Job Description

The Communications Senior Manager works across all three pods to drive the team's priority projects, keep the roadmap moving, and make sure our media, brand, and executive communications work is coordinated rather than duplicated. This role has significant hands-on accountability for media and PR execution, and steps in as the senior communications decision-maker when the Senior Director is unavailable.

This is a high-visibility role for a communications professional who has built a career across the full breadth of corporate communications, internal and external alike: pitching and placing national media, leading internal and digital communications, shaping brand and reputation strategy, leading through a crisis, and preparing executives to communicate under pressure. We're looking for someone who has done this work directly, not just directed others doing it, and who is ready to lead across pods, people, and priorities without needing formal authority to do it.

You understand every function this team runs. You are as fluent in internal communications and digital and channel strategy as you are in national media and PR, and you can move across all of it credibly.

You are a strategic communicator with strong media instincts and the ability to translate organizational priorities into compelling, coordinated communications programs.

You understand how stories travel across national, consumer, and education media, and you know how to shape them proactively and respond to them quickly.

You have a track record of building and leading large-scale, data-driven media programs, and you can point to the results, not just the activity.

You understand how PR and earned media are shaping AI, not just how AI is changing PR. You know how coverage, reputation, and content feed into what generative search and AI tools say about an organization, and you bring a clear point of view and a plan of action on that shift, not just awareness of it.

You build structure. You manage multiple high-priority workstreams with discipline, keep cross-functional projects on track, and surface risks before they become problems.

You are comfortable in high-pressure situations, including crisis response and executive-level communications, and you bring a calm, solutions-oriented approach to whatever comes at you.

You lead with influence. You don't need a direct reporting line to set direction, hold people accountable, and bring out the best in the people you work with.

• 7-10+ years of corporate communications experience spanning national media strategy, internal communications, brand and reputation, executive communications, and crisis communications

• Working knowledge of how PR and earned media influence AI-driven search, summaries, and generative platforms, and a clear point of view on how that is reshaping brand visibility and reputation

• Experience in K-12, higher education, or another highly regulated, mission-driven consumer sector strongly preferred

• Experience at a publicly traded company a plus

• Demonstrated success designing and leading large scale media programs, with the ability to speak to measurable outcomes such as share of voice, message pull-through, and reputation metrics

• Experience managing external agencies and cross-functional or matrixed teams

• Experience developing and coaching communications talent

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree a plus

• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.

• Ability to clear required background check.

Cross-Pod Strategy and Roadmap Leadership

• Own and drive the Corporate Communications roadmap, working across the Media, Channels, and Enablement pods to keep priority projects and campaigns moving

• Partner with pod leads on annual planning, campaign calendars, and cross-functional initiatives

Media and Brand Strategy

• Shape national media and brand strategy that elevates Stride and our schools across education, consumer, and trade media

• Guide how the team builds reputation across earned media, owned channels, and emerging surfaces like AI and generative search

• Prepare executives and subject matter experts to be credible, confident spokespeople

Crisis and Issues Communications

• Lead crisis and issues communications planning, response, and recovery in partnership with the Senior Director

• Serve as the senior communications decision-maker during crisis situations when the Senior Director is unavailable

Team and Agency Leadership

• Lead without direct authority: set direction for pod members on cross-team initiatives, hold people accountable to deadlines and quality, and develop the team's capability along the way

• Manage external PR agencies and consultants to ensure their work aligns with strategy and delivers measurable impact
  

This role does not have direct reports.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: Stride, Inc. considers a person’s education, experience, and qualifications, as well as the position’s work location, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value when determining a new employee’s salary level.  Salaries will differ based on these factors, the position’s level and expected contribution, and the employee’s benefits elections.  Offers will typically be in the bottom half of the range.  

We anticipate the salary range to be $79,325-$142,000.  Eligible employees may receive a bonus. This salary is not guaranteed, as an individual’s compensation can vary based on several factors.  These factors include, but are not limited to, geographic location, experience, training, education, and local market conditions. Stride offers a robust benefits package for eligible employees that can include health benefits, retirement contributions, and paid time off. 

Job Type

The above job is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor. All employment is “at-will” as governed by the law of the state where the employee works.  It is further understood that the “at-will” nature of employment is one aspect of employment that cannot be changed except in writing and signed by an authorized officer.