What does a communications/senior communications manager do?
A communications/senior communications manager specializes in handling and overseeing internal and external communications within a workplace, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Their responsibilities typically revolve around developing strategies for better workforce and public communications, crafting marketing materials such as press kits and newsletters, and coordinating with other departments to create new materials and opportunities for marketing. A communications/senior communications manager may also participate in managing social media operations and launching strategies for product launches and events. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Communications/senior communications manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real communications/senior communications manager resumes:
- Manage communications for the DoD's premier manufacturer of ammunition.
- Manage and overseen housing operations, administration of HUD programs, supervise maintenance and/or improvements of residential properties.
- Manage and develop marketing, communication, and implementation process improvements for training curricula and the department's intranet website.
- Lead execution of a brand-focuse sweepstakes that include management of a Facebook application, social advertising/boosting and management of UGC.
- Post on-the-spot communications during events - including live blogging and Facebook.
- Help create/prepare (including research for and editing of) documents, reports, PowerPoint presentations, and organization charts.
- Research, write, and produce speeches, PowerPoint and video presentations, brochures, and ad campaigns for worldwide distribution.
- Prepare and file evictions notices; attend evictions proceedings with attorneys.
- Perform final account statements and evictions per company policy and North/South Carolina law.
- Heighten and modernize media production to appeal to YouTube audience and increase accessibility to in-house clients.
- Leverage influencer twitter and blog social media channels to proactively generate and increase positive messaging to target audiences.
- Create an intranet site that offer employees accurate and update answers to relevant questions about this complicate and sensitive initiative.
- Plan communications strategy, function as the media spokesperson for global operations, and produce executive presentations and news releases.
- Serve as representative to senior management team during community events and company spokesperson for division, including to nonprofit sector clients.
- Report and analyze ROI dashboards on marketing and communications activities.
Communications/senior communications manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Communications/Senior Communications Managers are proficient in Strategic Communications, PowerPoint, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Speaking skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Communications/Senior Communications Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Strategic Communications, 8%
Develop and write strategic communications for corporate stakeholders, partners, customers and individual executives, including president of company.
- PowerPoint, 7%
Researched, wrote, and produced speeches, PowerPoint and video presentations, brochures, and ad campaigns for worldwide distribution.
- Project Management, 7%
Delivered strategic and tactical communications consulting incorporating change management principles and project management expertise for these strategic initiatives:
- Corporate Communications, 5%
Implemented communications procedures and processes to align corporate communications, human resources and benefits departments with corporate goals and objectives.
- External Communications, 5%
Planned, developed and wrote internal and external communications for Commercial Markets business unit, Underwriting and Product Density units.
- Patients, 5%
Conducted and monitored activities with Senior Alzheimer patients.
"strategic communications," "powerpoint," and "project management" are among the most common skills that communications/senior communications managers use at work. You can find even more communications/senior communications manager responsibilities below, including:
Leadership skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a communications/senior communications manager to have is leadership skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "public relations and fundraising managers often lead large teams of specialists or fundraisers and must be able to guide their activities." Communications/senior communications managers often use leadership skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "collaborated with all areas, including leadership, hr and cwa/ibew unions. "
Speaking skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling communications/senior communications manager duties is speaking skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "public relations and fundraising managers regularly speak on behalf of their organization." According to a communications/senior communications manager resume, here's how communications/senior communications managers can utilize speaking skills in their job responsibilities: "secure and manage proactive and reactive media opportunities and responses; prepare press releases; act as company spokesperson. "
Writing skills. This is an important skill for communications/senior communications managers to perform their duties. For an example of how communications/senior communications manager responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "managers must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a communications/senior communications manager: "provide writing expertise and communications counsel for websites designed to engage members in their health. ".
Problem-solving skills. communications/senior communications manager responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "managers sometimes must explain how the company or client is handling sensitive issues." This resume example shows what communications/senior communications managers do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "conducted training, administered corporate hr programs, and proactively assess employee concerns and resolve them with workable and reachable solutions. "
Organizational skills. A commonly-found skill in communications/senior communications manager job descriptions, "organizational skills" is essential to what communications/senior communications managers do. Communications/senior communications manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "public relations and fundraising managers are often in charge of running several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills." You can also see how communications/senior communications manager duties rely on organizational skills in this resume example: "developed organizational communication plans for hr change initiatives and business process transformations. "
Communication skills. Lastly, "communication skills" is an important element of what a communications/senior communications manager does. Communications/senior communications manager responsibilities require this skill because "managers deal with the public regularly; therefore, they must be friendly enough to build a rapport with, and receive cooperation from, their media contacts and donors." This resume example highlights how communications/senior communications manager duties rely on this skill: "develop and maintain a communication structure regarding facility and hr related programs and policies. "
Most common communications/senior communications manager skills
The three companies that hire the most communications/senior communications managers are:
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Compare different communications/senior communications managers
Communications/senior communications manager vs. Director of public affairs
Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast. They create guidelines on the proper crafting of communication materials that will be published or broadcasted. They also lead the public affairs department in networking activities and industry events. Directors of Public Affairs must be level-headed, calm, and creative. They should know how to communicate with the public, handle crises, and create successful brands.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, communications/senior communications manager responsibilities require skills like "powerpoint," "project management," "corporate communications," and "patients." Meanwhile a typical director of public affairs has skills in areas such as "government affairs," "public policy," "external stakeholders," and "policy issues." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Directors of public affairs tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $137,872. In contrast, communications/senior communications managers make the biggest average salary, $107,621, in the health care industry.The education levels that directors of public affairs earn slightly differ from communications/senior communications managers. In particular, directors of public affairs are 4.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a communications/senior communications manager. Additionally, they're 5.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications/senior communications manager vs. Campaign manager
Campaign managers are responsible for developing, executing, and managing marketing campaigns for events, products, and services targeting consumers or organizations. These professionals typically collaborate with external agencies in the preparation and execution of campaigns. They perform other duties that may include managing the measurement and tracking of marketing campaigns, writing, proofreading, and editing copy for promotional materials, and maintaining regular measurement of the campaigns' ROI. Campaign managers are also expected to evaluate existing marketing campaigns and be up-to-date on the latest marketing trends.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real communications/senior communications manager resumes. While communications/senior communications manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "strategic communications," "corporate communications," "external communications," and "patients," campaign managers use skills like "email marketing," "email campaigns," "integrated marketing," and "campaign management."
Campaign managers may earn a lower salary than communications/senior communications managers, but campaign managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $86,390. On the other hand, communications/senior communications managers receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $107,621.campaign managers earn similar levels of education than communications/senior communications managers in general. They're 3.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications/senior communications manager vs. Public relations director
A public relations director is an individual who is employed to design and implement marketing strategies that can cultivate the relationship between a company and the media. Public relations directors collaborate with the internal team to boost brand awareness and maximize brand consistency in all advertising efforts. They must arrange interviews and press releases so that they can promote their company and its products or services. They also maintain relationships with the media and should manage sensitive issues to maintain the company's good reputation.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, communications/senior communications managers are more likely to have skills like "strategic communications," "project management," "patients," and "customer service." But a public relations director is more likely to have skills like "instagram," "crisis management," "business development," and "communications strategies."
Public relations directors make a very good living in the internet industry with an average annual salary of $114,632. On the other hand, communications/senior communications managers are paid the highest salary in the health care industry, with average annual pay of $107,621.Most public relations directors achieve a similar degree level compared to communications/senior communications managers. For example, they're 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications/senior communications manager vs. Communications specialist
A communications specialist takes charge of addressing the public by coming up with various strategic campaigns, newsletters, public correspondence, press releases, and advertisements. Their primary role focuses on promoting, shaping, and enhancing a brand's image through public relations. Furthermore, a communications specialist is responsible for handling any complaints or issues, devising and conducting damage control to resolve bad publicity should there be any. It is also essential for a communications specialist to adhere to the company's policies and regulations at all times.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between communications/senior communications managers and communications specialists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a communications/senior communications manager might have more use for skills like "strategic communications," "corporate communications," "executive leadership," and "sr." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of communications specialists require skills like "graphic design," "photoshop," "communication strategies," and "ems. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for communications specialists, with average annual pay of $59,589. Comparatively, the highest communications/senior communications manager annual salary comes from the health care industry.In general, communications specialists hold similar degree levels compared to communications/senior communications managers. Communications specialists are 3.1% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of communications/senior communications manager
Updated January 8, 2025
