to develop integrated strategies and recruit, guide, and empower specialists with complementary skills.
• Substantial experience leading teams through managers or senior leaders, including coaching, developing talent, building alignment, and delivering results through others.
• Demonstrated experience building and scaling teams or organizational functions in startups or similarly fast-growing environments.
• Proven ability to attract exceptional talent, establish clear expectations, manage performance, and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience working in pub