Director of Strategic Communications - PWM

Baird•Milwaukee, WI

9h•Hybrid

About The Position

At Baird, we believe communications is a strategic driver of business performance, alignment and change. We are seeking a Director of Strategic Communications for our Private Wealth Management business to help translate business strategy into clear, actionable, and measurable communications across the business. This leader will serve as a trusted advisor to PWM leadership and will shape communications that support top business priorities, executive messaging, strategy development and cascade, major change efforts and high-impact business moments. The role will also lead the overall PWM strategic communications function, including direction-setting, prioritization, governance and team leadership. We offer a hybrid work model, with team members working onsite 4 days per week to support collaboration, connection, and business needs, along with 1 day per week of work‑from‑home flexibility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
10+ years of experience in strategic communications, executive communications or change management.
Proven ability to counsel senior leaders and develop communications strategies tied to business priorities.
Strong experience leading communications for complex, high-visibility or business-critical initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into clear messaging, practical plans and measurable outcomes.
Excellent judgment, leader presence, and ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.
Strong collaboration skills with the ability to influence across teams and functions.
Experience leading teams, managing priorities and building scalable processes.
Ability to use data, stakeholder feedback, and business context to guide decision-making and improve communications effectiveness.
High attention to detail with a passion for precision in content and execution.
Ability and willingness to flex and work during non-traditional hours when occasional time-sensitive projects arise.

Nice To Haves

SIE and Series 7/66 licensing is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategic communications function for PWM – setting vision, priorities and standards aligned to business goals.
Serve as a trusted advisor to PWM executives and senior leaders on high-impact communications, executive messaging and organizational priorities.
Develop and oversee communications strategies for PWM’s most important initiatives, including large-scale change efforts, acquisitions, integration work and other business priorities.
Support the development and cascade of business strategy, ensuring leaders and associates receive clear, connected and actionable communications.
Oversee communications for high-visibility and high-sensitivity moments – including significant leadership announcements, issues escalation and urgent or unplanned business events.
Establish direction for communications channels and governance, ensuring content is delivered through the right channels with consistency, discipline and effectiveness.
Partner with key functions like Legal, Compliance, HR, Marketing, Operations, and other stakeholders to align messaging, improve coordination and advance shared priorities.
Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for strategic and business communications, along with analytics and insights.
Guide resource allocation and team prioritization to balance long-term strategic work with urgent business needs.
Foster a data-informed communications approach by leveraging channel analytics, adoption measures, and voice-of-branch insights to refine strategy and improve outcomes.