About the roleWe're looking for a Director, Public Relations who is ready to build something. This role isn't about inheriting a playbook but about writing one. You'll own Thumbtack's earned media strategy and reputation at a moment when the narrative is being shaped in real time, the media landscape is shifting constantly, and the opportunity to say something genuinely differentiated has never been greater. This is a role for someone who draws energy from ambiguity, challenges conventional PR thinking, and understands how AI and algorithmic discovery are reshaping the media landscape in real time. As a senior leader accountable for how Thumbtack shows up in the world, you'll translate bold ambition into stories that land authentically with customers, media and stakeholders and you'll build the systems, relationships and team culture to do with consistency and courage.
What you'll do- Define and own a PR strategy built for a brand in motion, one that moves with the narrative, anticipates the media landscape, and isn't afraid to pioneer spaces without a roadmap
- Serve as the senior voice and strategic lead for all earned media, narrative development, and crisis management working to connect Thumbtack's why to stories that resonate across consumer, trade, and corporate channels
- Lead integrated comms campaigns end to end: from story development and spokesperson prep through pitch execution and coverage analysis
- Build, hire, and develop a high-performing team and agency ecosystem, attracting talent who shares a bias for bold, intentional storytelling
- Design and continuously improve workflows, messaging frameworks, and rapid-response systems that enable speed and creative conviction
- Operate as a strategic business partner to senior stakeholders focusing on shaping narrative proactively and building the function's credibility as a driver of business outcomes, not as an executor of comms tasks
- Foster a culture of accountability, creative risk-taking, and resilience while role modeling Thumbtack's values and leading through change
In order to be successful, you must bring- 10+ years of experience in public relations, communications, or earned media, with 3+ years of demonstrated people leadership
- A track record of building (not just executing) PR strategy with examples of work that challenged norms and/or created new narrative territories
- The instinct and courage to operate without a pre-existing playbook, and the discipline to build one that others can follow
- Fluency in how stories move through a modern media landscape (inclusive of how earned media interacts with algorithmic discovery, AI-generated summaries and shifting audience trust) and the judgement to navigate it with clarity and conviction
- Strong editorial judgment and the ability to identify, shape, and protect stories that are genuinely differentiated
- A leadership style that raises the ambition of the people around you, someone who changes how a company thinks, not just what it does
Expected salary ranges- For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $227,800 - $294,800
- For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $204,900 - $265,100
- For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $193,800 - $250,800
Actual offered salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as calibrated job level, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.
