Communication manager

Communication managers, as spokespersons, the communications issued by the company for both the internal and the external clients. For internal clients, meaning the employees, communication managers ensure that communications reach each one of the employees and further questions can be answered. For external parties, they coordinate coherence among the messages transmitted in mails, printed materials, press articles, and corporate promotional materials. They strive to maintain truthful communications.

The following job titles also refer to communication manager:

internal communications manager
social media manager
foreign language correspondent communications manager
communication practitioner
press spokesperson
communications associate
public relations manager
communications manager
external communications manager
corporate communication manager
public relations and communication manager
online communication manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as communication manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Communication manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to communication manager.

spokesperson
public relations officer
public relations manager
advertising manager
public affairs consultant

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of communication manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of communication manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of communication manager.

Diplomatic principles: The practices of facilitating agreements or international treaties with other countries by conducting negotiations and attempting to protect the interests of the home government, as well as facilitating compromise.
Corporate social responsibility: The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.
Market research: The processes, techniques, and purposes comprised in the first step for developing marketing strategies such as the collection of information about customers and the definition of segments and targets.
Forming of public opinion: The process whereby perceptions and opinions toward something are forged and enforced. The elements that play a role in public opinion such as framing information, psyche processes, and herding.
Strategic planning: The elements defining the foundation and core of an organisation such as its mission, vision, values, and objectives.
Rhetoric: The art of discourse that aims at improving the ability of writers and speakers to inform, persuade or motivate their audience.
Office software: The characteristics and functioning of software programs for office tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, email and database.
Grammar: The set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language.
Communication principles: The set of commonly shared principles in regards with communication such as active listening, establish rapport, adjusting the register, and respecting the intervention of others.

These skills are necessary for the role of communication manager.

Apply diplomatic principles: Apply the processes involved in the creation of international treaties by conducting negotiations between representatives of different countries, protecting the home government’s interests, and facilitating compromise.
Integrate strategic foundation in daily performance: Reflect on the strategic foundation of companies, meaning their mission, vision, and values in order to integrate this foundation in the performance of the job position.
Prepare presentation material: Prepare the documents, slide shows, posters and any other media needed for specific audiences.
Protect client interests: Protect the interests and needs of a client by taking necessary actions, and researching all possibilities, to ensure that the client obtains their favoured outcome.
Develop communication strategies: Manage or contribute to the conception and implementation of an organisation’s internal and external communications plans and presentation, including its online presence.
Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
Proofread text: Read a text thoroughly, search for, review and correct errors to ensure content is valid for publishing.
Advise on communication strategies: Provide companies and organisations with consulting services concerning their internal and external communication plans and their representation, including their presence online. Recommend improvements in communication and make sure that important information reaches all employees and that their questions are answered.
Perform public relations: Perform public relations (PR) by managing the spread of information between an individual or an organisation and the public.
Analyse internal factors of companies: Research and understand various internal factors that influence the operation of companies such as its culture, strategic foundation, products, prices, and available resources.
Compile content: Retrieve, select and organise content from specific sources, according to the requirements of the output media such as printed materials, online applications, platforms, websites and video.
Apply grammar and spelling rules: Apply the rules of spelling and grammar and ensure consistency throughout texts.
Develop public relations strategies: Plan, coordinate and implement all the efforts required in a public relations strategy such as defining the targets, preparing communications, contacting partners, and spreading information among stakeholders.
Analyse external factors of companies: Perform research and analysis of the external factor pertaining to companies such as consumers, position in the market, competitors, and political situation.
Advise on public image: Advise a client such as a politician, artist or another individual dealing with the public on how to present themselves in a way which would gain most favour from the general public or a target audience.
Identify clients’ needs: Identify the areas in which the client may require aid and investigate the possibilities for meeting those needs.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of communication manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Government representation: The legal and public representation methods and procedures of the government during trial cases or for communication purposes, and the specific aspects of the governmental bodies being represented in order to ensure accurate representation.
Social media management: The planning, development, and implementation of strategies aimed at managing social media platforms, the publications, the social media management tools, and the image of organisations in them.
Public relations: The practice of managing all aspects of the image and perception of a company or individual among stakeholders and the society at large.
Psychological concepts: The psychological concepts of health protection and health promotion.
Writing style guides: The large variety of style guides available depending on the kind of writing, industry, or purpose. Style guides comprise APA style and ASA style for the social sciences, AP style for journalism, CSE style for physical sciences, and others.
Company policies: The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of communication manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Implement marketing strategies: Implement strategies which aim to promote a specific product or service, using the developed marketing strategies.
Disseminate internal communications: Disseminate internal communications using the different communication channels that a company has at its disposal.
Advise on public relations: Advise business or public organisations on public relations management and strategies in order to ensure efficient communication with target audiences, and proper conveying of information.
Build community relations: Establish affectionate and long-lasting relationships with local communities, e.g. by organising special programms for kindergarden, schools and for dissabled and older people, raising awareness and receiving community appreciation in return.
Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
Organise press conferences: Organise interviews for a group of journalists in order to make an announcement or answer questions on a specific subject.
Perform interviews: Research the context of the interview. Plan availability. Prepare yourself according to the context and the diversity of media (radio, television, web, newspapers, etc.), and give an interview.
Manage visual communications: Plan, develop and implement communications based on visuals and images. Analyse the conveyance of messages and their appropriateness for the target group.
Manage online communications: Oversee and supervise communications of a company, entity, or person in online outlets. Ensure that the information being communicated online is in line with the strategy and image aimed to be conveyed.
Establish relationship with the media: Adopt a professional attitude to respond effectively to the demands of the media.
Draft press releases: Collect information and write press releases adjusting the register to the target audience and ensuring that the message is well conveyed.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Establish communication with foreign cultures: Strive to understand the cultural codes of the society where the company operates and to establish a solid communication and mutual understanding with its members.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Build international relations: Build positive communication dynamics with organisations from different countries in order to build a cooperative relationship and optimise information exchange.
Follow the news: Follow current events in politics, economics, social communities, cultural sectors, internationally, and in sports.
Carry out forum moderation: Supervise communication activity on a web forum and other discussion platforms by assessing if the content adheres to forum regulations, enforcing rules of conduct, and ensuring the forum remains free of illegal material and conflict.
Conduct public presentations: Speak in public and interact with those present. Prepare notices, plans, charts, and other information to support the presentation.

1222 – Advertising and public relations managers

 

 

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References

1. Communication manager – ESCO