SVP, Communications

National Restaurant Association • Washington, DC

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation are proud to be part of a highly respected industry, providing hospitality, opportunity, and quality of life. Much like the industry we represent, we have a dynamic, diverse, and inclusive culture, grounded in trust, hospitality, collaboration, and innovation. These are the core values that inspire our work, and what we are looking for in a Senior Vice President, Communications.

As Senior Vice President (SVP), Communications, you will lead a communications function with a dual focus: building a unified brand voice across the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and advancing the Association’s advocacy agenda by making key issues understandable and compelling to members, policymakers, the media, and the public.

Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), you will lead a recently centralized team of 5 and build the structure to support a fully integrated communications function spanning public affairs, media relations, executive communications, stakeholder and board engagement, internal communications, and crisis response. As the top-level communications executive, you’ll amplify the impact of the Association and the Educational Foundation and the proof points behind it, shaping strategies that strengthen enterprise-wide voice, reputation, and influence. We are looking for new thinking across every area of strategic communications, testing new formats and channels, using data to decide where to deploy the team’s strengths, and finding fresh angles that get attention.

You’ll be joining the Association at a time of significant momentum, with a business transformation underway to support innovation and sustainability in a competitive market. This role is ideal for an experienced communications leader who can assess what the organization needs, set the strategy, and build the plan to deliver it.

Position operates out of our DC office, with a required three days onsite, Monday – Wednesday with flexibility to work remote on Thursday and Friday.

Requirements

• 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in communications, public affairs, media strategy, or related disciplines, with expertise spanning brand, thought leadership, and policy or advocacy communications in complex, multi-stakeholder organizations.
• Proven ability to build, scale, and lead high-performing teams, including defining roles, setting strategic direction, and establishing performance management frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience managing strategic communications agencies and partner relationships.
• Strong and active media relationships across traditional outlets (broadcast, print) and new media (digital, social, podcasts, newsletters), with a proven record of securing prominent coverage and thought leadership placements.
• Expertise in developing and executing executive visibility strategies, including speechwriting, op-eds, interviews, and thought leadership platforms.
• Skilled at working in fast-paced, high-stakes environments with the ability to advise executive leaders on sensitive or complex issues.

Nice To Haves

• An advanced degree in communications, public relations, journalism, political science, or a related field is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal advisor to the CMO, CEO, and executive leadership on communications strategy, positioning, and reputation management internally and externally.
• Develop and execute an enterprise-wide external communications strategy (considering both traditional and non-traditional approaches) that advances the National Restaurant Association’s and Educational Foundation’s mission, reputation, and thought leadership position.
• Guide the development of issue-driven communications strategies to support the Association’s public affairs objectives at the federal, state, and local levels—raising visibility, increasing stakeholder understanding, and advancing the policy agenda.
• Partner with the EVP of Public Affairs to shape media coverage around legislative and regulatory priorities through strategic messaging, content creation, media outreach, and rapid-response engagement.
• Oversee crisis communications planning and response to protect and enhance organizational trust.
• Develop and implement an internal communications strategy that ensures employees are informed, aligned, and engaged in organizational priorities and activities, while reinforcing company culture and values.
• Define and track success metrics, such as share of voice, media quality and sentiment, employee engagement, and reputation benchmarks; use insights to refine strategies and ensure enterprise-level impact.
• Leverage modern communications channels—including social media, digital platforms, and multimedia content—to broaden reach, increase engagement, and reinforce brand positioning.
• Build and evolve an integrated communications function, including designing team structure, hiring talent, defining roles and responsibilities, and aligning capabilities with organizational needs.
• Establish a performance management framework for the team, including clear objectives, defined KPIs, accountability mechanisms, and regular evaluation of outcomes against strategic goals.
• Foster a culture of excellence, ownership, and continuous improvement through coaching, feedback, and professional development planning.
• Guide the development of core communications competencies across disciplines, including media relations, internal communications, executive visibility, and public affairs.
• Oversee the selection, onboarding, and performance management of external agency partners, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, budget discipline, and accountability for results.
• Provide strategic counsel and support to the CEO and senior leaders for external engagements, speeches, and high-profile initiatives.
• Develop and manage executive thought leadership strategies, including content development, speaking opportunities, media positioning, and published commentary.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with industry communication leaders, media contacts, stakeholders, and regulatory or advocacy organizations.
• Participate in enterprise-level strategic planning and decision-making alongside the executive leadership team.
• Shape and approve operational policies, resource deployment, and budget allocations in support of communications initiatives and enterprise goals.
• Lead the integration of communications strategies into organizational planning across functions to support modernization, growth, and transformation initiatives.

Benefits

• outstanding healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision)
• competitive salaries
• generous vacation and leave time
• matching 401(k) plan
• unique collection of corporate discounts and memberships
• programs to support career and skills development, including learning and tuition assistance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive