Corporate Communications Leader

Harley Ellis Devereaux•Royal Oak, MI

41d

About The Position

HED is seeking an accomplished Corporate Communications Leader to shape, lead, and elevate strategic communications across the firm. This senior leadership role is responsible for all internal and external communications, playing a critical role in strengthening HED’s brand, reputation, culture, and market presence nationally and globally. As a trusted advisor to HED’s executive leadership, Marketing leadership, and Business and Sector Leaders, this role bridges creative storytelling and data-driven strategy, ensuring HED’s voice is clear, authentic, and impactful across audiences. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in the design industry, a passion for modern, digital-first communications, and a proven ability to lead high-performing teams while driving business growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, Public Relations, or a related field.
Fifteen or more years of strategic communications experience, serving senior executive audiences in corporate, enterprise, or professional services environments.
Deep expertise in organizational communications, including change management, crisis response, and leadership transitions.
Proven track record of client generation and business development, with an existing book of business or demonstrated ability to build substantial revenue portfolios.
Credibility with C-suite executives and Boards across industries.
Demonstrated success leading high-performing teams in consulting or professional services settings.
Advanced expertise in internal communications, executive messaging, and storytelling.
Strong understanding of reputation risk, global media ecosystems, and socio-political environments.
Proven ability to integrate insights, analytics, and evidence-based storytelling into communications strategy.
Experience developing and managing AI- and data-enabled insights systems, dashboards, and predictive monitoring tools.
Sharp evaluative judgment for what drives business results through communication.
Entrepreneurial mindset with strong relationship-building and networking skills.
High emotional intelligence, integrity, and sound judgment.
Collegial, adaptable, and effective across diverse communication styles.
Ambitious, disciplined, proactive, and relentless in the pursuit of excellence.
Passionate about mentoring emerging professionals and strengthening team capability.
Willingness and ability to travel to company locations, conferences, and meetings as needed.
Must be able to effectively communicate in writing and verbally via phone, video conferencing, and in-person.
Ability to attend after-hours business functions and conferences.
Ability to travel to other company locations, client sites, or out-of-town events up to 50% of the time.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive global communications strategy aligned with HED’s design vision, culture, and business goals.
Lead all internal and external communications, including firm-wide announcements, executive messaging, thought leadership, media engagement, and public platforms.
Ensure consistent and compelling messaging across all channels, reinforcing HED’s reputation and brand positioning.
Anticipate reputational risks and societal trends, proactively guiding mitigation strategies grounded in transparency and evidence.
Serve as a trusted communications advisor to HED’s executive leadership and Board-level stakeholders.
Translate complex business strategies, organizational change, and market insights into clear, actionable communication frameworks.
Provide executive-level communication coaching to senior leaders to enhance influence and organizational impact.
Lead communications planning for change management initiatives, mergers & acquisitions, leadership transitions, and crisis scenarios.
Generate new client relationships and maintain a robust portfolio of strategic communications engagements.
Build long-term client partnerships that drive recurring revenue and measurable business impact.
Identify and pursue new business opportunities through thought leadership, industry visibility, and relationship-building.
Lead high-profile strategic communication engagements for internal and external audiences, including high profile organizations facing complex challenges.
Collaborate with Business Leaders on large, multidisciplinary client engagements.
Lead company-wide internal communication strategy across HED’s app broadcasts, memos, videos, reports, and executive messages.
Drive engagement through storytelling that connects associates to HED’s mission, culture, and performance goals.
Build systems to measure communication effectiveness and ensure associates remain informed, aligned, and engaged.
Protect and nurture employee morale while reinforcing a strong, values-driven culture.
Lead strategic foresight and insights efforts, delivering actionable intelligence that informs messaging, engagement, and market positioning.
Oversee integrated research programs including sentiment analysis, audience insights, message testing, and scenario modeling.
Integrate emerging technologies, including AI and advanced analytics, into communications planning, monitoring, and measurement.
Develop unified measurement and reporting frameworks that translate data into meaningful insights and continuous improvement.
Champion ethical, inclusive, and globally informed research practices.
Mentor and lead a national communications team with diverse experience levels.
Recruit, hire, coach, and develop top-tier communications professionals and consultants.
Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture rooted in collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
Contribute to HED’s intellectual capital through thought leadership, case studies, and proprietary methodologies.