PR & Internal Communications Lead

Commercial Bank of Dubai; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Commercial Bank of Dubai is seeking a senior communications leader to develop and drive an integrated PR, external and internal communications, and employer branding strategy aligned with the Bank's objectives. You will advise senior leadership on messaging, media engagement, and employee engagement while ensuring consistency with CBD’s brand and governance standards.

You will lead media relations, crisis communications, and internal platforms such as Town Halls, leadership messages, intranet

Qualifications

• Minimum 10-15 years of experience in PR, corporate communications, internal communications, employer branding, or reputation management, preferably within banking, financial services, or a regulated industry.
• Proven experience developing and executing integrated communications strategies across internal and external audiences.
• Strong track record in media relations, executive communications, reputation management, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience managing internal communications platforms, employee engagement campaigns, leadership messaging, newsletters, town halls, and intranet content.
• Experience working with senior leadership and advising on sensitive or high-visibility communications.
• Proven ability to manage agencies, budgets, vendors, and cross-functional projects.
• Experience leading teams and developing communication capabilities within a function.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an integrated PR, external communications, internal communications, and employer branding strategy aligned with CBD's business objectives.
• Shape and manage the Bank's corporate narrative across internal and external audiences; advise leadership on communications strategy, messaging, media engagement, executive positioning, and employee engagement.
• Ensure all communications align with CBD's brand, tone, values, and governance standards.
• Establish KPIs and reporting to measure communication effectiveness, media impact, employee engagement, and reputation outcomes.
• Lead media relations to strengthen the Bank's share of voice, reputation, and visibility in the market.
• Build relationships with journalists, editors, media partners, industry commentators, and external stakeholders.
• Develop and manage press releases, media statements, interviews, features, bylines, and thought leadership content.
• Identify media storylines that support CBD's priorities and market positioning.
• Monitor media coverage, sentiment, competitors, and trends; provide leadership with insights and recommendations.
• Protect and strengthen reputation through proactive communications planning and issues management.
• Develop crisis communication protocols, holding statements, escalation processes, and response plans.
• Advise during sensitive issues with timely, accurate, controlled messaging.
• Develop and execute the annual internal communications plan; support leadership engagement and culture-building.

Skills

Media relations

Crisis comms

Internal comms

Employer branding

Executive communications

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership advisory

Budget management

Team leadership

KPIs reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, Business, or related discipline

Postgraduate qualification would be an advantage

Job description

• Develop and execute an integrated PR, external communications, internal communications, and employer branding strategy aligned with CBD's business objectives.
• Shape and manage the Bank's corporate narrative across internal and external audiences. Advise senior leadership on communications strategy, messaging, media engagement, executive positioning, and employee engagement.
• Ensure all communications are aligned with CBD's brand, tone of voice, values, and governance standards.
• Establish clear KPIs and reporting mechanisms to measure communication effectiveness, media impact, employee engagement, and reputation outcomes.
• Lead CBD's media relations strategy to strengthen the Bank's share of voice, reputation, and visibility in the market.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, media partners, industry commentators, and relevant external stakeholders.
• Develop and manage press releases, media statements, interviews, editorial features, bylines, and thought leadership content.
• Proactively identify strong media storylines that support CBD's business priorities, leadership agenda, innovation narrative, and market positioning.
• Monitor media coverage, sentiment, competitor activity, and market trends, and provide insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Protect and strengthen the Bank's reputation through proactive communications planning and disciplined issues management.
• Develop and maintain crisis communication protocols, holding statements, escalation processes, and response plans.
• Act as a key communications advisor during sensitive issues, incidents, or reputational matters, ensuring timely, accurate, and controlled messaging.
• Develop and execute the annual internal communications plan to support business priorities, leadership engagement, culture-building, and employee awareness.
• Lead communication for key internal platforms and moments, including leadership messages, Town Halls, CEO Connects, employee announcements, newsletters, intranet content, and employee campaigns.
• Translate business updates and corporate priorities into clear, engaging, and employee-friendly communications.
• Partner with leadership, HR, business teams, and support functions to ensure employees receive timely, relevant, and consistent communication.
• Drive initiatives that improve employee understanding, engagement, and connection with the Bank's strategy and values.
• Lead employer branding communications to position CBD as an attractive, progressive, and purpose-led workplace.
• Develop content that showcases the Bank's culture, people, leadership, innovation, and employee experience.
• Support employee advocacy initiatives, including testimonials, videos, internal stories, and digital content for relevant channels.
• Work closely with HR and Talent teams to support recruitment marketing, employee value proposition communication, and talent-related campaigns.
• Develop and execute customer education and awareness initiatives that help customers better understand CBD's products, services, digital capabilities, and security measures.
• Lead the creation of customer-friendly educational content across multiple channels, including the website, social media, email, video, branches, and the mobile app.
• Partner with product, digital, customer experience, risk, fraud prevention, and compliance teams to translate complex banking topics into simple, engaging, and actionable communications.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality content across internal and external channels, including press releases, leadership messages, speeches, newsletters, intranet content, LinkedIn posts, website content, videos, and campaign communications.
• Ensure all content is clear, compelling, accurate, audience-relevant, and aligned with CBD's tone of voice.
• Lead storytelling around CBD's business achievements, innovation, customer experience, digital transformation, ESG, partnerships, people, and community initiatives.
• Ensure consistency of messaging across paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders across leadership, business units, HR, Legal, Compliance, Risk, Investor Relations, and support functions.
• Manage external relationships with PR agencies, content partners, vendors, and media partners.
• Ensure agency deliverables are aligned to agreed objectives, timelines, budgets, governance standards, and measurable outcomes.
• Ensure all communications follow internal approval processes, brand guidelines, governance standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong controls across internal and external communications to ensure accuracy, confidentiality, consistency, and appropriate sign-offs.
• Support audit, operational risk, and internal reporting requirements related to communications activities.
• Ensure communication activity is managed in line with the Bank's policies and standards.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and execute an integrated PR, external communications, internal communications, and employer branding strategy aligned with CBD's business objectives.
• Shape and manage the Bank's corporate narrative across internal and external audiences. Advise senior leadership on communications strategy, messaging, media engagement, executive positioning, and employee engagement.
• Ensure all communications are aligned with CBD's brand, tone of voice, values, and governance standards.
• Establish clear KPIs and reporting mechanisms to measure communication effectiveness, media impact, employee engagement, and reputation outcomes.
• Lead CBD's media relations strategy to strengthen the Bank's share of voice, reputation, and visibility in the market.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, media partners, industry commentators, and relevant external stakeholders.
• Develop and manage press releases, media statements, interviews, editorial features, bylines, and thought leadership content.
• Proactively identify strong media storylines that support CBD's business priorities, leadership agenda, innovation narrative, and market positioning.
• Monitor media coverage, sentiment, competitor activity, and market trends, and provide insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Protect and strengthen the Bank's reputation through proactive communications planning and disciplined issues management.
• Develop and maintain crisis communication protocols, holding statements, escalation processes, and response plans.
• Act as a key communications advisor during sensitive issues, incidents, or reputational matters, ensuring timely, accurate, and controlled messaging.
• Develop and execute the annual internal communications plan to support business priorities, leadership engagement, culture-building, and employee awareness.
• Lead communication for key internal platforms and moments, including leadership messages, Town Halls, CEO Connects, employee announcements, newsletters, intranet content, and employee campaigns.
• Translate business updates and corporate priorities into clear, engaging, and employee-friendly communications.
• Partner with leadership, HR, business teams, and support functions to ensure employees receive timely, relevant, and consistent communication.
• Drive initiatives that improve employee understanding, engagement, and connection with the Bank's strategy and values.
• Lead employer branding communications to position CBD as an attractive, progressive, and purpose-led workplace.
• Develop content that showcases the Bank's culture, people, leadership, innovation, and employee experience.
• Support employee advocacy initiatives, including testimonials, videos, internal stories, and digital content for relevant channels.
• Work closely with HR and Talent teams to support recruitment marketing, employee value proposition communication, and talent-related campaigns.
• Develop and execute customer education and awareness initiatives that help customers better understand CBD's products, services, digital capabilities, and security measures.
• Lead the creation of customer-friendly educational content across multiple channels, including the website, social media, email, video, branches, and the mobile app.
• Partner with product, digital, customer experience, risk, fraud prevention, and compliance teams to translate complex banking topics into simple, engaging, and actionable communications.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality content across internal and external channels, including press releases, leadership messages, speeches, newsletters, intranet content, LinkedIn posts, website content, videos, and campaign communications.
• Ensure all content is clear, compelling, accurate, audience-relevant, and aligned with CBD's tone of voice.
• Lead storytelling around CBD's business achievements, innovation, customer experience, digital transformation, ESG, partnerships, people, and community initiatives.
• Ensure consistency of messaging across paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders across leadership, business units, HR, Legal, Compliance, Risk, Investor Relations, and support functions.
• Manage external relationships with PR agencies, content partners, vendors, and media partners.
• Ensure agency deliverables are aligned to agreed objectives, timelines, budgets, governance standards, and measurable outcomes.
• Ensure all communications follow internal approval processes, brand guidelines, governance standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong controls across internal and external communications to ensure accuracy, confidentiality, consistency, and appropriate sign-offs.
• Support audit, operational risk, and internal reporting requirements related to communications activities.
• Ensure communication activity is managed in line with the Bank's policies and standards.

EXPERIENCE & ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum formal qualifications required as part of the job.
• Minimum 10-15 years of experience in PR, corporate communications, internal communications, employer branding, or reputation management, preferably within banking, financial services, or a regulated industry.
• Proven experience in developing and executing integrated communications strategies across internal and external audiences.
• Strong track record in media relations, executive communications, reputation management, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience managing internal communications platforms, employee engagement campaigns, leadership messaging, newsletters, town halls, and intranet content.
• Experience working with senior leadership and advising on sensitive or high-visibility communications.
• Proven ability to manage agencies, budgets, vendors, and cross-functional projects.
• Experience leading teams and developing communication capabilities within a function.
• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, Business, or related discipline. A relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.