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Communications Director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted Experts
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.,
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.
Communications Director Example Skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical communications director skills. We ranked the top skills for communications directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.4% of communications director resumes contained web content as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a communications director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 communications director skills for your resume and career

1. Web Content

Here's how communications directors use web content:
  • Co-chaired Agency-wide council responsible for development and implementation of Web content policy, procedures and standards.
  • Developed executive speeches, employee messaging, web content and assorted communications collateral.

2. Press Releases

Here's how communications directors use press releases:
  • Managed media relations by cultivating relationships with media outlets, writing effective press releases, and proactively pitching/writing stories for publication.
  • Oversee agency efforts implementing volunteers and agency communications to include website content, brochures, press releases and all communications materials.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how communications directors use customer service:
  • Design, develop and implement customer service and customer retention processes and continuously review procedures for streamlining and process improvement opportunities.
  • Demonstrated unwavering commitment to customer service, adding new residents while maintaining premium service levels within the senior living community.

4. External Communications

External communications refer to the exchange of information between the organization one is working with and another organization.

Here's how communications directors use external communications:
  • Developed and implemented internal/external communications initiatives designed to reinforce company's image and complement and contribute toward company's strategic objectives.
  • Composed newsletter articles, news releases, and internal/external communications while working with local media outlets and advertising/promoting programs and events.

5. Project Management

Here's how communications directors use project management:
  • Established a project management methodology to more quickly and effectively deliver products, including websites and publications, for internal clients.
  • Experienced in direct client communication and project management, presenting concepts and overseeing project from initial requirements gathering through successful launch.

6. Employee Engagement

Here's how communications directors use employee engagement:
  • Carved strategic alliances across Paramount, positioning Internal Communications as the hub of employee engagement and communication activity.
  • Developed and built collaborative intranet for organization s 200 employees to improve internal communication and improve employee engagement.

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7. PowerPoint

Here's how communications directors use powerpoint:
  • Partnered with designers to transform PowerPoint template into beautiful yet functional tool that enables scientists and executives to convey complicated information.
  • Developed PowerPoint presentations for the Director of Marketing to utilize during on-site/remote meetings with prospective clients.
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. Facebook

Here's how communications directors use facebook:
  • Acquired thousands of followers within 4 months by successfully spearheading digital marketing campaign including website redesign and Facebook/Twitter launches.
  • Developed property FaceBook to build a strong sense of community and accentuate customer communication.

9. Executive Communications

Executive communication involves onverting data into stories, creating memorable messages quickly, and identifing alternatives to data to be persuasive. To improve these, you should develop skills like getting to the core points, conveying the most important takeaways, focusing on outcomes, and speaking in an easily understandable manner.

Here's how communications directors use executive communications:
  • Designed solutions for organizational and executive communications, marketing communications, crisis situations, special projects, and media relations.
  • Drafted executive communications and position statements for regulatory filings, litigation, technology upgrades and issue advocacy.

10. Community Outreach

Here's how communications directors use community outreach:
  • Coordinated 30+ community outreach events, including public policy meetings, municipal government briefings, information fairs, and community meet-and-greets.
  • Focused on developing Marketing and Community Outreach goals while creating brand awareness in an effort of improving engagement within the Community.

11. HR

HR stands for human resources and is used to describe the set of people who work for a company or an organization. HR responsibilities revolve around updating employee records and carrying out management processes like planning, recruitment, evaluation, and selection processes. HR is a key contributor to any company or organization's growth as they are in charge of hiring the right employees, processing payrolls, conducting disciplinary actions, etc.

Here's how communications directors use hr:
  • Developed and implemented the HR strategic communication and change management plan.
  • Provided strategic communication support to HR Executive Vice President.

12. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how communications directors use oversight:
  • Provided administrative oversight and technical assistance to school founders and governing authorities, including legal, financial, and operational.
  • Spearheaded a campaign to tighten oversight of government contracting initiatives, leading to legislative and administrative reform in Wisconsin.

13. Twitter

Here's how communications directors use twitter:
  • Acquired thousands of followers within 4 months by successfully spearheading digital marketing campaign including website redesign and Facebook/Twitter launches.
  • Update Facebook and Twitter accounts with important announcements and otherwise engaging material for our followers.

14. Community Relations

Community Relations refers to the relationship-building strategies companies use with surrounding communities. These relationships are often mutually-beneficial, where a company will support local organizations and communities and receive a stronger customer basis. This differs from public relations, as the focus of community relations is building relationships and goodwill within a community rather than presenting a company's work to the public.

Here's how communications directors use community relations:
  • Developed partnerships with local businesses and other institutions through networking to establish programs and promote ongoing efforts to enhance community relations.
  • Collaborated on messaging and communication strategies with public relations, community relations, donor communications, marketing and social media teams.

15. Spokesperson

A spokesperson advertises and represents a company, organization, or brand's message in public to the target consumers and audiences. The aim is to promote, maintain and build the right image for a business. Spokespeople ought to own a professional capacity and be an ethical representative on behalf of their authority. They should know their audience and capture their attention and adjust their interest according to a service or goods they want by using real-world examples.

Here's how communications directors use spokesperson:
  • Planned communications strategy, functioned as the media spokesperson for global operations, and produced executive presentations and news releases.
  • Directed all electronic and print communication publications and served as lead media spokesperson for Lockheed Martin on various technology issues.
top-skills

What skills help Communications Directors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Communications Director resumes?

H

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

It is important to have a wide range of communication skills -from effectively participating in and leading meetings to write in style appropriate for the setting to media productions skills. When people move into the "manager" role, of course, this entails having developed a broad awareness of the culture at that particular organization and the skills needed to lead a group of people. So, really, skills related to communication touch on a wide range of job functions and responsibilities.

What soft skills should all Communications Directors possess?

H

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

I know that "soft skills" is commonly used, but I'm not a fan of the term. I think it implies that some of these skills are "soft" or "easy" or "unimportant." They aren't. In many ways, so-called "soft skills" - things like interpersonal communication skills - can be among the most important skills for any worker. This is especially the case in communication-related fields, where there is an expectation that human interaction - both in-person and mediated - is important. This is true with leadership skills and presentation/speaking skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Communications Directors?

H

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

Having the ability to write well is important in most knowledge-based fields today. It is especially critical in any communication-related field of job specialization. Otherwise, the specific technical skills are important variations between the particular company and/or job expectations. Some fields use proprietary software that one typically learns about once one starts the job. Some fields require media production competencies - related to basic video production, audio production, imaging or photography, or even web design/management. The important thing is to develop a general competency with technology - and to learn how to learn. That allows you to pivot to develop new skills in different situations and roles.

What Communications Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

C

Clarke Caywood

Professor (founder group of IMC and PR in Medill) Joint Doctorate in Business and Journalism - Univ. Wis. Madison, Northwestern University

Rapid and changing from competitors who offer advanced textual intelligence systems to track brands, employees, competitors, public figures, customers, and more.

List of communications director skills to add to your resume

Communications Director Skills

The most important skills for a communications director resume and required skills for a communications director to have include:

  • Web Content
  • Press Releases
  • Customer Service
  • External Communications
  • Project Management
  • Employee Engagement
  • PowerPoint
  • Facebook
  • Executive Communications
  • Community Outreach
  • HR
  • Oversight
  • Twitter
  • Community Relations
  • Spokesperson
  • Communications Programs
  • Corporate Communications
  • Graphic Design
  • Strategic Communications Plan
  • Crisis Communications
  • Communications Efforts
  • External Audiences
  • Instagram
  • Event Planning
  • Collateral Materials
  • Direct Reports
  • Linkedin
  • Photoshop
  • Press Conferences
  • Fact Sheets
  • Google Apps
  • YouTube
  • Community Events
  • SEO
  • Blog Posts
  • Video Production
  • Business Development
  • Media Management
  • Promotional Materials
  • Local Community
  • Communications Media
  • Social Justice
  • Web Site
  • Writing Press Releases
  • HTML
  • Webcasts
  • Community Organizations
  • Content Marketing
  • Lead Management
  • Brand Marketing

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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