Senior Diretor, Communications

Responsibilities

• Cultural Hype & Brand Narrative - Define and own sweetgreen's cultural communications strategy, positioning the brand at the center of the food, wellness, and culture conversation:
• Lead the strategy for identifying and creating cultural moments from menu drops and chef collaborations to brand partnerships and community activations in partnership with the founders, VP of Marketing, and VP of Partnerships
• Define and own the always-on editorial strategy across earned channels (Substacks, newsletters, social, podcasts), ensuring sweetgreen drives its own narrative rather than just reacting to it
• Set the playbook for founder-led storytelling, directing agency partners and collaborators to help our founders show up authentically in direct-to-audience channels
• Oversee the content engine strategy that generates a steady drumbeat of conversation-worthy stories spanning brand messages, partnerships, business milestones, food quality, and menu innovation
• External Communications - Set and own the corporate narrative strategy across consumer, business, executive, and financial audiences:
• Own sweetgreen's earned communications agenda, directing agency partners to maximize press coverage, brand visibility, and third-party credibility across all channels
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Legal, Finance, and Operations to ensure consistent, strategic messaging across all external touchpoints
• Oversee the development of communication narratives and materials across channels, including press releases, brand films, investor communications, partnership announcements, and direct-to-audience content
• Manage and optimize the external agency relationships and communications budget, ensuring strong ROI and alignment with brand and business objectives
• Executive & Founder Communication - Serve as the strategic communications partner to sweetgreen's founders and executive team:
• Set the executive communications strategy, directing agency partners and content collaborators to shape and amplify founder and leadership voice across social media, podcasts, speaking engagements, and direct-to-audience platforms
• Advise, brief, and partner with the founders and C-suite leaders on media and speaking opportunities, ensuring messaging is on-strategy and reflects sweetgreen's cultural authority
• Curate and manage direct communications of the CEO across social media channels (X and LinkedIn), to create a complementary narrative to the overall brand narrative
• Elevate executive visibility across internal and external audiences through a modern communications strategy that goes beyond traditional channels, in partnership with the VP of Marketing, Chief Commercial Officer, and Head of Investor Relations
• Crisis & Issues Communications - Own sweetgreen's proactive and reactive crisis communications program, safeguarding the company's reputation across traditional and social channels:
• Own and continuously evolve the crisis communications playbook and framework, partnering with HR, Legal, Marketing, and Operations to ensure real-time preparedness and rapid response capabilities
• Lead the company's external response to high-stakes issues, serving as the primary communications decision-maker during critical moments, ensuring sweetgreen is never caught off-guard by emerging reputation risks

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications or related field/experience
• 12+ years of progressive communications experience, with at least 5 years directing and managing agencies, external partners, and cross-functional communications programs.
• Experience at a culturally relevant consumer brand, high-growth DTC, or lifestyle brand strongly preferred
• A track record of building integrated communications strategies that have measurably moved brand reputation, share of voice, cultural relevance, or business outcomes, ideally with demonstrated success in owned and social channels, not just earned media
• Proven experience building or scaling founder-led communications programs, executive social media presence, or direct-to-audience content platforms
• Experience managing and optimizing external agenc

Additional Information

The Sr. Director of Communications will set the enterprise communications strategy to drive brand recognition, protect our reputation, and accelerate growth. This leader will own the integrated communications agenda across consumer, corporate, executive, financial, and internal audiences and will lead our external agency partners and collaborators to bring it to life. Reporting directly to the Chief Commercial Officer, the Sr. Director is a member of the Commercial Leadership Team and a strategic partner to the broader executive team. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role for a seasoned communications leader who thrives at the intersection of culture, media, and business strategy, and who knows how to influence critical decisions, shape narratives, and make sweetgreen one of the most culturally relevant food brands.

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