Trade guide
Director of Communications
The role of the communications director is to advise, guide and optimise the development of all communications activities. They manage a company’s internal and external communications departments. They are also responsible for managing press and public relations. Here is a comprehensive guide to this demanding but exciting profession.
The business
What is a communications director?
Its role
A communications manager is a professional who specialises in managing a company’s internal and external communications. He or she analyses the company’s needs and helps implement communications strategies. Sometimes they help the company promote its products and services to the general public.
Its field of action
They are management executives who keep abreast of developments in the media, new technologies and corporate culture. They are responsible for designing and implementing internal and external communication policies. They must have an excellent knowledge of the market to be able to anticipate any changes that may occur.
The functions
What are the duties of a communications director?
A communications director has several roles in a company. Their job is to create a communications strategy , design communications networks for the company and manage public relations. They are also responsible for both external and internal relations. They help to ensure the company’s positive image with its various partners.
The communications director is therefore responsible for creating and executing communications and marketing strategies, whether for a client or a company. Most companies need a communications manager who can act as an intermediary between a company’s various departments: marketing, the public and customers.
In more detail, the communications manager is responsible for coordinating and monitoring communications activities within a company. On the one hand, he or she oversees editorial life: for example, he or she manages events, media communication strategies (such as relations with journalists) and internal communication strategies (such as the publication of an in-house magazine). On the other hand, they manage the company’s image : they define communication policies, set the company’s objectives, manage the communication budget and monitor the quality and effectiveness of actions.
Qualifications
The qualities and skills needed to be a good communications director
The first quality of a communications director is leadership. The communications director must be a leader who inspires and motivates the members of his team. He must also be an expert who understands all aspects of his role. They need to make decisions and have a clear vision of where they want to take their company.
The communications director must also be open to new concepts and change. As well as being a leader, the communications director must be an excellent communicator and a good orator. The communications director must have knowledge of all areas of marketing : advertising, sales, public relations, promotion, events and the search for new markets. They must also understand the importance of manufacturing and after-sales service in ensuring the quality of the products they market.
The benefits
What are the advantages of being a communications director?
There are many advantages to being a communications manager. Among the many advantages of such a profession is the fact that you earn a higher income than other professions.
You could also benefit from a very advantageous pension scheme and high-quality social protection. What’s more, you can work on a variety of interesting and mobile projects.
Remuneration
Communications director: salary and career development
A communications director earns an average of €50,000 to €80,000 a year. They also have interesting career development prospects. The salary and career development of a communications director vary according to the sector of activity, skills, level of responsibility and number of years’ experience.
This is a versatile profession. A communications manager may apply for a variety of positions , such as corporate communications manager, communications manager for public institutions (ministerial offices, local authorities, public establishments, industrial and commercial public establishments).
Up to
80 000€
Salary per year
Training courses
How do you become a communications manager?
Our training courses
Training in communications is the preferred route to becoming a communications director. The first requirement is a BAC+4 in communications, followed by specialist training, for example at a business school or a leading communications school. Secondly, practical experience is the most important prerequisite for entering this profession. That’s why we offer a sandwich course.
At INSEEC, we offer several courses that can prepare you for this profession:
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