VP of Communications

PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

Imagine building a career where your ambitions fuel not just your growth, but the vibrancy and economic impact of an entire city. At the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, we champion collaboration and creativity with a passion for representing everything Philadelphia has to offer. If you're ready to make a real difference by connecting visitors to unforgettable events and experiences while shaping the future of our city, we invite you to explore this opportunity with us. We are currently searching for a Vice President, Communications to join our team. POSITION SUMMARY The Vice President of Communications is the senior communications leader for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), responsible for shaping and stewarding the organization’s public voice, reputation, and influence. This role focuses the majority of its time on local promotion of PHLCVB’s mission, people, work, and partner impact, while providing strategic leadership and guidance to an integrated Communications team with international reach, in close partnership with the Chief Marketing Officer. The Vice President creates the conditions for growth by offering mentorship, strategic clarity, and space to lead.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.
10+ years of senior communications, public relations, or media relations experience
Demonstrated experience within a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), tourism organization, major events organization, or closely related industry strongly preferred
Experience supporting or promoting global events, international travel, conventions, or large-scale tourism initiatives
Deep knowledge of the Philadelphia market and credibility within the region’s media, tourism, business, or events ecosystem, with established Philadelphia-based media relationships
Demonstrated track record of introducing processes that teams adopt and rely on, particularly in communications and media relations
Proven success leading teams, mentoring senior staff, and shaping organizational reputation
Exceptional writing ability, sound judgment, and executive presence
Executive-level written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to set standards, provide guidance, and elevate the quality of communications produced by the team.
Deep expertise in strategic communications, media relations, and reputation management, including experience navigating complex, high-profile, or sensitive issues.
Proven ability to lead through influence, providing clarity, direction, and sound judgment across multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Highly skilled in fostering a collaborative and supportive team culture, especially in a fast-paced setting; developing talent and empowering the team to do their best work.
Strong strategic planning and operational oversight skills, with experience designing scalable workflows, governance structures, and performance expectations.
Demonstrated financial and budget management acumen, with experience overseeing communications budgets, agency investments, and resource allocation to maximize impact and manage trade-offs.
High level of professional judgment, discretion, and integrity, with comfort operating in ambiguity and making decisions with organizational impact.
Credibility and confidence engaging senior leaders, partners, media, and civic stakeholders as a representative of the organization.
Deep understanding of destination marketing, tourism, conventions, or major events, with the ability to quickly contextualize communications within business and economic impact goals.

Responsibilities

Strategic & Local Communications Leadership Lead PHLCVB’s integrated communications strategy with a strong emphasis on local visibility, authority, and narrative leadership.
Promote PHLCVB’s mission, organizational impact, staff expertise, and partner value across local, regional, national, and industry channels.
Position PHLCVB as the trusted authority on conventions, major events, and international travel impacting Philadelphia.
Serve as a highly visible representative of the PHLCVB, ensuring local media, stakeholders, and partners clearly understand who the PHLCVB is, what it does, and the value it delivers to the region.
Team Leadership & Development Lead and mentor the Communications management team, intentionally developing future directors and long-term leadership capacity.
Provide strategic guidance, coaching, and context while empowering managers to lead their functional areas with autonomy and accountability.
Foster a collaborative, integrated Communications culture grounded in trust, performance, and professional growth.
International Governance & Support Maintain senior-level awareness of international communications programs, global markets, and agency relationships.
Partner closely with the International Communications Manager to support staff management, leadership development, and team structure as the international function scales.
Establish scalable standards, workflows, and escalation paths in partnership with the International Communications Manager to manage volume, seasonality, and complexity.
Support resolution of capacity, prioritization, or reputational issues tied to international initiatives and global events.
Media & Thought Leadership Maintain senior-level media relationships and serve as a spokesperson for PHLCVB when appropriate.
Guide executive media engagement and thought leadership initiatives that elevate PHLCVB’s credibility, influence, and industry standing.