Corporate Communications
Executive Communications
You'll architect narrative strategy across crisis management, investor relations, and C-suite messaging. This path creates leaders who control corporate reputation through sophisticated stakeholder influence and media orchestration.
The Career Arc
Rotational · L1–L3
Build the Executive Communications craft. Prove you can wield the tools of Corporate Communications.
Transformational · L4–L7
Deliver Executive Communications outcomes — each Corporate Communications tour at this altitude has a defined mission and success criteria.
Foundational · L8–L9
Shape the Corporate Communications organization from the Executive Communications chair — build institutions, not just products.
L1 — Associate Executive Communications Specialist Rotational
Mission
Learn executive communications fundamentals through research and content support
This tour of duty
Draft your first executive social media content that earns strong engagement
Own the outcomes
- • Learn executive voice and messaging style for assigned leaders
- • Draft social media posts and short-form executive content under supervision
- • Research speech topics and compile background briefing materials
- • Support preparation of board meeting presentation decks
- • Build foundational knowledge of thought leadership strategy and platforms
- • Assist senior writers with fact-checking and content coordination
Executive Communications at L1 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Researching speech topics and compiling background materials
- • Drafting executive social media post options
- • Summarizing industry trends for thought leadership angles
L2 — Executive Communications Coordinator Rotational
Mission
Own executive social media and short-form content production
This tour of duty
Own an executive thought leadership article from research to publication
Own the outcomes
- • Own executive social media content calendar and posting schedule
- • Draft executive blog posts and short thought leadership pieces independently
- • Execute research for keynote speeches and conference presentations
- • Implement systematic approaches to executive content planning
- • Debug tone and messaging inconsistencies across executive platforms
- • Prepare executive event briefing packages and talking points
Executive Communications at L2 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Analyzing executive content engagement and audience response
- • Generating thought leadership article drafts and outlines
- • Building conference and event briefing packages
L3 — Senior Executive Communications Specialist Rotational
Mission
Lead speech drafting and manage executive thought leadership pipeline
This tour of duty
Write a keynote speech that an executive delivers at a major conference
Own the outcomes
- • Lead drafting of keynote speeches and major executive presentations
- • Manage content pipeline for executive thought leadership program
- • Mentor junior writers on executive voice and narrative construction
- • Design improvements to speech development and review processes
- • Coordinate with communications and marketing on executive positioning
- • Build relationships with conference organizers and speaking bureaus
Executive Communications at L3 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Modeling speech narrative arcs and audience engagement flow
- • Synthesizing industry perspectives for keynote differentiation
- • Generating board presentation draft content
L4 — Executive Communications Manager Transformational
Mission
Manage executive voice and strategic narrative for C-suite leaders
This tour of duty
Build a narrative framework that establishes an executive as an industry voice
Own the outcomes
- • Own executive communications strategy for the CEO or a C-suite executive
- • Lead the team through major speaking engagements and media appearances
- • Design narrative frameworks that position executives as industry visionaries
- • Mentor executive writers on strategic messaging and audience adaptation
- • Define quality standards for all executive-facing communications
- • Architect the annual executive visibility calendar and thought leadership roadmap
Executive Communications at L4 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Analyzing executive visibility metrics and competitive positioning
- • Building thought leadership program strategies and content calendars
- • Creating speaking engagement evaluation frameworks
L5 — Senior Manager, Executive Communications Transformational
Mission
Own C-suite communications strategy and thought leadership program
This tour of duty
Run a C-suite thought leadership program that drives measurable visibility
Own the outcomes
- • Drive executive communications across the entire C-suite
- • Lead cross-functional initiatives to align executive narrative with corporate strategy
- • Establish executive communications policies that scale across leaders
- • Own relationships with executive principals for strategic narrative alignment
- • Define career development paths for executive communications professionals
- • Architect measurement frameworks for executive visibility and influence impact
Executive Communications at L5 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Designing executive influence measurement dashboards
- • Modeling narrative positioning scenarios for corporate announcements
- • Generating governance and brand standards documentation
L6 — Director, Executive Communications Transformational
Mission
Define executive communications standards as enterprise authority
This tour of duty
Define the executive messaging architecture for a leadership transition or IPO
Own the outcomes
- • Define executive communications standards and policies enterprise-wide
- • Design governance frameworks for C-suite messaging consistency
- • Provide strategic counsel on high-stakes executive messaging and positioning
- • Influence executive communications practices through industry thought leadership
- • Establish executive brand standards through expert guidance
- • Codify best practices and mentor senior executive communications professionals
Executive Communications at L6 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Analyzing executive communications patterns at enterprise scale
- • Building standards documentation and voice guides
- • Creating board-level communications effectiveness reports
L7 — Senior Director, Executive Communications Transformational
Mission
Shape executive thought leadership excellence through strategic expertise
This tour of duty
Build the executive communications function that supports global leadership presence
Own the outcomes
- • Serve as the foremost executive communications authority for the enterprise
- • Shape the vision for world-class executive thought leadership
- • Architect operating models for global executive communications functions
- • Advise the CEO on personal brand and narrative implications of decisions
- • Define the strategic roadmap for executive platform and content investments
- • Develop executive communications leaders through mentorship and knowledge transfer
Executive Communications at L7 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Designing executive communications team capabilities and org structures
- • Building executive content analytics and measurement systems
- • Creating hiring frameworks for senior executive writers
L8 — VP, Executive Communications Foundational
Mission
Own executive narrative strategy and leadership brand
This tour of duty
Navigate executive communications through a crisis that preserves leadership credibility
Own the outcomes
- • Build organization-wide executive communications governance
- • Define executive narrative strategy aligned with corporate reputation objectives
- • Shape the culture of executive authenticity and thought leadership
- • Establish operating frameworks for multi-executive communications programs
- • Build strategic relationships with board members on communications
- • Define the multi-year roadmap for executive visibility transformation
Executive Communications at L8 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Modeling executive narrative impact on corporate reputation
- • Analyzing executive visibility across global platforms
- • Generating operating models for global executive communications
L9 — SVP, Executive Communications Foundational
Mission
Define executive communications vision enterprise-wide
This tour of duty
Transform executive communications into a strategic driver of corporate reputation
Own the outcomes
- • Define the executive communications vision for enterprise-wide leadership narrative
- • Shape industry standards for executive thought leadership and positioning
- • Establish executive communications as a strategic driver of corporate reputation
- • Build the next generation of executive communications leadership
- • Define innovation agenda for executive content and digital presence platforms
- • Shape board-level executive positioning and succession narrative
Executive Communications at L9 — the competency bar
AI in this role
- • Building strategic planning systems for executive narrative strategy
- • Analyzing industry executive thought leadership trends
- • Creating executive communications architectures
What Hiring Managers Look For
L1-L3: Demonstrates ability to translate complex business strategies into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with both internal teams and external stakeholders.
L4-L6: Shows measurable impact on corporate reputation during crisis situations and proven ability to build media relationships that generate consistent positive coverage.
L7+: Brings portfolio of high-stakes communications wins that directly influenced market perception, investor confidence, or regulatory outcomes during pivotal company moments.
Common Career Transitions
Executive Communications → Chief of Staff at L5-L6 for broader strategic influence across all business functions
Executive Communications → Head of Investor Relations at L6-L7 leveraging stakeholder management and financial storytelling skills
Official Classifications
| System | Code | Official Title |
|---|---|---|
| O*NET-SOC (US) | 27-3031.00 | Public Relations Specialists |
| ISCO-08 (UN/ILO) | 2432 | Public relations professionals |
| ESCO (EU) | — | public relations officer |
| SSOC 2024 (Singapore) | 24320 | Public Relations Professionals |
| NCO-2015 (India) | 2432.0100 | Public Relations Professionals |
At L6 and above, the manager classification 1222 — Advertising and public relations managers applies IN ADDITION to the professional code — a manager is a superset of the individual contributor, never a replacement.
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