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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Corporate Affairs

💰 $150,000 - $230,000

Corporate AffairsCommunicationsPublic AffairsGovernment RelationsESGReputation Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Corporate Affairs is a senior strategic leader who designs and delivers integrated corporate communications, public affairs and stakeholder engagement strategies to protect and grow the organization's reputation, influence regulatory outcomes, support business objectives and lead crisis response. This role partners closely with the CEO and executive team to provide strategic counsel on public policy, regulatory risk, ESG (environmental, social and governance) priorities, media relations, internal communications and issues management. The Director manages a cross-functional corporate affairs team, external agencies and key stakeholder coalitions to drive measurable outcomes in reputation, license to operate and stakeholder trust.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
  • Head of Public Affairs / Government Affairs Manager
  • Senior Communications Counsel or External Affairs Manager

Advancement To:

  • Vice President, Corporate Affairs
  • Chief Communications Officer (CCO)
  • Head of Public Policy & Government Relations

Lateral Moves:

  • Head of Investor Relations
  • Head of Sustainability / ESG
  • Corporate Strategy or Corporate Development lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive corporate affairs strategy that aligns corporate communications, public affairs, government relations, ESG and stakeholder engagement to advance business objectives and protect reputation across global markets.
  • Serve as strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership on emerging issues, public policy trends, regulatory risks, reputational exposures and stakeholder expectations, translating business priorities into external engagement plans.
  • Lead integrated crisis communications and issues management programs, including scenario planning, rapid response protocols, spokesperson training, media lines and post-incident reputation recovery strategies to minimize business disruption.
  • Own external communications and media relations for the corporation: craft executive-level messaging, prepare spokespeople, manage press relationships, coordinate interviews, op-eds and strategic placements to enhance visibility and influence.
  • Design and execute government relations and public policy advocacy programs to shape regulatory outcomes, build relationships with elected officials, agencies and policy makers, and coordinate lobbying efforts in compliance with legal requirements.
  • Build and maintain strong coalitions with industry associations, NGOs, community leaders and other stakeholders to advance shared policy goals, manage multi-stakeholder initiatives and amplify the company’s positions on public interest issues.
  • Lead corporate reputation measurement and analytics: define KPIs, track media sentiment, stakeholder perceptions and campaign ROI, and provide evidence-based recommendations for strategy refinements.
  • Oversee ESG communications and disclosure programs, collaborating with sustainability, legal and finance teams to communicate sustainability strategy, progress, metrics and reporting (including sustainability reports, CDP, TCFD/ISSB disclosures).
  • Lead internal communications strategy that enables clear leadership messaging, employee engagement, change management and alignment across business units during major transformations or corporate initiatives.
  • Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary corporate affairs team, including communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement and digital content staff; set performance expectations, develop talent and recruit key hires.
  • Oversee development of high-impact executive materials: speeches, board presentations, Q&A decks, talking points and investor-facing narratives to ensure consistent messaging and alignment with corporate strategy.
  • Direct digital and social media strategy for corporate channels, including content calendars, amplification plans, influencer engagement and executive social presence to build trust and enhance corporate storytelling.
  • Lead reputation risk assessments and early warning systems, integrating intelligence from media monitoring, public policy tracking and stakeholder feedback to proactively address issues before escalation.
  • Coordinate cross-functional communications for M&A, partnerships, regulatory filings and major commercial milestones, ensuring message discipline and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions.
  • Develop and manage annual corporate affairs budgets, agency relationships and vendor contracts, ensuring cost-effective delivery of campaigns and adherence to procurement and compliance policies.
  • Ensure compliance with political engagement, lobbying laws, disclosure requirements and ethical standards; partner with legal and compliance to maintain transparent processes and recordkeeping.
  • Create and execute stakeholder mapping and engagement plans for priority audiences (government, regulators, customers, employees, investors, community and NGOs), tailoring tactics and messages by audience and geography.
  • Lead reputation-building initiatives such as corporate sponsorships, strategic partnerships, thought leadership programs and executive speaking engagements that reinforce the company’s positioning and social license to operate.
  • Implement measurement frameworks and reporting cadence for corporate affairs activities to the executive team and board, translating outcomes into actionable recommendations and performance improvement plans.
  • Provide strategic counsel and scenario-based advice during regulatory inquiries, hearings, litigation or compliance investigations, coordinating external counsel, government liaison and communications response.
  • Champion diversity, equity and inclusion in corporate narratives and stakeholder programs, ensuring communications reflect company values and foster trust with diverse stakeholder groups.
  • Drive employee advocacy programs that equip employees as authentic ambassadors, including training, toolkits and internal platforms to scale positive external engagement.

Secondary Functions

  • Support preparation of regular board and executive committee reporting on reputation metrics, public policy developments and key stakeholder sentiment.
  • Manage relationships with external PR, public affairs and advocacy agencies; oversee briefings, deliverables and campaign effectiveness evaluations.
  • Coordinate community investment and corporate philanthropy communications to align social impact programs with strategic corporate narratives.
  • Provide subject-matter guidance to business units on communications readiness for major launches, regulatory approvals and public consultations.
  • Maintain an up-to-date issues log and rapid escalation matrix to ensure timely executive decision-making and communication deployment.
  • Oversee media training and executive coaching for senior leaders to improve message discipline and confident public engagement.
  • Contribute to investor relations communications where corporate affairs overlaps with reputation and ESG investor queries.
  • Support employee engagement surveys and internal listening programs to surface concerns that could affect external reputation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Corporate communications strategy development and execution across global markets.
  • Public affairs strategy, lobbying programs and government relations with proven stakeholder outcomes.
  • Crisis communications planning, incident management and rapid-response execution.
  • Media relations and spokesperson coaching, including op-ed, press briefing and interview management.
  • ESG communications, sustainability reporting frameworks (e.g., GRI, TCFD/ISSB) and non-financial disclosure experience.
  • Policy analysis, regulatory monitoring and translating policy impacts into executive-level briefings.
  • Reputation risk assessment, media monitoring tools (e.g., Meltwater, Cision) and sentiment analysis.
  • Digital communications and social media strategy for corporate brands and executive amplification.
  • Budgeting, P&L oversight for corporate affairs programs and vendor/agency management.
  • Legal and compliance coordination for lobbying registration, disclosures and political engagement compliance.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic thinking and commercial acumen to connect communications and public affairs with business outcomes.
  • Executive presence and high-quality written and verbal communication skills for C-suite counsel.
  • Stakeholder management and the ability to build trust with government, NGOs, media and internal leaders.
  • Crisis leadership, calm under pressure, and strong decision-making in fast-moving situations.
  • Influence and negotiation skills to mobilize cross-functional teams and external partners.
  • Political acuity and cultural sensitivity to operate effectively across jurisdictions.
  • Collaborative leadership and people development experience, including coaching and mentoring.
  • Change management and ability to lead major organizational communication initiatives.
  • Problem solving and analytical mindset, with data-driven approach to measuring impact.
  • High ethical standards, integrity and respect for confidentiality.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Public Policy, Communications, Business Administration (MBA), Law (LLM/JD) or related advanced degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Corporate Communications
  • Public Policy / Government Affairs
  • Law (Regulatory, Administrative)
  • Business Administration / Strategy
  • Political Science
  • Sustainability / Environmental Policy

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 10–15+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications, public affairs, government relations or external affairs, including at least 5 years in a senior management or director-level role.

Preferred:

  • Demonstrated experience leading corporate affairs for large, regulated or highly visible organizations (e.g., energy, healthcare, financial services, technology, telecoms).
  • Proven track record delivering successful public policy outcomes, crisis responses and complex stakeholder campaigns across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, external agencies and cross-functional programs with measurable reputation and business impact.
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