Sr. Director, Brand Communications

Job Summary

The Sr. Director, Brand Communications is responsible for setting the strategic vision and leading the execution of global public relations and social media efforts to elevate brand reputation, build consumer awareness, and strengthen engagement with our target fans. This role plays a key leadership function in shaping the brand narrative and protecting the company’s reputation across all markets and channels, with deep expertise in media relations, storytelling, crisis communication, and reputation management. The Sr. Director partners closely with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure consistent, compelling, and brand-aligned communications. They provide strategic oversight for the development and implementation of global social media strategies, guiding the team to expand brand presence, foster community engagement, and drive measurable business impact.

This position is located in Portland, OR, and necessitates a regular presence at our global headquarters (three days per week).

Essential Functions

Strategic Brand Communication & Public Relations:

Oversees the development and execution of the global brand communication strategy, ensuring alignment with company-wide goals and executive priorities, with a focus on public relations, events/experiences, and social media.

Provides strategic oversight to external agency partners and senior PR staff, while maintaining high-level relationships with key media contacts across print, digital, broadcast, and industry-specific outlets.

Guides the creation and quality assurance of press materials, including press releases, media kits, op-eds, blog posts, and social media content, ensuring consistency and alignment with brand voice and messaging.

Serves as a senior advisor during crisis communication situations, partnering with executive leadership to manage responses and safeguard the company’s reputation.

Social Media Strategy & Community Engagement:

Provides strategic leadership for the company’s social media vision, guiding a comprehensive strategy that drives brand awareness, community engagement, and alignment with broader business goals.

Oversees monitoring and response protocols, ensuring that engagement practices are timely, brand-consistent, and scalable across platforms.

Directs the development of engaging and on-brand content across all key platforms (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), ensuring quality, tone, and audience fit.

Guides team efforts to stay ahead of emerging social trends and technologies, ensuring strategies evolve accordingly.

Performance Analysis & Reporting:

Oversees the tracking and reporting of PR and social media performance, including media coverage, sentiment analysis, reach, engagement, and conversion metrics. Continuously optimize PR strategies based on insights and feedback.

Provides strategic insights and executive-level performance updates that inform leadership decisions and demonstrate the business impact of public relations, experiences/events, influencers, and social media efforts on brand objectives.

Champions continuous improvement by using data-driven insights about engagement, reach, follower growth, and conversions to refine campaign strategies and improve ROI.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Leads and mentors the brand communications team, setting priorities, ensuring resource alignment, and fostering professional development across the team.

Partners with marketing, HR, legal, and executive teams to ensure communications are consistent, strategically aligned, and effectively support broader company initiatives.

Advocates for communication excellence across departments, establishing shared standards and practices that elevate internal and external messaging.

Event & Influencer Engagement:

Provides oversight for key brand experiences such as product 10% launches, conferences, and community events, ensuring strategic alignment, media visibility, and operational excellence.

Oversees influencer and advocate relationship strategies, guiding the team in selecting, engaging, and measuring the effectiveness of partnerships that enhance brand affinity.

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or a related field required.

Master's Degree, MBA or advanced degree is a plus.

Ten (10) years in brand communications, public relations, social media, marketing, or a related field.

Five (5) years in a leadership position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate business objectives into impactful communication strategies.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in media relations, content creation, and storytelling.

Proven ability to manage and mentor a diverse team of professionals.

Strong project management skills, with experience handling multiple high-priority projects simultaneously.

Expertise in crisis communications and brand reputation management.

Proficiency in digital marketing and social media trends.

Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships at all levels of the organization.

Creative, innovative, and solution-oriented.

Detail-oriented with a strong commitment to quality and consistency.

Ability to work under pressure and manage complex situations with a calm and strategic approach.

Travel Required: Yes, up to 20% of work time will involve travel.

Base Salary: $203,000 - $225,000 yearly

This range represents the low and high end of the anticipated base salary range for this position. The actual base salary will depend on numerous factors such as experience, knowledge, and skills, and location. Our base salary is just one component of our competitive total rewards strategy, which includes numerous benefits and perks as well as specific health and welfare benefits.

Why Work at KEEN: Driven by a passion for life outside, KEEN is a values-led, independently owned brand from Portland, Oregon, that’s on a mission to create original and versatile products, improve lives, and inspire outside adventure. Founded in 2003, KEEN launched a revolution in the footwear industry with the introduction of the Newport adventure sandal and has donated more than $18 million to non-profit organizations and causes around the world to promote responsible outdoor recreation, including conservation efforts to protect open spaces. KEEN strives to show the world through its products and its actions that a business for good can actually be good for business. By giving back, reducing impact, and activating communities and individuals to protect the places where we work and play, KEEN puts its values in motion and takes action to leave the world a better place.

At KEEN, we believe in a more just and equitable future for all people. As a global brand, we acknowledge that our business, buildings, and daily lives exist within the traditional territories of indigenous peoples. We strive for a future that recognizes the knowledge, rights, and resilience of these peoples.

Fuerst Group, KEEN, and Chrome are equal opportunity employers. We value an inclusive and diverse community. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.