Director of Internal Communications
Career GuideKey Responsibilities
- Set the internal communications strategy and annual plan
- Develop clear messaging for company priorities and business updates
- Plan and deliver executive communications for leaders and senior teams
- Lead communications for organizational change, including restructures and new initiatives
- Manage internal channels such as intranet, email newsletters, and employee meetings
- Create editorial calendars and oversee content creation and approvals
- Partner with Human Resources on culture, engagement, and employee experience messaging
- Support managers with communication toolkits and talking points
- Coordinate crisis and sensitive communications to employees
- Measure communication reach and effectiveness and improve based on insights
- Manage vendors, budgets, and agency support when needed
- Build and coach a communications team and cross functional contributors
Top Skills for Success
Executive Writing
Message Development
Change Communications
Stakeholder Management
Employee Engagement Strategy
Editorial Planning
Channel Strategy
Crisis Communications
Leadership Coaching
Communication Measurement
Program Management
Team Leadership
Career Progression
Can Lead To
Senior Director of Internal Communications
Head of Internal Communications
Vice President of Communications
Chief Communications Officer
Head of Employee Experience
Transition Opportunities
Director of Corporate Communications
Director of Employee Experience
Director of People Communications
Director of Change Management
Director of Culture and Engagement
Common Skill Gaps
Often Missing Skills
Communication MeasurementChange CommunicationsChannel StrategyExecutive PresenceCrisis CommunicationsManager Enablement
Development SuggestionsBuild a measurement dashboard tied to business outcomes, lead a cross company change campaign, and create a manager communications toolkit. Seek regular feedback from leaders and employees, and run small experiments to improve channel performance.
Salary & Demand
Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 120,000 to 160,000
Mid LevelUSD 160,000 to 210,000
Senior LevelUSD 210,000 to 280,000
Growth Trend
Steady demand, with stronger hiring during periods of change such as rapid growth, reorganizations, and return to office planning.Companies Hiring
Major Employers
AmazonGoogleMicrosoftMetaAppleWalmartTargetJPMorgan ChaseBank of AmericaUnitedHealth GroupPfizerSalesforce
Industry Sectors
TechnologyFinancial ServicesHealthcarePharmaceuticalsRetailManufacturingEnergyProfessional ServicesMedia and EntertainmentTelecommunications
Recommended Next Steps
1
Create a portfolio of internal campaigns with goals, audiences, and results2
Build a standard messaging framework for leadership updates3
Implement a measurement plan with baseline metrics and quarterly targets4
Run a channel audit and refresh the editorial calendar5
Develop manager toolkits for major announcements and changes6
Partner with Human Resources to align communications with engagement priorities7
Practice executive briefings and coaching sessions to strengthen leader support