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Director External Communications Jobs (NOW HIRING)

RWE

Director, External Communications

Washington, DC · On-site

Exempt As Director, External Communications , you will lead the strategy, development, and execution of high-impact external communications that advance RWE's enterprise reputation, advocacy goals ...

Match Group

Director, External Communications

New York, NY · On-site

$197K - $236K/yr

Hinge is seeking a strategic, creative, and mission-driven Director of External Communications to shape our brand's presence in the world. In this role spanning markets, you'll lead Hinge's external ...

Match Group

Director, External Communications

New York, NY · On-site +1

$197K - $236K/yr

Hinge is seeking a strategic, creative, and mission-driven Director of External Communications to shape our brand's presence in the world. In this role spanning markets, you'll lead Hinge's external ...

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Director External Communications information

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$30K

$129.5K

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How much do director external communications jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for director external communications in the United States is $129,451.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $179,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director of External Communications, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of External Communications, you need expertise in public relations, media strategy, and brand messaging, typically supported by a degree in communications, public relations, or a related field. Familiarity with media monitoring tools, press release distribution platforms, and crisis communication systems is usually required. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills help you build relationships with key stakeholders and effectively manage teams. These capabilities ensure the organization’s reputation is protected and its messaging reaches target audiences with clarity and impact.

What kind of jobs in media bring in $150,000 a year?

In media, roles such as senior communications directors, media executives, and high-level public relations managers often earn $150,000 or more annually. These positions typically require extensive experience, strong leadership skills, and proficiency with strategic communication tools and platforms.

What is the difference between Director External Communications vs Public Relations Manager?

AspectDirector External CommunicationsPublic Relations Manager
CredentialsBachelor's degree; often advanced degrees in communications or related fieldsBachelor's degree; relevant experience in PR or communications
Work EnvironmentStrategic planning, overseeing external messaging, collaborating with executivesExecuting PR campaigns, media relations, managing press releases
Industry UsageUsed across corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors for high-level external messagingCommon in corporate and agency settings for managing public image

The main difference is that the Director External Communications focuses on strategic oversight and high-level external messaging, while the Public Relations Manager handles day-to-day PR activities and media relations. The director typically has broader responsibilities and a higher level of seniority, often leading teams and setting communication strategies.

What is the highest paying PR job?

The highest paying public relations roles are often executive positions such as Chief Communications Officer (CCO) or Vice President of Communications, with salaries exceeding $200,000 annually. These roles typically require extensive experience, strategic leadership skills, and a strong understanding of media relations and corporate reputation management.

What does a director of external communications do?

A director of external communications develops and manages an organization’s public image, overseeing media relations, press releases, and communication strategies. They coordinate with marketing and leadership to ensure consistent messaging and often handle crisis communication and stakeholder engagement.

What are some typical challenges a Director of External Communications faces when aligning messaging across multiple departments?

A Director of External Communications often encounters the challenge of ensuring consistent messaging while balancing input from diverse departments such as marketing, legal, and executive leadership. This requires strong collaboration skills and the ability to synthesize various perspectives into unified communications that accurately represent the organization's values. Navigating differing priorities and managing approvals can add complexity, but effective Directors foster open communication channels and establish clear messaging guidelines to streamline the process.

How much does a communication director earn?

A Director of External Communications typically earns between $80,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on the organization size, industry, and experience level. Senior roles with extensive experience and in large companies can exceed this range, often including bonuses and benefits.
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Director External Communications jobs near you

Director, External Communications

RWE

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

RWE Americas, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent
Functional area: Communications
Remuneration: Exempt
As Director, External Communications, you will lead the strategy, development, and execution of high-impact external communications that advance RWE's enterprise reputation, advocacy goals, and public positioning. This role shapes the company's voice across major campaigns, media engagement, thought leadership, and public-facing content. While deeply attuned to policy and legislative trends that affect the energy sector, this role drives storytelling, manages enterprise-level issues and opportunities, and partners with senior leadership to proactively elevate the company's brand, expertise, and industry leadership. The Director works cross-functionally-collaborating with Communications, Government Relations, Policy, Regulatory, and business teams-to ensure cohesive, strategic, and compelling messaging across all external platforms. This is a highly senior individual contributor role with leadership through influence. This role does not directly manage staff but leads cross-functional project teams and agency partners.
Role Responsibilities:
  • Lead proactive storytelling and media relations, identifying opportunities to position RWE as a credible voice on energy and innovation while building strong relationships with national and policy-focused reporters
  • Monitor legislative, regulatory, and policy developments, synthesizing trends into actionable insights that inform messaging, content development, and external engagement
  • Partner with Government Relations, Policy, Legal, and Regulatory teams to ensure external communications align with advocacy goals and accurately convey RWE's positions on key issues
  • Work with the Senior Director, External Communications to help position the industry in a positive light through coalition-building and broader industry PR campaigns
  • Lead and partner on the development of high-quality external content, including press releases, speeches, op-eds, policy statements, executive messaging, digital campaigns, and external-facing materials
  • Drive executive and company thought-leadership strategy by identifying key themes, speaking opportunities, platforms, and content that enhance visibility and influence
  • Partner to lead issues and reputation management, creating rapid-response messaging, scenario materials, and external statements around influential policy and legislatie shifts at the federal and state level
  • Oversee execution of advocacy-focused and public-facing campaigns using data insights to shape messaging, target audiences, and measure impact
  • Collaborate across functions to ensure message consistency and cohesive enterprise storytelling
  • Manage agency partners and external vendors supporting media relations, public affairs and campaign delivery
  • Drive collection of data, metrics and insights to evaluate and report on activities and strategic effectiveness
  • Work closely with industry associations to which we belong to leverage our memberships to drive priority point of view, maximize tools and resources, deepen industry relationships, and increase industry influence and brand awareness

Job Requirements and Experiences:
  • Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Government Affairs, or a related field
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in external communications, public relations, or public afairs
  • Exceptional storytelling and communications skills, with the ability to influence and inspire across all levels
  • Deep understanding of business priorities and engagement needs
  • Proven ability to manage multiple activities and stakeholders, with exceptional project management capabilities
  • Experience working in fast-paced, global or matrixed organizations
  • Exceptional writing and editing skills, with high attention to detail
  • Collaborative leader with strong stakeholder and relationship-building skills
  • Background in the renewable energy or broader energy sector preferred
  • Experience managing PR firms required
  • Experience driving time-sensitive, cross-functional project campaigns
  • Strong time management skills with ability to multi-task across projects
  • Exceptional relationship-building skills, organizational awareness, and ability to persuade others to accomplish project objectives
  • A collaborative mindset, strong project management skills, and a keen eye for detail
  • This position is an office-based role with some travel and visits to other RWE office and field locations
  • Must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Americas is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.
Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Washington D.C. is $179,000 - $225,000. The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.
Apply with just a few clicks: ad code 92774. Any questions? Contact HR: rwe_americas_recruiting@rwe.com
We look forward to meeting you. Of course, you can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Xing, too.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.
RWE Americas, a subsidiary of RWE, is a US-based energy company that is helping to meet the growing demand for energy across the United States. Backed by RWE's 125-year global legacy of managing diverse power assets, RWE Americas operates approximately 13 GW of power projects across 27 states. With a talented workforce of 2,000 employees, RWE Americas develops, constructs and operates wind, solar and battery storage projects that safely deliver affordable, reliable electricity to our customers. Committed to responsible development, RWE Americas invests in local and rural communities, creating jobs and partnering with stakeholders to support and strengthen the places where we live and work. Learn more about how RWE Americas is generating impact at americas.rwe.com.
At RWE Americas, we foster a culture defined by our Essential Behaviors - Have Courage, Create Impact and Actively Collaborate. We encourage bold thinking and continuous learning, and we value ownership, resilience and inclusion in everything we do. When you join us, you become part of a team that supports your development, respects your contributions and celebrates shared success. This is a place where you can grow your career and make a meaningful difference.
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