Director of Internal Communications

Duolingo Duolingo · Consumer · New York, NY +1 · Marketing and Communications

Director of Internal Communications to build and lead an internal communications function that keeps Duos informed, aligned, and inspired. This role will set the strategy and standards for how information flows at Duolingo, partner closely with senior leaders to communicate company priorities and change with clarity, and establish measurement for reach and impact. The role sits within Global Communications and will work cross-functionally with People, Finance, Legal, IT, and executive offices.

What you'd actually do

  1. Define and own Duolingo’s internal communications strategy, principles, and annual priorities; evolve systems and standards as the company scales.
  2. Lead planning and execution for cross-company forums and moments (e.g., Parliament, company-wide Q&As, ERG town halls), including message development, presenter preparation, FAQs, and follow-ups.
  3. Partner with senior leaders on company change communications (strategy shifts, org changes, program or policy updates), building clear cascades and manager toolkits that drive understanding and consistency.
  4. Establish internal communication standards and guidance on channels (Slack, memos, live forums), including templates, norms, and employee guardrails for public/social communication.
  5. Create measurement for internal comms effectiveness; analyze reach, clarity, and engagement to identify improvements and inform leadership.

Skills

Required

  • 10+ years in communications with significant experience leading internal/employee communications at a fast-paced, product-led or tech company.
  • Proven track record building or transforming internal comms strategies, systems, and standards at scale, with clear measurement of impact.
  • Exceptional writing and editing skills; able to translate complex strategies into clear, concise messages and toolkits for executives and managers.
  • Experience planning and running company-wide forums and change communications with cross-functional partners (People, Legal, Finance, IT).
  • Strong executive presence and coaching ability; comfortable preparing senior leaders for high-visibility moments.
  • Operational excellence: adept at standing up workflows, calendars, templates, and feedback loops that increase clarity and speed.
  • High judgment, discretion, and issue management skills in a public company environment.

Nice to have

  • Experience standing up a new internal communications function and hiring/leading a small, high-impact team.
  • Demonstrated success creating manager cascade programs with measurable understanding lift.
  • Background partnering directly with a CEO/Founder and Chief People Officer on company-wide communications.
  • Familiarity with Slack-at-scale and live forum production norms, with clear channel governance and templates.
  • Experience building metrics frameworks for internal comms tied to trust, engagement, and clarity.

What the JD emphasized

  • Proven track record building or transforming internal comms strategies, systems, and standards at scale, with clear measurement of impact.
  • Exceptional writing and editing skills; able to translate complex strategies into clear, concise messages and toolkits for executives and managers.
  • Experience planning and running company-wide forums and change communications with cross-functional partners (People, Legal, Finance, IT).
  • Strong executive presence and coaching ability; comfortable preparing senior leaders for high-visibility moments.
  • Operational excellence: adept at standing up workflows, calendars, templates, and feedback loops that increase clarity and speed.