Associate Director/Director, Early Careers

ABOUT ORCHESTRA

Orchestra is a strategic communications and marketing company built for today’s complex and fragmented world. From decoding audiences to designing bold strategies, Orchestra integrates people, platforms, and stories that stick to help clients build lasting influence. The company offers programs that span from the highest level strategic business counsel through to tactical execution. Orchestra brings together 700 people with experience across consumer and lifestyle, technology, nonprofit and philanthropy, real estate, sports, travel, hospitality, and more. Made up of leading firms BerlinRosen, Civitas Public Affairs Group, Derris, Glen Echo Group, Inkhouse, M18, Message Lab, Onward and Small Girls PR. It also launched Brightmode, a talent acquisition firm for communications professionals, and Versus Media Group, a strategy-first political media team. Learn more at www.orchestraco.com.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Orchestra is seeking an Associate Director or Director of Early Careers to lead and scale our early talent strategy across the organization. This role will oversee the full lifecycle of early-career talent programs—including internships, fellowships, apprenticeships, entry-level hiring, onboarding, development, and retention initiatives—while helping shape the future talent pipeline for our growing network.

This role is ideal for a strategic builder who is equally energized by program design, stakeholder management, talent acquisition, and talent development. You will partner closely with leaders across Talent, Culture, and the business to create a best-in-class early careers ecosystem that attracts high-potential talent, develops future leaders, and advances Orchestra's commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

You will serve as a connective thread across Orchestra, aligning recruitment, onboarding, learning, mentorship, and career development efforts into a cohesive and scalable early-careers experience.

Role location: This role is based in our New York, N.Y. office on a hybrid basis, in-office 3 days per week.

Accountabilities and Qualifications 

As the Associate Director/Director, Early Careers, you will:

Early Careers Strategy & Program Leadership

• Develop and execute Orchestra's enterprise-wide early careers strategy, aligning talent pipelines with business goals and workforce planning needs.
• Design, launch, and continuously improve internship, fellowship, apprenticeship, rotational, and entry-level talent programs.
• Establish a consistent early careers framework across Orchestra's network of firms while allowing for business-specific needs.
• Partner with Talent, Culture, and business leaders to build scalable pathways that attract, develop, and retain emerging talent.
• Serve as the central owner and strategic advisor for all early-career initiatives across the organization.

Recruitment & Talent Pipeline Development

• Oversee end-to-end recruitment for internships, fellowships, and entry-level roles across Orchestra.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with universities, colleges, workforce development organizations, and industry associations.
• Develop innovative sourcing strategies that expand access to high-potential talent and strengthen candidate pipelines.
• Create structured and equitable hiring processes, interview frameworks, and candidate evaluation practices.
• Represent Orchestra externally through campus recruiting, conferences, career fairs, and partnership events.

Talent Development & Employee Experience

• Lead the design and execution of a best-in-class experience for early-career employees from onboarding through career progression.
• Partner with Learning & Development and business leaders to create professional development, mentorship, networking, and coaching programs.
• Develop resources and training that equip managers to effectively onboard, support, and develop emerging talent.
• Foster a culture of learning, belonging, growth, and engagement for early-career employees across the organization.
• Identify opportunities to improve retention, performance, and long-term career outcomes.

Essentials skills:

• 7 years of experience in talent acquisition, campus recruiting, workforce development, learning and development, talent management, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing early-career talent programs at scale.
• Experience leading full-cycle recruitment efforts and talent pipeline strategies.
• Strong project management and operational excellence skills.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and relationship-building abilities.
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth organizations.

WORKING AT ORCHESTRA

Salary range (commensurate with experience and skills): $85,000-140,000