What does a communications project manager do?
A communications project manager is in charge of overseeing the development of internal and external communication materials. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to identify client or company needs, developing effective communication strategies, coordinating different teams to ensure the quality and accuracy of projects, setting objectives and goals, and managing schedules and budgets. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Communications project manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real communications project manager resumes:
- Manage SEO outreach activities to develop visibility.
- Manage SharePoint front page for company-wide news and departmental updates using original and curate content.
- Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
- Revise, edit and reformat PowerPoint decks and training manuals.
- Render PowerPoint assistance that support the team s communications programs and promotions.
- Create and run various Facebook contests aim at driving growth and building the community.
- Work on infrastructure and remodeling projects with capital budgets ranging from $100k- $29M.
- Co-Creat and develop the vision and mechanics behind a start-up online social poker game operating on Facebook.
- Participate in evaluation and implementation of BrightEdge SEO platform; optimize website for placement of keywords or other content.
- Work with all levels of leadership in developing the organizational infrastructure.
- Collaborate and negotiate with technology business unit leaders to implement firm-wide intranet platform.
- Maintain intranet portal for extensive SPI documentation library; develop monthly project updates for dissemination to the leadership team.
- Create new internal communications programs and tools, including those on SharePoint, and evaluate existing communication channels to recommend enhancements.
- Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
- Facilitate physician communications for Medicaid insurance providers affiliate with UnitedHealthcare.
Communications project manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Communications Project Managers are proficient in Project Management, PowerPoint, and Web Content. They’re also known for soft skills such as Managerial skills, Time-management skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Communications Project Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Project Management, 20%
Generated content; designed, published, and distributed color newsletter focused on training for corporate portal and municipal project management.
- PowerPoint, 8%
Created and edited marketing MS PowerPoint presentations to deliver a concise persuasive message.
- Web Content, 7%
Assisted with development and management of the Communications Department education external web content.
- Status Reports, 5%
Develop and execute strategic plans and maintain status reports for corporate and affiliated organizations.
- SharePoint, 4%
Managed SharePoint front page for company-wide news and departmental updates using original and curated content.
- Communications Projects, 4%
Implemented plans for integrated marketing communications projects, campaign tactics, corporate communications and sales lead generation projects.
Most communications project managers use their skills in "project management," "powerpoint," and "web content" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential communications project manager responsibilities here:
Managerial skills. One of the key soft skills for a communications project manager to have is managerial skills. You can see how this relates to what communications project managers do because "social and community service managers spend much of their time administering budgets and responding to a variety of issues." Additionally, a communications project manager resume shows how communications project managers use managerial skills: "managed communications department; managerial responsibility for corporate communications strategy including external communications and media relations. "
Time-management skills. Many communications project manager duties rely on time-management skills. "social and community service managers must prioritize and handle numerous tasks, often in a short timeframe.," so a communications project manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways communications project manager responsibilities rely on time-management skills: "consulted with internal clients in developing strategic survey questions and establishing deadlines for the greatest possible number of responses. "
Analytical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of communications project managers is analytical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday communications project manager duties, as "social and community service managers need to understand and evaluate data in order to provide strategic guidance to their organization." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "enhanced program performance reporting and analysis, spurring demand for process improvements to reach optimum roi. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what communications project managers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to communications project manager responsibilities because "social and community service managers must be able to address client, staff, and agency-related issues." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical communications project manager tasks: "deployed solutions to multiple environments including production provided weekly status reports to senior compliance management and prioritize upcoming work. "
Communication skills. Another crucial skill for a communications project manager to carry out their responsibilities is "communication skills." A big part of what communications project managers relies on this skill, since "social and community service managers must be able to speak and write clearly." How this skill relates to communications project manager duties can be seen in an example from a communications project manager resume snippet: "lead a team; coordination of custom communication pieces; press releases; spearheading contact by e-mail w/members & partners. "
The three companies that hire the most communications project managers are:
- Parsons6 communications project managers jobs
- United Natural Foods4 communications project managers jobs
- HDR4 communications project managers jobs
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Compare different communications project managers
Communications project manager vs. Manager of corporate communications
A manager of corporate communications is primarily responsible for overseeing the external and internal communications in a company, ensuring everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for managing marketing communications and public relations, and even developing various marketing content. There are also instances where they must handle a company's social media platforms, review communication materials, and provide progress reports of different projects and programs. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage team members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, communications project manager responsibilities require skills like "web content," "status reports," "communications projects," and "hr." Meanwhile a typical manager of corporate communications has skills in areas such as "employee engagement," "crisis communications," "external audiences," and "human resources." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Managers of corporate communications tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $104,720. In contrast, communications project managers make the biggest average salary, $81,929, in the manufacturing industry.The education levels that managers of corporate communications earn slightly differ from communications project managers. In particular, managers of corporate communications are 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a communications project manager. Additionally, they're 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications project manager vs. Project director
A project director is an individual responsible for supervising workers from various departments given specific tasks to complete a given project. They create a budget to complete a job while monitoring the amount of money spent to ensure that overspending is avoided. They provide presentations to investors, business partners, and company executives to inform them about their progress and development. Project directors must have several years of experience and obtain at least a bachelor's degree in business economics or a related field to be hired.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, communications project manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "powerpoint," "web content," "status reports," and "sharepoint." Meanwhile, a project director has duties that require skills in areas such as "oversight," "customer satisfaction," "adaptive," and "erp." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Project directors earn a higher average salary than communications project managers. But project directors earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $106,707. Additionally, communications project managers earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $81,929 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Project directors tend to reach higher levels of education than communications project managers. In fact, they're 7.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for communications project managers in the next 3-5 years?
Michele Cuomo
Dean, Arts and Communication, Seminole State College of Florida
Communications project manager vs. Marketing communications specialist
A marketing communications specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating all the marketing materials that are distributed to customers to increase brand awareness for the company's products or services. To create these materials, marketing communications specialists must collaborate with graphic design teams. They are required to track their marketing performance so that they can identify ways to improve their marketing strategies. Marketing communications specialists must also set up interviews and press conferences as part of their marketing campaign.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, communications project managers are more likely to have skills like "status reports," "project scope," "strategic communications," and "voip." But a marketing communications specialist is more likely to have skills like "digital marketing," "graphic design," "marketing campaigns," and "customer service."
Marketing communications specialists make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $70,324. On the other hand, communications project managers are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $81,929.When it comes to education, marketing communications specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to communications project managers. In fact, they're 4.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Communications project manager vs. Director of communications and marketing
A director of communications and marketing spearheads a company's marketing and communication projects in adherence with the company's vision and mission. Being the director, they have the authority to make decisions, delegate responsibilities among managers and teams, and direct the project and program cycle from planning to execution, solving issues and concerns if any would arise. They also set goals and budgets, establish timelines and requirements, and conduct regular assessments. Additionally, as a director, they must lead and empower employees in a joint effort to reach goals and industry standards.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between communications project managers and directors of communications and marketing, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a communications project manager might have more use for skills like "status reports," "sharepoint," "communications projects," and "hr." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of directors of communications and marketing require skills like "marketing campaigns," "digital marketing," "graphic design," and "social media marketing. "
The professional industry tends to pay the highest salaries for directors of communications and marketing, with average annual pay of $78,844. Comparatively, the highest communications project manager annual salary comes from the manufacturing industry.directors of communications and marketing reach similar levels of education compared to communications project managers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of communications project manager
Updated January 8, 2025
