Director of External Communications

About this role

WE POWER PEOPLE’S PROGRESS.

At Preply, we’re all about creating life-changing learning experiences. We help people discover the magic of the perfect tutor, craft a personalised learning journey, and stay motivated to keep growing. Our approach is human-led, tech-enabled - and it’s creating real impact.

We’ve just reached unicorn status with a $150M Series D, accelerating our vision to transform education through human-led, AI-enhanced learning. Today, 100,000+ tutors teach 90+ languages to learners in 180 countries - and we’re only getting started. As a category-defining company, we’re shaping what the future of learning looks like at global scale.

Every Preply lesson sparks change, fuels ambition, and drives progress that matters. Joining Preply means helping define the future of education at global scale, and building something that truly matters for millions of people, every day.

MEET THE TEAM!

We are hiring a Director of External Communications to operate as an extension of the Chief Brand Officer, owning and scaling Preply’s external narrative at company level.

Today, much of our narrative lives centrally. Your mission is to decentralize, systematize, and scale it into a high-impact narrative engine that shapes global perception and drives business outcomes.

This is not a traditional PR role.

Your mission is to build and own a scalable narrative system that:

- Shapes how Preply is perceived globally

- Positions Preply as a leader in AI-driven learning

- Drives measurable impact on growth, hiring, and brand authority

- Eliminates dependency on any single individual for storytelling

You will operate at the intersection of Brand, Product, Talent, and Leadership, influencing without authority and driving execution across the company.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN:

Company Narrative & Market Position

- Define and evolve Preply’s global narrative, including:

- AI & product positioning

- Marketplace dynamics (tutors & learners)

- Social impact and mission

- Own how Preply shows up across all external touchpoints

- Establish Preply as a category-defining voice in AI-powered learning

Narrative Engine & Content System

- Build a scalable storytelling system connecting:

- Inputs: product, research, data, insights

- Outputs: PR, SEO, content, executive communications

- Ensure consistency across all formats:

- Media, reports, op-eds, events, owned content

- Move from campaigns → repeatable narrative infrastructure

Employer Brand & Talent Narrative

- Define and scale a global employer narrative

- Build targeted storytelling for key audiences:

- AI, Engineering, Design, Tutors

- Partner with Talent to directly impact hiring outcomes

Executive Positioning & Thought Leadership

- Shape leadership voice and positioning in the market

- Develop strong POVs on:

- AI in education

- Marketplace dynamics

- Future of learning

- Drive visibility across:

- Tier 1 media

- Conferences

- Long-form content

Cross-Functional Narrative Orchestration

- Align senior stakeholders across Brand, Product, Talent, and Marketing

- Create frameworks enabling teams to contribute to a unified narrative

- Drive execution without direct authority

Strategy -> Execution (Critical)

- Own both direction and delivery

- Personally contribute to:

- Writing and storytelling

- Key launches and initiatives

- High-impact narrative moments

This is a hands-on leadership role. We are looking for builders, not coordinators.

Reputation & Crisis Leadership

- Define communication strategies for high-stakes situations

- Prepare leadership for complex media environments

- Anticipate and manage reputational risks

This role is not

- A traditional PR leadership role

- A coordination layer between teams

- A purely strategic or purely managerial position

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

- 12+ years in communications, content, or narrative strategy in high-growth tech environments

- Proven experience owning company-level narrative or market positioning

- Strong track record connecting storytelling → business impact

- Experience working closely with senior stakeholders and executives

- Ability to operate as both:

- Strategic leader

- Hands-on executor

- Native fluency in English required (Spanish is a strong plus)

CRITICAL DIFFERENTIATORS

- Deep understanding of AI / LLM landscape and its narrative implications

- Ability to shape market perception, not just run campaigns

- Experience building scalable systems, not one-off initiatives

- Strong editorial instinct combined with data-driven thinking

- High ownership mindset — comfortable operating in ambiguity

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT AT PREPLY

- An open, collaborative, dynamic and diverse culture;

- A generous monthly allowance for lessons on http://preply.com/Preply.com http://Preply.com, Learning & Development budget and time off for your self-development;

- A competitive financial package with equity, leave allowance and health insurance;

- Access to free mental health support platforms;

- The opportunity to shape the lives of learners and tutors through language learning and teaching in 175 countries (and counting!).

OUR PRINCIPLES

- Care to change the world - We are passionate about our work and care deeply about its impact to be life changing.

- We do it for learners - For both Preply and tutors, learners are why we do what we do. Every day we focus on empowering tutors to deliver an exceptional learning experience.

- Keep perfecting - To create an outstanding customer experience, we focus on simplicity, smoothness, and enjoyment, continually perfecting it as every detail matters.

- Now is the time - In a fast-paced world, it matters how quickly we act. Now is the time to make great things happen.

- Disciplined execution - What makes us disciplined is…