Director of Communications

Overview:

The Director of Communications at Juilliard will report to the Vice President of Communications and Marketing and will play a key leadership role in developing and executing the institution's media relations strategy. This individual will collaborate closely with Juilliard's artistic and administrative leadership to craft compelling stories for top-tier media outlets that highlight Juilliard's excellence in music, dance, and drama from around the world. This role also includes managing both internal and external communications to support the school's programmatic and mission-driven initiatives, including the launch of a major fundraising campaign.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced communications strategist to contribute to Juilliard’s mission and play a key role in shaping the future of the institution.

The salary for this role is $125,000 annually.

Working at Juilliard:

Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.

Excellence and professionalism are important guides for us in how we go about our work, but we also connect to the mission as individuals in the workplace. We thrive because of our variety of backgrounds, our ability to be open and honest, and enjoying each other’s company. We believe that each employee has the responsibility to help shape the organizational culture and provide opportunities to participate in team building throughout the year. We are also continuing to improve our organizational values with a focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

We encourage you to read more about how we achieve our mission on our website, www.juilliard.edu.

Role Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of communications strategies to promote Juilliard’s educational excellence, performances, and institutional priorities.
• Serve as the primary media liaison, building and maintaining strong relationships with key national and international journalists.
• Write and edit high-quality press materials such as press releases, op-eds, talking points, fact sheets, and crisis communications documents.
• Oversee the creation of internal communications to foster a strong organizational culture, ensuring clear, consistent messaging across students, faculty, and staff.
• Manage a small communications staff, providing mentorship and feedback to support professional growth.
• Manage PR consultants and agencies to maximize coverage and impact.
• Collaborate closely with the VP of Communications and Marketing on media relations, thought leadership, issues management, and crisis communications.
• Work alongside Juilliard’s content team (social media, editorial, and video) to tell compelling stories across various platforms.
• Coordinate media relations efforts between Juilliard's New York and Tianjin campuses.
• Guide photography efforts for institutional communications.
• Handle media queries, pitch stories, and proactively secure press coverage to highlight Juilliard's faculty, students, and institutional achievements.

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum of 7 years of strategic communications experience, ideally with PR agency or in-house experience in the arts and culture sector.
• Strong background in media relations, with demonstrated success in generating press coverage and managing crisis communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, with a keen attention to detail.
• Proven leadership ability.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high standard of work.
• Creative problem-solver with a service-oriented mindset and a passion for arts education.
• Ability to work effectively with senior leadership, faculty, and students.
• Familiarity with media monitoring platforms, digital asset management, and Office 365.
• A strong connection to and passion for the performing arts, with an understanding of its cultural significance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to work independently and as part of a larger team.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines under pressure.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as required to support events and media opportunities.

Non-discrimination Policy:

The Juilliard School is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its faculty, staff, students, and other members of the Juilliard community, and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, alienage, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, physical or mental disability, medical condition, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, partnership status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable local, state, or federal law. This nondiscrimination policy covers, but is not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, benefits, rates of pay and other forms of compensation as well as student admission, access, and treatment in school programs and activities.