9 Communications Team Roles & Responsibilities

Communications teams’ roles and responsibilities include preparing and distributing content for the promotion of an organization’s products, brand or activities. The communication roles also include interacting with the media and public to ensure their brand has maximum positive awareness.

Corpoeate Communications Job Description

Communications teams, who are also known as public relations specialists, must support an organization’s external and internal communications strategy. They will draft and then disseminate publicity-related materials, while also addressing inquiries that are made by the media and public. 

They will also arrange promotional events.  Skilled communications officers have an innate ability to creatively think while demonstrating excellent interpersonal and communications skills. Preferred educational requirements include a Bachelor’s Degree and some experience with journalism. 

Responsibilities 

Communications teams are expected to liaison with management and establish a communications strategy that is effective and based on a specific target audience. To accomplish this, it will often be necessary to write, proofread and then distribute content such as press releases, speeches, annual reports, publications, and web content that showcases the organization’s vision, services, products and activities.

The media will often respond with questions or inquiries, and it is the responsibility of the communications team to respond to them. They might have to arrange interviews or even function as an organizational spokesperson, and the ability to set up and maintain positive journalist relationships is crucial, as this can lead to the positive feedback that will increase the brand’s awareness and profitability. For larger enterprises that process huge amounts of data, it might also be necessary for communications teams to manage media databases. 

When the media provides coverage of organizational activities or events, an experienced communication team will maintain records while collating metrics and analytics. This combined with design proficiency and an understanding of software publishing can lead to fantastic results, but it is also crucial for team members to be able to manage the inevitable conflicts that will sometimes arise within the group. Below is a list of specific team roles.

Communications Director

The communications director oversees external and internal institutional communications. They will draft internal print and digital materials for the promotion of internal communication. They will also analyze marketing plans while spearheading the creation of external communication media which will be provided to journalists and other external parties to promote institutional goals. 

Public Relations Expert

Public relations experts are responsible for the creation of media releases while working to establish a social media presence. They play a pivotal role in the company’s public image and must maintain it at all costs. To this end, they might engage in daily tasks such as arranging interviews with the media, writing speeches and interacting with the general public. When the media makes requests, it is the public relations expert who will respond to them.

Marketing Communications Management

Marketing communication managers deal with initiatives involving market research. They are the individuals who will establish institutional budgeting and pricing strategies. They will also set up and implement plans for boosting the organization’s market share. They must be adept at coordinating institutional messages to partners and other key stakeholders.

Media Director

Media directors will manage the communication flow between their company and members of the press. They will also establish close relationships with outside partners while directing the implementation of long-term communications plans. They must be adept at monitoring media coverage, acting as organization spokespersons, arranging press conferences and managing crisis communications.

Chief Communications Officer

The Chief Communications Officer must lead the public relations department and manage all forms of communication. They work closely with upper management to create and promote various communications plans and goals. They might also function as the organization's spokesperson, and might respond to requests from the media or make public appearances to provide information about company goals. 

Publicist

The publicist handles publicity on behalf of celebrities, films, public figures and organizations. Their goal is to successfully communicate the brand’s message to a specific demographic. This can be accomplished by drafting press releases, designing social media kits and content, arranging publicity events and tracking the media coverage. 

Event Planner

A successful event needs an exciting theme as well as proper promotion to attract desired attendees. This is where the event planner comes in. These professionals are proficient in determining the interests of various consumer groups and can then package events in an appealing manner. 

They are detail-oriented while also demonstrating the ability to arrange the event and determine the requirements of attendees and presenters. To be a great event planner, one must also have excellent public speaking abilities so that one can make announcements or introduce guest speakers. Written communication skill is also necessary since it helps in drafting press releases while writing biographies and descriptions for event literature or online content. 

Human Resources Expert

Human resources experts specialize in internal communication, especially when it comes to recruiting staff and helping new employees get settled in. These HR professionals might also be tasked with establishing training programs while recommending policies to upper management.

Public Affairs Expert

The public affairs expert is closely associated with upper management and will function as an advisor for them. They must have outstanding written and oral communication skills since they will be responsible for communicating the institution’s goals and identity in a positive manner. They work directly with public relations groups to handle the creation and distribution of external communication. They also collaborate with government agencies, partners and the media.

Requirements

What are the requirements needed to embark on a communications job? At a minimum, you’ll need to earn a Bachelor’s degree in either Journalism or Communications. Afterward, you’ll need to obtain two to five years’ worth of experience within various communications roles. 

It is also necessary to understand desktop publishing programs such as Photoshop or InDesign, and personal attributes which are sought after in this industry include good verbal and written skills. Your time management must be impeccable and you should also be proficient in various social media networks, content management platforms and Microsoft Office.