Director of Communications & Content

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their rsum, cover letter, and any relevant work samples to jobs@21cmediagroup.com by May 2, 2025. Please include the job title in the subject line of your email. We look forward to reviewing your application.

About Us:

Ravinia believes in the power of shared, live-music moments to inspire ourselves, our communities, and the world. The nonprofit's mission is to enrich lives through the transformative power of music. From exceptional performances and professional training in the Steans Institute to educational programs and community engagement through Reach Teach Play, Ravinia strives to create memorable experiences that connect people, foster curiosity, and ensure that the joy of live music is accessible to all.

The 36-acre park is home to North America's longest-running outdoor music festival and serves as an enchanting place to experience concerts throughout the summer. Performances range across classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country genres and include the annual summer residency of one of the world's finest orchestras: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The festival is located about 20 miles north of Chicago at Green Bay and Lake Cook Roads in Highland Park.

With over one hundred performances each summer, the 2025 season runs from June 6-August 31. As we approach our 125th anniversary in 2029, we are looking for a dynamic and strategic Director of Communications & Content to drive our mission forward through powerful storytelling and memorable branding initiatives.

Job Title: Director of Communications & Content
Reports to: Chief Marketing & Communications Officer (CMCO)

Job Summary:
The Director of Communications & Content will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the festival's comprehensive communications strategy. This individual will oversee all internal and external communications efforts and content strategy, crafting narratives that deliver business results, strengthen brand reputation, cultivate deep audience engagement, and advance its mission of ensuring that the joy of live music is accessible to all. The ideal candidate is a creative, results-driven leader with expertise in cross-functional leadership, brand storytelling, and communication strategies that effectively engage with key stakeholders both internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Communications:
  
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy that aligns with the festival's mission, goals, and objectives.
  • Design and implement processes for creating, reviewing, and distributing internal communications, ensuring clear, consistent, and timely messaging.
  • Work closely with the CMCO to elevate brand positioning, messaging, and market presence and refine messaging across all platforms to support business objectives and strengthen brand reputation.
  • Identify opportunities for media placements that align with the festival and its programs and community engagement efforts.
• Media Relations:
  
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets to secure press coverage for the festival, its artists, and its initiatives.
  • Establish and cultivate a database for relationship mapping and tracking media pitches, inquiries, and hits.
  • Write and distribute press releases, media kits, and other materials.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for all media inquiries, assisting the CMCO with crisis management communications as needed.
• Digital Content Strategy:
  
  • Serve as the festival's thought leader for digital communications strategy, including website content, marketing campaigns, and social media platforms.
  • Oversee digital content creation that is engaging, on-brand, and consistent with the festival's voice.
  • Analyze digital engagement data and adjust strategies to optimize reach and audience engagement.
• Content Development:
  
  • Create high-quality content, including press releases, blog posts, newsletters, digital assets, and other promotional materials, to engage key audiences, including guests, the Ravinia Team, stakeholders, and media.
  • Collaborate with graphic designers, videographers, and other members of the creative team to produce compelling multimedia pieces that tell the festival's story.
  • Develop content strategies, processes, and playbooks for digital platforms, media relations, thought leadership, and internal communications for campaigns.
• Brand Management:
  
  • Maintain and enhance the festival's brand identity and positioning across all communications.
  • Ensure that the festival's messaging, tone, and visuals are aligned and impactful.
  • Assist the CMCO with crisis communication efforts, reputation management, and public relations strategies.
• Stakeholder Communication:
  
  • Collaborate closely with senior leadership, Development, People & Culture, Steans Institute, Reach Teach Play, and other departments to ensure a unified approach to messaging and content development that supports the festival's goals and values.
  • Support internal communications efforts to keep staff, volunteers, and partners informed and motivated.
  • Create other materials including board reports, presentations, briefs, and remarks.
  • Guide institutional communications for key stakeholders, including sponsors, donors, community leaders, and artists.
• Event Promotion and Publicity:
  
  • Oversee the planning and execution of promotional campaigns leading up to the festival, including the season announcement, ticket on-sales, special programming, and other timely news.
  • Develop and implement strategies to increase attendance and awareness for festival-related events and initiatives.
• Budget Management:
  
  • Manage the communications budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and adherence to financial targets.
  • Direct relationships with outside agencies and contractors. Experience negotiating and reviewing contracts with outside agencies is a plus.
  • Track the effectiveness of campaigns and reporting on return on investment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in enterprise communications, with a proven track record in public relations, content creation, media relations, and digital strategy, with at least 5 years in a leadership role, preferably in a large, complex organization.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for different audiences. Media training with the proficiency to coach others is a plus.
• Excellent analytical skills, with a data-driven approach to evaluating communications effectiveness.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with a large cross-functional team, especially in a public-facing role.
• High-level strategic thinking combined with tactical execution capabilities.
• Expertise in managing brand reputation and handling crisis communications. A network of colleagues and experts in related fields is a plus.
• Strong understanding of digital marketing trends, content strategy, and social media platforms.
• Proficiency in communications tools and software (e.g., G-Suite, Monday.com, Critical Mention, Sprout Social, Canva, Orange Logic, etc.) or demonstrated ability to quickly acquire new software skills.
• Passion for music, the arts, and community engagement.

Benefits

Excellent health and welfare benefits: medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits, teledoc options, employee well-being programs, life insurance, short-term, and long-term disability. It also includes comprehensive time off plans (holidays, vacation, sick, and personal days). Additionally, generous employer contributions to the 401(a) retirement savings plan, employee-elected 403(b) retirement savings plan, learning and mentorship opportunities, access to various staff working groups, and a general admission season pass for two to Ravinia concerts.

Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success. We strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.