Director, Public Relations & Corporate Communications

Director, Public Relations & Corporate Communications

CoStar Group is a global leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, online marketplaces and 3D digital twin technology. Included in the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100, CoStar Group is on a mission to digitize the world's real estate—empowering people to discover properties, insights, and connections that improve their businesses and lives.
With leading brands across commercial and residential real estate - including CoStar, LoopNet, Apartments.com, Homes.com, STR, Matterport and other global online marketplaces - CoStar Group delivers trusted data, powerful analytics, and high-traffic online marketplaces that shape the future of the industry.
CoStar Group is seeking a Director of Public Relations & Corporate Communications to lead and execute the company's enterprise-wide corporate communications strategy across its global portfolio of brands during a period of continued growth, competitive intensity, and heightened market visibility.
The role encompasses corporate reputation, executive visibility, media relations, thought leadership, financial communications support, and crisis communications, and operates in close partnership with the Founder and CEO and executive leadership team, with broad cross-functional visibility across Investor Relations, Legal, Finance, Product, Analytics, Research, and Marketing.
This is not a traditional PR role; it requires a proactive strategist who anticipates narrative shifts before they surface and positions the company on offense rather than waiting to respond.
The Director will manage and develop a high-performing communications team, including the Manager of Residential Communications, the Manager of Commercial Communications, and the Manager of UK & European Communications. This leader will also oversee and direct the work of external public relations agencies supporting CoStar Group's brands and corporate initiatives.
This is a senior leadership role based in Arlington, Virginia, requiring five days per week in the office. The position reports to the VP, CoStar Group Marketing & Communications and maintains a direct working relationship with the CEO, with responsibility for leading corporate communications efforts and partnering closely with external agency teams.
CoStar Group is digitizing the world's real estate markets — and operating in an intense competitive environment where narrative matters, the CEO expects their communications leader to be in the room shaping strategy, not drafting press releases after the fact.
The Director of Public Relations will ensure CoStar Group's industry transforming innovation, data leadership, and marketplace growth are clearly understood by customers, investors, media, and the broader industry — while actively shaping how the market interprets CoStar Group's momentum versus competitors.
This is a strategic narrative leadership position responsible for:
Shaping how the market interprets CoStar Group's strategy and momentum
Ensuring the company leads — not follows — industry conversations
Building brand awareness and driving site authority for CoStar Group and the company's industry leading brands
Neutralizing competitive narratives before they gain traction
Serving as a strategic advisor to the Founder and CEO on executive profiling and external positioning
Success requires anticipation, decisiveness, and executive-level confidence.
Key Responsibilities
CEO Partnership & Executive Communications
Media Relations & Thought Leadership
Product & Marketplace Communications
Strategic Communications & Narrative Leadership
Market & Investor Narrative Management
Rapid Response & Reputation Management
Competitive Intelligence & Narrative Positioning
Digital & Modern Media Strategy
Performance & Operational Leadership
Required Experience
10+ years of progressive experience in public relations, corporate communications, or strategic media leadership, with at least 3–5 years operating in a senior leadership capacity.
Experience supporting a publicly traded company, preferably within a high-growth technology platform, digital marketplace, data-driven business, financial services, or real estate environment.
Demonstrated success developing, elevating, and protecting corporate reputation at a national or global organization during periods of growth, competitive intensity, or market scrutiny.
Proven experience leading communications tied to earnings cycles, M&A activity, product launches, major corporate milestones, and other high-visibility market moments.
Strong understanding of capital markets communications, SEC disclosure requirements, and Regulation FD; ability to partner effectively with Investor Relations, Legal, and Finance.
Experience serving as a trusted advisor to CEOs and C-level executives, providing strategic counsel on messaging, media engagement, crisis response, and public positioning.
Established relationships with national business, financial, technology, and real estate media.
Demonstrated ability to manage and measure external agency performance against defined KPIs and measurable impact metrics.
Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data, research, and business strategy into clear, compelling narratives.
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at the highest levels of an organization.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in high-pressure, high-visibility, fast-moving environments with multiple competing priorities.
Prior experience in the real estate industry is required.
Preferred Experience
Experience working closely with CEO/Founder, Executive Leadership, Investor Relations and Legal teams in a founder-led or high-performance culture.
Background in SaaS, marketplaces, or data-driven businesses.
Track record of shaping narratives during periods of intense competition or market scrutiny.
Key Competencies
Strategic storyteller and narrative architect
Market- and investor-aware communicator
Strategic foresight — anticipates rather than reacts
CEO-level advisory presence
Proactive, forward-learning communicator
Competitive intelligence mindset
Calm and decisive under pressure
Regulatory fluency
Data-driven decision maker
Highly collaborative yet independent operator
Education
Bachelor's degree from an accredited not-for-profit in person University or College required in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Business, Political Science, or a related field
Advanced degree (MBA, Master's in Communications, Journalism, Public Policy, or similar) preferred but not required.
CoStar Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer; we maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing