Corporate Communications and Public Relations Department Structure and Function
The Question
An ANA member wanted to know about the structure and function of other ANA member companies' Corporate Communications and/or Public Relations Departments.
Senior Marketers' Think Tank Committee members were asked:
1. Do you have a Corporate Communications or Public Relations Department?
If YES:
a. How many people are in your Corporate Communications or Public Relations Department?
b. What are the job titles of each of the Department members?
c. What are some of the main functions of your Corporate Communications or PR Department?
- PR generation for brands?
· Corporate Communications for the company as a whole?
· Both? Any other functions?
2. What is your Industry? (Optional)
Overview
Seven written responses were provided by members. Staff size of Public Relations or Corporate Communications Departments ranged from 2 to 30, with most departments having 7-15 people. Half of the respondent's Corporate Communications/PR departments were involved in investor relations, two discussed global functions. A cross-section of industries participated. Sales figures of participating companies ranged from $200 Million to $93 Billion.
The Responses
Member Response #1
Industry: Not Answered
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 4
Job Titles:
- VP
- Director
- Manager
- Administrative Assistant
Departmental Functions: Primarily corporate communication but also PR and Investor Relations
Member Response #2
Industry: Food (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 2
Job Titles:
- VP, Corporate Communications
- Marketing
Departmental Functions:
- PR Generation for Corporate Brand
- Corporate Communications for the company
- Bringing together our various divisions to do cross-company promotions
Member Response #3
Industry: Not Answered
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 3
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
- Communications assistant
- Education Manager
Departmental Functions:
- Web
- PR - brand & product
- Trade show
- Education
Member Response #4
Industry: Consumer OTC
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 15 in Corporate; 1 part-time person
Job Titles: Not answered
Departmental Functions:
- Marketing leads the PR creation effort
- Corporate Communications handles all product / business / legal inquiries
- Please note: Staff Size and Job Title information is available only for the Corporate
Communications Department, but not the PR Department.
Member Response #5
Industry: Consumer Packaged Goods
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size:
- For Corporate Communications: 9, plus 1 administrative assistant who also supports Investor Relations and Crisis Management
- For PR Department: Info Not Available
Job Titles:
- For Corporate Communications:
- VP - Global Corporate Communications and Crisis Management
- Director - CSR Communications
- Senior Manager - Corporate External Communications
- Senior Manager - Corporate Internal Communications
- Manager, International Communications
- Manager, Print & Electronic Communications
- Senior Communications Consultant
- Senior Communication Specialist
- Communication Specialist
- Plus one shared admin
- For PR Department: Information Not Available
Departmental Functions:
- For Corporate Communications:
Global function: Focuses on all external communications (financial communications, executive communications, CSR communications, media relations, corporate issues management, etc.), and all internal communications. Oversees Crisis Management.
- For PR Department:
Focuses on brand PR and marketing communications for the U.S.
Member Response #6
Industry: Quick Service Restaurant Industry
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 27 Worldwide
Job Titles:
- SVP, Investor Relations & Communications
- Global Manager, Investor Relations
- North America Director, Internal Communications
- North America Manager, Internal Communications
- North America Analyst, Internal Communications
- North America Manager, Meetings & Events
- North America Analyst, Meetings & Events
- North America Coordinator, Meetings & Events
- North America Manager, Internet Management
- North America Senior Analyst, Internet Management
- North America Analyst, Internet Management
- North America Director, External Communications (Tbd),
- North America Senior Analyst, External Communications
- North America Leader, Consumer Relations
- North America Representative, Consumer Relations
- North America Representative, Consumer Relations
- North America Representative, Consumer Relations
- North America Representative, Consumer Relations
- North America Director, Communications & Corporate Affairs
- EMEA Manager, Communications & Corporate Affairs
- EMEA Manager, Communications & Corporate Affairs
- UK Manager, Communications & Corporate Affairs
- Germany Vice President, Marketing & Public Relations
- Asia Pacific Senior Analyst, Public Relations & Communications, LAC
Departmental Functions:
- External Communications
- Internal Communications
- Investor Relations
- Consumer Relations
- Meetings & Events
- Internet Management
Member Response #7
Industry: Not Answered
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 30
Job Titles:
- VP Marketing
- VP Communications
- Marketing Manger
- Communications Manager
- Publications specialist
- Communications specialist
- Marketing specialist
- Graphic designer
Departmental Functions:
- Corporate Marketing & Global Branding
- Revenue generation
- Business growth
- Media contacts
- Press Releases
- Member magazine
- Electronic communications, newsletters, internal communications
- Please note: Department is called "Strategic Marketing and Communications"
Member Response #8
Industry: Investment Services
Corporate Communications/Public Relations Staff Size: 7.3 (2 Corporate FTE's in PR plus an outside agency for each of United States, Pan-Europe, and Hong Kong/China. United States PR firm embeds an employee, to degree necessary, in each of our divisions. Probably the equivalent of 2 FTE's had we replaced their effort with our people. Corporate staff oversees total relationships and creates/monitors best practices. In 1 of our 5 units, there is a PR professional full-time as well, creating/overseeing the activities of that unit. We have 2 FTE's devoted to Employee Communications working in concert with 1 HR employee spending about 1/3 of their time on the same.
Job Titles:
- The two leads are:
- Director of PR
- Director of Employee Communications
Departmental Functions:
- Head of our employee communications is responsible for: Development and running of a monthly corporate news e-newsletter promoting understanding of our business and the furthering of our organization's culture. Additionally, they support other HR efforts focused on similar goals, which includes a "forum series" covering our various businesses and competencies. For the most part, they're in the "publications business."
- Our PR Director is responsible for: Developing/implementing/monitoring PR best practices from [our company] to its markets, finding/implementing/controlling our PR partner network, working with the divisions to generate good PR release flow, well-expressed and aligned with corporate positioning and lastly working with our thought leadership content creation team to build and implement a good thought leadership dissemination
Source
"Corporate Communications and Public Relations Department Structure and Function." ANA Senior Marketers' Think Tank, July 2008.