Strategic Communications Director

Karla Otto is a globally recognized public relations and communications agency, founded in 1982, with offices in 15 key cities across the UK, EMEA, US, and Asia. With a strong presence in fashion capitals such as Milan, London, Paris, and New York, the agency has built a reputation for representing some of the most prestigious names in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

In 2017, Karla Otto merged with K2 to form THE INDEPENDENTS, a global marketing, design, and communications group. This collective brings together industry leaders who share a commitment to innovation, excellence, and thoughtful collaboration across the luxury and lifestyle sectors.

At Karla Otto, our team of expert strategists, designers, planners and publicists are dedicated to delivering exceptional results and establishing long-term partnerships with our clients. We are passionate about the world of fashion, beauty, and luxury, with everyone bringing their unique expertise and insights to the table. We are driven by a shared commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the ever-evolving industry landscape.

To help support our future growth as an agency, we are looking for a Strategic Communications Director to join our team based in our New York office.

This is not a traditional PR role. You will sit at the intersection of brand strategy, storytelling and communications craft, building the narrative foundations that shape how our clients speak, what they represent, and where they show up. You will work across departments and closely with the VP Global Communications on brand strategy, messaging, new business and the ongoing elevation of our creative communications output.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Narrative & Messaging

• Develop communications architecture for clients — brand narratives, messaging hierarchies, positioning platforms, and creative communications frameworks
• Build strategic communications playbooks and long-form planning documents that set the direction for how clients speak across all channels
• Lead executive and founder voice development, including op-eds, Q&As, content, speeches, and media briefing narratives
• Cross-team collaboration with our fashion, beauty, lifestyle and design departments to shape messaging and storytelling for key client projects
• Participate in client meetings and calls, acting as a senior strategic counsel
  
  

Media Strategy & Innovation

• Go beyond traditional media relations to identify where culture is moving and how to engage in ways that are unexpected, relevant, and effective
• Stay ahead of shifts in media consumption, platform evolution, and audience behaviour in the luxury and fashion space
• Recommend and develop strategies across new and emerging formats, including creator partnerships, editorial newsletters, podcasts, video-first platforms, and beyond
• Bring unexpected angles and reference points that elevate client work above category norms
• Ground all strategic recommendations in research and a deep knowledge of the cultural conversation
  
  

New Business

• Be a central voice in how the agency structures its thinking for credentials, pitches, and strategic proposals
• Own the quality of the agency’s written strategic output and ensure our point of view comes through with clarity and conviction
  
  

Key Attributes

• 8 years in communications, PR, brand strategy, or editorial — with a clear emphasis on strategic and written output
• Demonstrable experience developing brand narratives, positioning documents, and messaging frameworks
• Experience working with senior executives or public-facing leaders
• Deep knowledge of the luxury and/or fashion media landscape
• Strong new business instincts - comfortable leading or significantly contributing to pitches and strategic proposals
• A genuine point of view on where media is heading and the ability to articulate it clearly
• Intellectually curious, widely read, and able to bring cultural reference and research into client work
• Restless with convention and excited by formats, platforms, and collaborators that sit outside the traditional PR model
• Exceptional written communication skills - precise, considered, and adapted to audience
• Creative and strategic thinker with strong presentation skills
• Proven experience in a fast-paced environment with excellent prioritisation and time management
  
  

What We Offer

• Salary Range: $110,000 - $120,000
• Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• 401K Employer Match program
• Commuter Benefits
• Paid Time Off including Vacation Days, Personal Days, Sick Days, and additional Comp Days
• Company-wide closure last week of the year
• 10 Federal Holidays Observed
  
  

At Karla Otto, we are always looking for personalities with positive charisma who are enthusiastic, self-motivated, and have a keen sense of aesthetics.

Karla Otto embraces and celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Karla Otto provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join our team!

Founded in 1982, Karla Otto is a full-service brand-building agency specialising in fashion, design, beauty, lifestyle, arts and culture, operating from fifteen cities across the globe.