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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Corporate Affairs Officer

💰 $ - $

Corporate AffairsGovernment RelationsComplianceCommunications

🎯 Role Definition

The Corporate Affairs Officer is responsible for shaping and protecting the organization's reputation, managing relationships with government and external stakeholders, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering strategic communications that support business objectives. This role blends public affairs, media management, compliance oversight, and stakeholder engagement to influence outcomes, anticipate policy risks, and drive positive social license for the company.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Regulatory Affairs Specialist or Coordinator
  • Communications / Public Relations Officer
  • Government Relations or Public Policy Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Corporate Affairs Manager
  • Head of Government & Public Affairs
  • Director of Corporate Communications / Public Affairs

Lateral Moves:

  • Compliance Manager
  • Public Policy Manager
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, implement and continuously refine the corporate affairs strategy that aligns public policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and CSR activities with the company’s strategic objectives and regulatory environment.
  • Monitor legislative, regulatory and political developments at local, regional and national levels, synthesise impact assessments and proactively advise senior leadership on risks, opportunities and required business responses.
  • Build and maintain effective relationships with government officials, regulators, industry associations, community leaders and other external stakeholders to influence policy outcomes and secure favorable operating conditions.
  • Draft, review and distribute high-quality policy submissions, briefing notes, position papers, regulatory responses and executive summaries for senior management and board review.
  • Lead issues management and crisis communication responses: develop scenario-based response plans, coordinate cross-functional incident teams, prepare holding statements and manage spokesperson briefings.
  • Design and execute public affairs campaigns, including coalition-building, stakeholder mobilization, lobbying strategies, and grassroots engagement to support regulatory approvals or legislative initiatives.
  • Manage media relations activities: craft press releases, prepare spokespeople, pitch stories to journalists, manage interview requests and monitor media coverage and sentiment.
  • Provide strategic counsel to the CEO and executive team on reputation management, political risk, stakeholder expectations and public positioning ahead of major announcements or transactions.
  • Oversee the company’s internal communications on public policy, regulatory changes, crisis updates and corporate reputation matters to ensure consistent messaging and employee alignment.
  • Conduct stakeholder mapping and segmentation to prioritize engagement resources, develop tailored outreach plans and track engagement outcomes against objectives.
  • Coordinate and represent the organization at industry forums, public consultations, trade associations and regulatory working groups to promote industry positions and gather market intelligence.
  • Manage relationships with external advisors including legal counsel, public affairs agencies, consultants and lobbying firms to deliver expert support and amplify in-house capabilities.
  • Support corporate governance and compliance functions by ensuring timely filings, maintaining statutory registers, assisting with board materials and keeping governance policies updated with regulatory changes.
  • Lead consultation and engagement processes for major projects, permitting or community impact assessments, ensuring meaningful stakeholder input and minimizing social and reputational risk.
  • Prepare and present regular KPI-driven reports and dashboards on corporate affairs activity, policy developments, media coverage, stakeholder sentiment and campaign ROI to senior management.
  • Advise business units on regulatory interpretation, permit/license requirements and compliance obligations and assist in developing mitigation plans for non-compliance risks.
  • Manage corporate philanthropy and CSR initiatives in coordination with the sustainability team, ensuring alignment to company priorities and maximizing community benefit and brand value.
  • Oversee digital communications relevant to corporate affairs including website content, social media statements, and online stakeholder consultations to ensure consistent and searchable public record.
  • Maintain and enforce internal policies related to political donations, lobbying disclosure, conflicts of interest and gifts & hospitality to meet legal and ethical standards.
  • Drive preparation and stewardship of regulatory filings, permit applications, environmental/social impact submissions and associated stakeholder documentation to support approvals.
  • Lead cross-functional project teams on regulatory approvals, major permits, licensing renewals and public-facing initiatives to ensure timely delivery and unified messaging.
  • Negotiate with external stakeholders where required (e.g., community representatives, local authorities, industry partners) to resolve issues, secure agreements and protect business interests.
  • Oversee budget planning, vendor selection and financial management for corporate affairs programs, ensuring cost-effective use of resources and documented deliverables.
  • Mentor, train and develop junior colleagues in stakeholder engagement practices, media handling and policy analysis to build a high-performing corporate affairs capability.
  • Conduct periodic reputation risk audits and scenario planning exercises to test readiness, refine communication protocols and strengthen organizational resilience.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain and update the stakeholder CRM/database with engagement notes, meeting outcomes and next actions to ensure continuity and institutional memory.
  • Conduct ad-hoc policy research, horizon scanning and competitor analysis to support proactive corporate positioning and opportunity identification.
  • Support voluntary sustainability and ESG reporting processes by contributing narrative sections on stakeholder engagement, community investment and governance practices.
  • Assist in organizing stakeholder events, roundtables, community consultations and executive briefings to promote transparency and maintain open dialogue.
  • Prepare speaking notes, presentations and backgrounders for senior leaders at conferences, regulatory hearings and public events.
  • Coordinate internal training sessions on regulatory obligations, media readiness and speaking with one voice to improve organizational consistency.
  • Track and administer lobbying disclosure, political contributions and compliance reporting to ensure transparent and lawful practices.
  • Compile and manage an issues register and escalation matrix to ensure issues are tracked, triaged and resolved by the appropriate owners.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Regulatory monitoring and policy analysis — ability to interpret legislation, draft submissions and translate technical rules into business implications.
  • Government relations and lobbying — proven experience designing and executing advocacy campaigns and managing relationships with public officials.
  • Media and public communications — experience drafting press releases, op-eds, spokesperson briefs and managing press inquiries.
  • Crisis and issues management — competency in scenario planning, rapid response writing and cross-functional coordination during incidents.
  • Stakeholder mapping and engagement planning — expertise with CRM tools and methodologies to prioritize and track stakeholder interactions.
  • Corporate governance and compliance — knowledge of board processes, statutory reporting and governance frameworks.
  • Project management — ability to run multi-stakeholder projects, manage timelines, budgets and external vendors.
  • Policy drafting and submission writing — strong written skills for formal regulatory responses and position papers.
  • Digital communications — experience managing corporate web content, social media statements and online consultations.
  • Data and reporting — ability to produce KPI dashboards, media monitoring summaries and impact evaluations.
  • Contract and vendor management — experience negotiating, managing and overseeing external agency retainers and deliverables.
  • Budget management — oversight of program budgets, forecasting and cost control for corporate affairs initiatives.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic thinking — ability to link public affairs activities to business outcomes and anticipate future risks.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication — persuasive writing and confident public speaking for diverse audiences.
  • Influencing and negotiation — skilled at building consensus and navigating complex stakeholder landscapes.
  • Political acumen — understanding of political processes, institutional incentives and stakeholder motivations.
  • Relationship building — proactive networker with demonstrated ability to maintain long-term constructive relationships.
  • Resilience and composure — stays calm under pressure and leads with clarity during crises.
  • Confidentiality and ethical judgment — handles sensitive information discreetly and ethically.
  • Adaptability and problem-solving — flexible approach to changing priorities and novel regulatory challenges.
  • Attention to detail — meticulous in compliance documentation, filings and public statements.
  • Team leadership and mentorship — capable of developing junior team members and leading cross-functional collaboration.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Law, Public Policy, Communications, Political Science, Business Administration or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Law, Communications or an MBA; professional qualifications in public affairs or regulatory affairs desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Law
  • Public Policy / Public Administration
  • Communications / Media Studies
  • Business Administration / Management
  • Political Science
  • Environmental / Sustainability (where relevant to industry)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years of progressive experience in corporate affairs, government relations, public policy, communications or regulatory roles.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years in corporate affairs or public affairs roles within regulated industries (energy, finance, healthcare, telecommunications, mining), with demonstrated success in advocacy, stakeholder management, crisis communications and cross-functional leadership.
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