Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

WHO WE ARE:  

At Fors Marsh, we take on issues that matter. We are a team of researchers, strategists, and communicators working together to drive lasting change. We look at human behavior from all angles with a deep understanding of people and context to design solutions that influence decision-making and move people to action. Our work promotes health and well-being, shapes resilient communities, and builds effective and accountable institutions. We are a certified B Corporation and a Top Workplace for 7 consecutive years.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR :

We are seeking a senior leader with deep experience growing and leading communications and marketing portfolios in the federal & state marketplace and outside of the health sector. This role is responsible for driving client success, business growth, and market expansion across public service recruitment, public safety, consumer protection, and disaster resilience initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines expertise in integrated marketing and communications with a demonstrated track record of developing, capturing, and winning federal opportunities. They bring strong relationships across government agencies, experience leading complex federal proposal efforts, and the ability to position organizations for long-term growth in competitive public-sector markets.

Success in this role requires a leader who can translate client needs into winning solutions, drive business development efforts from opportunity identification through proposal submission, and deliver impactful communications programs that influence behavior, build trust, and engage diverse audiences. This person will build an integrated marketing and communications division supporting strong institutions.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Development & Market Expansion

• Lead federal business development strategy and execution, including opportunity identification, pipeline development, capture planning, proposal leadership, oral presentations, and account growth initiatives
• Shape growth strategies aligned with practice priorities, market trends, and long-term positioning goals
• Partner across growth, account, and delivery teams to advance strategic opportunities and competitive positioning
• Contribute to thought leadership and external visibility through client engagement, conference participation, authored insights, and market presence
• Demonstrate ownership of pursuits resulting in federal contract wins, task orders, IDIQ awards, BPAs, or other public-sector procurements
• Lead strategic pursuit teams and ensure proposal efforts are compliant, competitive, and aligned with client priorities and evaluation criteria
• Use established client, agency, and industry relationships to strengthen partnerships and uncover new opportunities

Federal Capture & Proposal Leadership

• Lead new business capture activities for strategic federal opportunities from pre-RFP positioning through proposal submission and award
• Serve as proposal lead, volume lead, color team reviewer, or senior advisor on major federal business development efforts
• Partner with technical, growth, and operations teams to develop compliant, compelling, and competitive proposals
• Maintain knowledge of federal acquisition trends, procurement processes, contracting vehicles, and agency priorities to inform growth strategy
• Build relationships with federal stakeholders, industry partners, and teaming organizations to support capture strategy
• Apply cross-sector relationships to shape public-sector opportunities and partnerships

Portfolio Leadership & Strategy

• Lead one or more client portfolios, serving as a trusted advisor while ensuring high-quality delivery, long-term relationship health, and sustainable growth
• Monitor client satisfaction and proactively address risks, challenges, and opportunities across engagements
• Strengthen client relationships to support account expansion and long-term portfolio health
• Translate industry and client trends into actionable strategies, operational and capability improvements, and innovative approaches that support delivery and growth in the portfolio

Operational & Financial Leadership

• Oversee project and contract execution across the portfolios, ensuring delivery aligns with scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and quality expectations
• Manage portfolio financial performance, utilization, resource allocation, and operational metrics
• Ensure operational excellence through strong project management, quality management, and continuous process improvement practices
• Drive accountability across teams while fostering a culture of collaboration, mission focus, and innovation

Marketing & Communications Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership across integrated marketing and communications engagements that bring together research, planning and strategy, creative and content development, omnichannel execution, and performance measurement and optimization
• Advise teams on modern, full-funnel marketing strategies optimized across paid, earned, shared, and owned media
• Guide integrated campaign planning and execution across multidisciplinary teams of account management, digital, media, outreach and engagement, creative, content management, research, and analytics experts
• Apply audience insights and market intelligence to fuel innovation and amplify mission impact
• Help clients navigate evolving communications environments, audience behaviors, and emerging marketing technologies

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead high-performing, client-facing teams
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and professional development opportunities to team members while cultivating future leaders
• Foster collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning across multidisciplinary teams
• Support hiring, team development, succession planning, and capability-building efforts aligned with organizational growth priorities
• Champion employee engagement and professional growth across teams and portfolios

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in marketing, communications, public affairs, or related consulting environments, including at least 5 years leading federal client accounts and business development activities
• Demonstrated success developing winning proposals for government clients
• Experience leading competitive federal procurements, including capture and proposal management
• Proven track record leading pursuits that resulted in contract awards and measurable revenue growth from government agencies
• Established relationships and credibility within federal agencies and/or government contracting ecosystems
• Experience overseeing complex portfolios, contracts, or programs, including financial, operational, staffing, and quality management responsibilities
• Demonstrated success growing strategic accounts and long-term client partnerships
• Experience using AI and emerging digital technologies to enhance communications strategy and effectiveness, increase operational scale and efficiency, or streamline and improve business development efforts
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple strategic pursuits simultaneously
• Executive presence with strategic, thoughtful, and compelling communication style that inspires clients, partners, and teams to act
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business, public policy, or a related field

Strong preference provided to candidates with these qualifications:

• Master's degree in marketing, communications, business, public policy, or a related field
• Located in the Washington, D.C. metro area
• Experience supporting clients in disaster preparedness and recovery, public safety, consumer protection, or public service recruiting

We Offer:

Our benefits typically meet or exceed our competitors' packages. What's in it for you?

• Ability to make an impact on people's lives, both internal and external to the organization.

• Top-tier health and dental covered at 100% for employee coverage.

• Additional vision, and long and short-term disability options.

• Our company culture, which values balance and allows each employee to take leave as they require it to balance the responsibilities of both their work and home lives without worrying about depleting their available leave hours.

• A floating holiday bank so you can celebrate the days you value.

• Generous matching retirement contributions and no vesting period starting the third month of employment.

• Dedicated training and development budgets to expand your expertise and grow your skillset.

• You can volunteer your way with paid time off.

• You can participate in Fors Marsh staff-led affinity groups.

• Our employees receive product and service discounts through the certified B Corp network.

Annual Salary : $165,000-$185,000/year

FM Career Map: Senior Director

Location: Hybrid. Mostly remote with some travel or on-site requirements as needed. #LI-Hybrid

EOE : All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.