| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Marketing |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Corporate Affairs |
| Direct reports | Corporate Communications Executive, Public Relations Executive |
| Experience | 7 to 10 years in corporate communications, PR or journalism, including 2 years managing agencies or a team |
Corporate Communications Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Corporate Communications Manager
Department: Marketing
Reports to: Head of Corporate Affairs
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Corporate Communications Manager protects and builds the company's reputation with the media, employees, investors and the public. They handle press releases and media relations, leadership communication, internal announcements, crisis communication and reputation content such as the annual report narrative and CSR stories. The role often reports to the head of corporate affairs or the CEO's office, and it differs from brand marketing because it speaks for the company as an organization rather than for a product.
Key responsibilities
- Plan the yearly communication calendar around financial results, launches, leadership events, CSR programs and industry moments.
- Draft and approve press releases, media statements and leadership quotes, with legal and leadership sign-off before release.
- Manage the PR agency and relationships with business, regional and trade journalists, including interviews and media visits.
- Prepare leaders for media interviews, panels and town halls with briefing notes, likely questions and key messages.
- Run internal communication such as leadership messages, policy announcements, the intranet and employee newsletters.
- Keep a crisis communication plan ready with holding statements, spokespersons and escalation contacts, and activate it when an incident occurs.
- Monitor media coverage and social conversation daily, and report sentiment, share of voice and message pickup every month.
- Coordinate the narrative sections of the annual report, sustainability report and CSR communication with finance and CSR teams.
- Coordinate with the company secretary on the timing of any announcement that may be price sensitive, where the company is listed.
- Manage the communications budget, agency retainers and event costs for corporate announcements.
Requirements
- Postgraduate degree or diploma in mass communication, journalism or public relations
- An MBA in marketing or communications is an advantage
- Earlier experience in a newsroom or PR agency is an advantage
- 7 to 10 years in corporate communications, PR or journalism, including 2 years managing agencies or a team
KRAs and KPIs for a Corporate Communications Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Coverage quality | Share of positive or neutral coverage in priority publications at or above the agreed level each quarter |
| Message pickup | Key messages appearing in at least 70 percent of coverage of major announcements |
| Crisis response | Approved holding statement issued within 2 hours of a verified incident |
| Internal reach | Mandatory announcements acknowledged by at least 95 percent of employees within 7 days |
| Leadership visibility | Planned leadership interviews and speaking slots delivered every quarter |
| Report timelines | Annual and sustainability report narratives delivered on the board-approved schedule |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Media monitoring service, Social listening tool, Press release distribution service, Intranet or company wall, MS Word and PowerPoint, Media contact database.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Corporate Affairs, Head of Brand, Chief Marketing Officer
Interview questions for a Corporate Communications Manager
- A video of a safety incident at our plant is trending on social media. What do you do in the first two hours?
- How would you prepare our CEO for a tough interview about layoffs?
- Tell me about a story you placed that changed how a stakeholder saw the company.
- How do you measure the value of media coverage without using advertising value equivalents?
- How do you keep internal and external messages consistent during a restructuring?
- A journalist has an accurate but unflattering story about us. How do you respond?
Managing a Corporate Communications Manager in ZeniaHR
Hire and manage your marketing team in one place
Post the role, onboard the new hire, and track attendance, leave and KRAs in ZeniaHR. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does a corporate communications manager do?
A corporate communications manager manages how the company is seen by the media, employees, investors and the public. They write press releases and statements, manage the PR agency, brief leaders for interviews, run internal communication and lead crisis communication when something goes wrong.
What is the difference between corporate communications and PR?
PR, or public relations, focuses on media relations and earned coverage. Corporate communications is broader: it covers PR as well as internal communication, leadership communication, crisis handling and reputation content such as annual report narratives. A PR manager often reports into corporate communications.
Which degree is best for corporate communications?
A postgraduate degree or diploma in mass communication, journalism or public relations is the most common entry route. Many strong corporate communications managers start as journalists, because writing to deadline and understanding how newsrooms work are core skills of the job.