Communication & Social Media Director (Travel Industry)

Location: Seattle, WA

Industry: Travel Industry (US to Europe)

Market: US & Canada

Reporting to: Sr Director of Brand Marketing and Customer Experience

Direct Reports: Dotted line from a Social Media Moderator

Visa: No sponsorship possible. Must have valid work authorization

Job ID: ZR_9574_JOB

Job Seniority: Executive Level, Middle Management Level

Company size: Medium (50-1000 ppl)

Company Ownership: Privately Owned

Function(s): Marketing, Digital Marketing,

Region(s): NORTH AMERICA, USA, Washington

Company Description

Our client is a privately held travel company that has inspired millions of Americans to explore Europe through its tour programs, guidebooks, public television series, weekly radio show, and growing digital presence. The organization is mission-driven, built on the conviction that travel is a meaningful way to foster cultural understanding and connection across the world. It maintains a relaxed, values-oriented culture with a strong emphasis on work-life balance.

Objective of the Role

Reporting to the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Customer Experience, the Communications and Social Media Director will steward and elevate the public voice of the company’s founder. This is a highly collaborative, trust-driven position that combines communications leadership with hands‑on social media execution, ensuring that the founder’s voice, values, and perspective on travel are conveyed consistently and authentically across all channels.

Ideal Profile

The successful candidate is an accomplished communications professional with the maturity and judgment to advise a high-profile founder while also acting as the day‑to‑day creator of content in his voice. They are an exceptional writer, able to capture a distinctive personal tone built on metaphor, idiom, and personality. They bring confidence and independence, contributing creative ideas and thoughtful pushback rather than simply executing instructions, and they are comfortable conveying a founder’s openly held personal and social viewpoints. Prior travel‑industry experience is not required, though a genuine personal interest in travel and alignment with a mission of global connection is preferred. Comparable backgrounds may be found within founder‑led consumer brands where earned‑media strategy is built around the voice of a recognizable public figure.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the founder on public messaging, media engagement, and external communications.
• Translate the founder’s voice, values, and ideas into clear and compelling content across formats.
• Develop and execute proactive media strategies and build relationships with key journalists, producers, and media partners.
• Vet, plan, and support media appearances, interviews, and public engagements.
• Create and curate content for the founder’s personal social channels, with a primary focus on a highly engaged community on the leading platform and a secondary presence on others.
• Collaborate with the marketing team and the existing social media team to ensure alignment, supported by a community moderator who manages daily engagement.
• Track engagement across platforms and use insights to refine communications strategy.

Requirements

• This is a hybrid role based in Washington State; remote work only available 2 days per week.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, or a related discipline.
• Ten or more years of experience in communications, public relations, or a closely related field, at a level consistent with a Director appointment.
• Demonstrated success designing and executing high-impact public relations campaigns, with established media relationships.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and interpersonal skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe tools, and familiarity with major social media platforms.