What does a Head of Communications do?

A Head of Communications is responsible for how an organisation communicates with its employees, customers, stakeholders, media and wider audiences. 
 
It is a broad senior leadership role. While responsibilities vary between organisations, a Head of Communications will typically set the communication strategy, protect reputation, oversee internal and external communications and advise senior management on how and when the organisation should communicate. 
 
That can include everything from long-term corporate communications and stakeholder engagement to media relations, internal communication and crisis communications. 
 
The role is therefore about much more than producing press releases or managing communication campaigns. At senior level, the focus shifts towards strategic communication: deciding what the organisation needs to say, to whom, through which channels and how that supports its wider objectives. 
 
The breadth of the position also means the remit can differ considerably between organisations. In communications recruitment, understanding that scope is often more useful than relying on the job title alone.

Setting the communication strategy

One of the Head of Communications’ most important responsibilities is developing communication strategies that align with the organisation’s priorities. 
 
This starts with understanding the business. 
 
What is the organisation trying to achieve? Where could reputation help or hinder those plans? Which audiences need to understand or support them? What communication risks need to be managed? 
 
From there, the Head of Communications can build communication plans around areas such as corporate positioning, organisational change, employee engagement, leadership visibility or major business announcements. 
 
This requires strong strategic thinking. A successful Head of Communications needs to look beyond individual pieces of activity and understand how different messages, audiences and channels fit together. 
 
They may also work closely with marketing, digital marketing, public affairs and investor relations teams to ensure communication is coordinated across the organisation.

Leading internal and external communications

• Leadership and employee communications 
• Organisational change 
• Company announcements 
• Employee engagement 
• Internal events and communication campaigns 

Externally, the remit can include corporate communications, public relations, media relations, social media, public affairs and executive profiling. 
 
The role is to create consistency without treating every audience in the same way. 
 
Employees may need context and clarity around a business decision before it becomes public. Customers may care about its practical impact. Investors and other senior stakeholders may need a different level of detail again. 
 
A strong communications strategy considers those differences while making sure the organisation presents a clear and credible overall message. This is particularly important internally, as how internal communication builds strategic confidence can shape employees’ understanding of organisational priorities and change.

Managing reputation, media relations and crisis communications

Reputation is a significant part of the role. 
 
Heads of Communications often oversee relationships with journalists and media outlets, working with communications specialists or public relations agencies to manage media enquiries, maintain media contacts and identify opportunities to strengthen the organisation’s profile. 
 
They may approve press releases, prepare senior leaders for interviews and act as a spokesperson themselves where appropriate. 
 
The role becomes particularly important when something goes wrong. Having crisis communications talent that protects reputation becomes critical when an organisation needs to respond quickly while maintaining stakeholder confidence. 
 
During a crisis, communications leaders need to assess the situation quickly, establish accurate information and advise senior management on how to respond. Effective crisis communications also requires coordination across legal, operational, HR, marketing and leadership teams.

Advising senior leadership

At Head of Communications level, the role becomes increasingly advisory.

A Head of Communications may work directly with the Chief Executive Officer, other members of senior management and functional leaders on sensitive or high-profile issues.

This could involve advising on how the organisation communicates a new strategy, preparing the CEO for a major announcement or identifying the reputational implications of a business decision before it is made.

The strongest communications leaders are therefore comfortable challenging senior stakeholders.

Their role is not simply to communicate decisions after the event. They need enough commercial understanding and influence to contribute while those decisions are still being shaped.

This is one of the key differences between more junior communications roles and senior leadership positions.

Leading the communications team

Heads of Communications are also responsible for the people and capability behind the function. 
 
Depending on the organisation, they may lead a team of communications managers and communications specialists covering areas such as corporate communications, internal communications, public relations, media relations, content, public affairs or social media. 
 
In a smaller organisation, the Head of Communications may remain relatively hands-on. In a larger business, the role may focus more heavily on strategic planning, senior stakeholder engagement, budgets and team leadership. 
 
Sector also matters. A charity, for example, may combine communications with fundraising or campaigning, while a listed business may have closer links between corporate communications and investor relations. 
 
The remit should therefore be understood in the context of the organisation rather than the job title alone.

How does a Head of Communications work with marketing?

Communications and marketing often work closely together, but they do not perform exactly the same function. 
 
Marketing communication and marketing campaigns are generally focused on customers, demand and commercial objectives. Corporate communications has a broader responsibility for the organisation’s reputation and relationships with audiences including employees, media, investors, regulators and the public. 
 
There is naturally overlap, particularly across content, digital channels, social media and brand. 
 
A Head of Communications may therefore work closely with marketing leadership to ensure corporate messaging and marketing activity support rather than contradict one another.

What comes after Head of Communications?

The Head of Communications role can be a significant step in a broader career in communications. 
 
For professionals working towards the role, understanding how to become a Head of Communications means building experience across communications disciplines as well as developing the leadership and strategic skills required at senior level 
Depending on the organisation, progression might lead to Communications Director, Director of Communications, Head of Corporate Communications or Chief Communications Officer. 
 
Titles are not always consistent. In some organisations, a Communications Director is more senior than a Head of Communications. In others, the roles have almost identical responsibilities. 
 
Exploring current communications jobs can also give professionals a useful view of how responsibilities, team structures and seniority differ between employers. 
 
When considering the next step, the scope of the role often matters more than the title. Team size, exposure to senior management, strategic responsibility and ownership of internal and external communications are all useful indicators of seniority.