Head of internal communications

The Head of Internal Communications is the senior leader responsible for how the organisation talks to its people. In larger organisations this is a standalone director-level function; in smaller ones the strategic and hands-on responsibilities sit with the same person.

About the role

You'll own the internal communications function end-to-end: setting the direction, managing the team, and acting as the go-to adviser for senior leadership when they need to communicate with the workforce. That means being as comfortable in a board-level conversation about a difficult organisational change as you are reviewing copy or signing off a channel plan.

The role typically reports into the Chief People Officer or Chief Operating Officer. You'll be expected to have a genuine point of view on how the organisation should communicate, and the seniority to advocate for it.

What you'll actually be doing

Most of your time will be split between setting strategy and enabling your team to deliver it well. That means owning the editorial calendar and content planning cycle, setting quality standards for tone and channel use, and representing the communications function in senior forums and change programmes. When something big is happening, whether it's a restructure, an acquisition or a crisis, you'll be the person shaping the message and advising leadership on how to land it.

You'll also be investing in the team: developing their skills, managing resources, and making sure the function is positioned well internally.

What we're looking for

A strong track record in internal communications at a senior level, ideally across more than one organisation. You'll need to be a credible adviser to senior leaders and be able to push back, reframe, and challenge as well as support. Experience leading a team and managing upwards is essential.

You should have a clear point of view on channel strategy, audience segmentation, and what good measurement looks like. Experience of major change communications for restructuring, transformation or mergers, is highly valued.

Strong writing skills still matter at this level. You won't be producing most of the content, but your ability to judge quality and shape messaging quickly is a baseline expectation.

Typical background

Most people in this role have built their careers in internal or corporate communications, often with some external communications exposure along the way. This role exists in every type of organisation and the sector matters less than the scale and complexity of the communications challenge.