External Communications Manager, Corporate Communications

Client of Hanson Search Ltd

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Communications, the role will lead external communications activity across media relations, executive positioning, content, brand, community affairs and crisis communications, while managing a team of six.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing integrated external communications strategies aligned to corporate objectives, ensuring consistent messaging across all external channels and maintaining strong relationships with regional and international media.

The role will oversee media engagement, brand governance, content development and emergency communications preparedness. The External Communications Manager will be accountable for protecting and enhancing corporate reputation across both proactive and reactive media activity, ensuring brand integrity across every external touchpoint, and leading the organisation s crisis communications response when required.

Alongside media and brand, the role will lead executive communications support for senior leadership, CSR and community initiatives, and VIP engagement programmes. The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor to senior executives on positioning, thought leadership and reputational matters, while building meaningful community engagement aligned to the organisation s wider purpose.

This position requires a highly capable communications leader who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced, stakeholder-heavy environment and advising senior leadership on complex reputational and media matters. Candidates should bring significant experience within large-scale organisations, ideally within highly regulated or complex industries, alongside a strong understanding of corporate communications, media relations and crisis management.

• Extensive experience across corporate communications, media relations and PR
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities
• Experience managing complex, high-profile communications projects
• Proven ability to advise senior executives on reputational and crisis communications matters
• Strong understanding of UAE business culture, protocol and regulatory environments
• Excellent English communication skills; Arabic language skills are highly advantageous
• Experience within large multinational or government-linked organisations preferred