Dennys

Director, Enterprise Communications

Dennys$128K — $176K *
Hospitality & Recreation
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 15+ years of experience in communications, public relations, or related fields
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
  • Experience supporting C-suite executives
  • Strong background in public relations and crisis communications
  • Proven ability to influence senior leaders
  • Experience in restaurant or franchise environments preferred
  • Strategic thinker with strong business acumen

Responsibilities

  • Lead enterprise communications strategy for diverse stakeholders
  • Partner with CEO on executive communications and leadership messaging
  • Drive public relations initiatives and reputation management
  • Develop strategies to strengthen franchisee trust and alignment
  • Lead crisis communications and issue management
  • Create compelling stories highlighting the brand and franchise owners
  • Build processes to improve clarity and organizational alignment

Benefits

  • Hybrid work model in Spartanburg, SC
  • Opportunity to shape a modern communications function
  • Key advisor role for senior leadership
  • Engagement with a reputable and iconic brand
  • Collaborative work environment across multiple departments
Full Job Description
Director, Enterprise Communications

Location: Spartanburg, SC (Hybrid)
Company: Denny's, Inc.

As Director, Enterprise Communications, you will build and lead a modern communications function that strengthens alignment, trust, reputation, and engagement across one of America's most iconic restaurant brands. Reporting to senior leadership, this role will serve as a key advisor to executives while leading internal communications, public relations, executive messaging, franchisee communications, crisis readiness, and brand storytelling.

This is a unique opportunity for a communications professional who enjoys both strategy and execution—someone who can advise leaders in the boardroom, navigate sensitive issues, support franchise owners, engage employees, and help tell the authentic stories that make Denny's special.

What You'll Do
  • Lead enterprise communications strategy across employees, franchise owners, executive leadership, media, communities, and external stakeholders.

  • Partner directly with the CEO and senior leadership team on executive communications, speeches, presentations, talking points, leadership messaging, and thought leadership content.

  • Drive public relations initiatives, media messaging, proactive storytelling, and reputation management efforts.

  • Develop communication strategies that strengthen franchisee confidence, trust, and system alignment.

  • Lead crisis communications planning, issue management, and stakeholder response strategies.

  • Create compelling stories that highlight our franchise owners, restaurant teams, guests, communities, and brand transformation journey.

  • Build communication processes, tools, and rhythms that improve clarity, consistency, and organizational alignment.

  • Partner closely with Legal, Operations, Human Resources, Marketing, Finance, Technology, and external agency partners.

What We're Looking For
  • 15+ years of progressive experience in communications, public relations, executive communications, corporate communications, internal communications, or related disciplines.

  • Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling capabilities.

  • Experience supporting C-suite leaders and developing executive-level communications.

  • Strong background in public relations, reputation management, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement.

  • Ability to influence and advise senior leaders while managing sensitive and confidential matters.

  • Experience within restaurant, hospitality, retail, franchise, consumer brand, private equity, or multi-unit environments is strongly preferred.

  • Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and sound judgment.

  • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and high visibility.

The typical pay range for this role is:

Minimum:$128,000.00 - Maximum:$176,000.00

Please note that this range represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade within which the position falls. This job posting is not a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee as the actual pay will take into account a range of factors, including location and experience.

About Dennys

Denny's is a full-service pancake house, coffee shop, fast casual family restaurant chain. The company operates over 1,600 restaurants in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Curaçao, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras, Bahrain, New Zealand, Qatar, Philippines, and Indonesia. Denny's is known for always being open, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the clock.
Learn more about Dennys
Size
3,300 employees
Market Cap
$530.7 million
Industry
Net Income
-$5.1 million
Founded
1953
5 Year Trend
-4.7%
Revenue
$288.6 million
NASDAQ

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