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Director, corporate communications skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.,

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical director, corporate communications skills. We ranked the top skills for directors, corporate communications based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.5% of director, corporate communications resumes contained corporate communications as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a director, corporate communications needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 director, corporate communications skills for your resume and career

1. Corporate Communications

Corporate communication is a way for a company or a business to communicate and interact with their clients, whether external or internal. They usually work as investors, government agencies, employees, the media sector, employees, and the public. It is written reports, advertisements, promotional materials, press releases, interviews, and meetings.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use corporate communications:

Managed corporate communications staff responsible for company-wide publications, media productions, media relations, and Internet Strategy and website development.
Developed, implemented and managed corporate communications, special events and marketing programs to effectively promote the company and its products.

2. External Communications

External communications refer to the exchange of information between the organization one is working with and another organization.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use external communications:

Provided internal consulting services regarding internal and external communications to the chief executive officers and administrative teams at the individual hospitals.
Led or supported internal and external communications efforts for a company-wide restructuring initiative, site closures and reductions in force.

3. Press Releases

Here's how directors, corporate communications use press releases:

Directed media relations activities including development of press releases, articles, interviews and executive interaction.
Coordinated approval process and distribution of press releases to internal and external audiences.

4. Strategic Communications

Strategic communication is the conscious use of communication by an organization to fulfill its mission. It is a prerequisite and a tool for effective policymaking and public participation that facilitates the exchange of information and establishes consensus amongst different points of view and interests.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use strategic communications:

Developed and executed global Corporate Social Responsibility strategic communications plans to build and enhance the company's reputation among key stakeholders.
Directed global media relations, community relations, advertising, corporate identity, government affairs and branding strategic communications efforts.

5. Crisis Communications

Crisis communication refers to the communication systems, protocols, and technologies in place that enables an organization to effectively communicate both internally and externally during any major critics or threat faced by the business. Crisis can include major natural disasters, cyber-attacks, product failures, corporate mistakes, PR incidents, reputation crisis, and so on. Crisis communication is critical for reducing the impact of the crisis on the company's operations and public image.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use crisis communications:

Provided executive counsel and communications leadership in successfully managing crisis situations and also developed the company's first crisis communications plan.
Developed the crisis management program including creating the company's crisis communications program and media training for site managers and executives.

6. Employee Engagement

Here's how directors, corporate communications use employee engagement:

Increased employee engagement by teaming with HR and executive leaders to develop and execute informative and engaging employee communications strategies.
Increased employee engagement and opened lines of communication between management and employees by counseling leadership teams on strategic communication tactics.

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7. Investor Relations

Investor relations is an arm of a company dedicated to handling the shareholders and potential investors of a company including those interested in the company's stock. The role of the department involves the integration of communication, finance, marketing, and law compliance in managing the relationship between a company, its investors, the law, the financial community, and potential shareholders. It can also be termed financial communication or financial public relations as it's basically centered on finance.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use investor relations:

Headed investor relations program including quarterly earnings and disclosure announcements, analyst/shareholder communications, annual meeting, and annual report.
Initiated Investor Relations program, including agency management, development of internal Public Disclosure policy and quarterly earnings announcements.

8. External Audiences

External audiences refer to groups or individuals outside the company, who aren't closely related, don't have inside information about the organization, and have no common background (unlike internal audiences). To grow its business, a company needs to define the external audience within its target audience.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use external audiences:

Formulated messages to internal and external audiences about safety for a non-profit trade association.
Communicated directly with key external audiences, including investors, media, business partners, industry leaders and the scientific community.

9. Executive Communications

Executive communication involves onverting data into stories, creating memorable messages quickly, and identifing alternatives to data to be persuasive. To improve these, you should develop skills like getting to the core points, conveying the most important takeaways, focusing on outcomes, and speaking in an easily understandable manner.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use executive communications:

Developed comprehensive executive communications program.
Created comprehensive executive communications platform including video, social media and email programs to improve engagement and alignment with corporate strategy.

10. Crisis Management

Here's how directors, corporate communications use crisis management:

Developed product launch communications; crisis management and senior executive communication support; government relations activities; sales and earnings communications.
Managed investor/analyst meetings, roadshows, financial media communications, Sr. Executive media and presentation training and crisis management programs.

11. Issues Management

Here's how directors, corporate communications use issues management:

Provided executive leadership with public affairs and communications counsel concerning issues management, media training, brand management and company acquisitions.
Coordinated issues management with colleagues in Germany.

12. Human Resources

Human resources is a set of people in a business or a corporation that are designated to locate, interview, and recruit new employees into the company. They are also responsible to maintain the integrity of the employees and help them sort their problems out. They try to introduce and manage employee-benefit programs.

Here's how directors, corporate communications use human resources:

Worked closely with Executive Committee, Human Resources and other internal functions and increased C-Suite participation in internal communications.
Collaborated with marketing and human resources departments to establish and continuously expand company's intranet site.

13. Communications Plan

Here's how directors, corporate communications use communications plan:

Served as lead public relations and communications executive engaged in planning, directing, and executing strategic and tactical communications plans.
Develop and execute business-to-business trade communications planning, including media, trade show planning and event, and advertising communications.

14. Executive Leadership

Here's how directors, corporate communications use executive leadership:

Evaluated opportunity to increase sales to U.S. Government; developed recommendation and presented to PPG executive leadership.
Presented strategic communication recommendations to corporate executive committee as participant of executive leadership team.

15. Reputation Management

Here's how directors, corporate communications use reputation management:

Mitigated product and manufacturing social media crises by advising brands and marketing agency partners on reputation management in social media.
Advise executives on matters involving media relations and reputation management.

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What skills help Directors, Corporate Communications find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on director, corporate communications resumes?

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

It is important to have a wide range of communication skills -from effectively participating in and leading meetings to write in style appropriate for the setting to media productions skills. When people move into the "manager" role, of course, this entails having developed a broad awareness of the culture at that particular organization and the skills needed to lead a group of people. So, really, skills related to communication touch on a wide range of job functions and responsibilities.

What soft skills should all director, corporate communicationss possess?

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

I know that "soft skills" is commonly used, but I'm not a fan of the term. I think it implies that some of these skills are "soft" or "easy" or "unimportant." They aren't. In many ways, so-called "soft skills" - things like interpersonal communication skills - can be among the most important skills for any worker. This is especially the case in communication-related fields, where there is an expectation that human interaction - both in-person and mediated - is important. This is true with leadership skills and presentation/speaking skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for director, corporate communicationss?

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

Having the ability to write well is important in most knowledge-based fields today. It is especially critical in any communication-related field of job specialization. Otherwise, the specific technical skills are important variations between the particular company and/or job expectations. Some fields use proprietary software that one typically learns about once one starts the job. Some fields require media production competencies - related to basic video production, audio production, imaging or photography, or even web design/management. The important thing is to develop a general competency with technology - and to learn how to learn. That allows you to pivot to develop new skills in different situations and roles.

What director, corporate communications skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Jeyoung (Jenny) Oh Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Communication, University of Michigan-Flint

Anyone with internet access can learn many different skills. Many resources are free. The skills you should learn highly depend on the specific field you'd like to work in. For example, if you are interested in market research, then I recommend you take a statistics or data analytics course on online course sites, such as Coursera or Udemy. If you are interested in graphic design, a photography or Illustrator course will be helpful. It is also important to stay updated in your field by following various online sources. For instance, if you are interested in advertising, keep up with publications such as Ad Age, and if you want to work in public relations, I recommend that you keep an eye on the websites of the Public Relations Society of America and the Institute for Public Relations for the latest news.

Graduates can also enhance their skill sets and put them into practice by engaging in different experiences, such as volunteering with organizations in their field. With the ongoing pandemic, many organizations are seeking virtual help from volunteers. For example, if you volunteer in a social media marketing project for a nonprofit organization, you get to create a social media campaign to increase awareness of the initiatives of the organization. This experience can hone your skills in creating and managing online content. To search for these kinds of opportunities, you can use sites such as VolunteerMatch or AllForGood. It would be a great chance for you to apply what you have learned in class to make society better in this novel pandemic. You can also engage in a remote internship for a similar experience.

What type of skills will young director, corporate communicationss need?

Melinda Booze

Assistant Professor, Evangel University

Today's communication graduates will need adaptive storytelling skills. In a communication environment that is noisy and insistent, the graduates that will stand out are those who can demonstrate to employers and clients that they can identify an audience's needs, wants and values and craft messages that connects with and engages that audience. This involves all the requisite hard and soft skills, such as technological proficiency, writing, speaking, a love of learning, flexibility, creativity and more. The skill that is perhaps less emphasized or practiced is careful listening. The outcome of careful listening is valid research that informs meaningful stories that communicate. -Melinda Booze, assistant professor of communication, Evangel University.

What technical skills for a director, corporate communications stand out to employers?

Jody McBrien

Professor, University of South Florida

Certainly, the technological skills needed in the present include expertise with managing work expectations through virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Given that new employees may need to work from home for several more months, self-motivation will be an important asset. Finally, given that distance work has now been a major form of employment for nearly a year, businesses will be needing to re-evaluate how work is done. There has certainly been a shift in how work is done, and many employees will have found that they may be even more productive from home. Employers will need to reconsider the importance of business sites and locations of their employees. They will need to be flexible in their thinking to consider arrangements in which their employees will be most productive.

Do you want to know more?

List of director, corporate communications skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a director, corporate communications resume and required skills for a director, corporate communications to have include:

Corporate Communications
External Communications
Press Releases
Strategic Communications
Crisis Communications
Employee Engagement
Investor Relations
External Audiences
Executive Communications
Crisis Management
Issues Management
Human Resources
Communications Plan
Executive Leadership
Reputation Management
Communications Efforts
Intranet

Communications Programs
Community Relations
PowerPoint
Public Affairs
Corporate Brand
C-Suite
Communications Counsel
Business Development
Communications Professionals
Facebook
Brand Awareness
Twitter
Corporate Reputation
Marketing Campaigns
Communications Media
Direct Reports
Executive Management

Linkedin
Fact Sheets
Financial Communications
Content Marketing
Event Planning
Strategic Direction
Global Communications
Web Content
SEO
Product Launches
Strategic Counsel
ROI
Market Research
CMO
Corporate Events
Graphic Design

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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