Corporate Communications Business Partner Principal

Associated Bank; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 92,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement savings (401(k) and pension

Volunteer time off

Diversity-focused Colleague Resource G

Competitive salaries with development

Employee stock purchase plan

Parental leave

Job summary

Associated Bank is seeking a Corporate Communications Business Partner Principal to serve as the primary communications consultant to senior leaders, guiding strategic change and employee engagement across the enterprise.

This role blends strategic advisory with hands-on execution, delivering integrated plans, executive messaging, and cross‑functional collaboration to drive business initiatives and strengthen the employee experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications or related field or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years in corporate communications and leadership consulting.
• 5+ years of exceptional writing with clear tone and audience alignment.
• 5+ years of leading large-scale campaigns or engagement initiatives.
• 5+ years of solid banking/financial services business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Lead communication strategies for organizational change and engagement.
• Develop integrated plans aligned to priorities and initiatives.
• Advise senior leaders on messaging and change communication.
• Translate complex strategies into clear communications and materials.
• Create executive briefs, FAQs, talking points, and resources.
• Manage end-to-end programs from strategy to delivery.
• Partner with stakeholders to align messaging across the organization.
• Measure effectiveness using feedback and adoption metrics.

Skills

Corporate communications

Leadership consulting

Exceptional writing

Campaign management

Banking industry knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications/PR

Job description

At Associated Bank we strive to create an inclusive culture where different perspectives are valued and recognized as strengths critical to our success. If you thrive in an environment where your growth and development are encouraged and supported, then Associated Bank may be the right place for you.

Associated Bank requires you to directly represent yourself and your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process. Associated Bank conducts a thorough background check on all new hires.

Role Summary

The Corporate Communications Business Partner Principal serves as the primary communications consultant to senior leaders, business line leaders, support units, and project teams, helping to identify, prioritize, develop, and execute comprehensive communication strategies that support organizational change and business initiatives. This highly visible role combines strategic consulting with hands‑on execution to drive colleague engagement, support business transformation, and enhance the employee experience through clear, effective communication.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead communication strategies that support organizational change, business transformation initiatives, and colleague engagement.
• Develop and deliver integrated communication plans aligned to business priorities, stakeholder needs, and key initiatives.
• Advise senior leaders on communication approaches that support strategic goals and organizational change.
• Translate complex business strategies, programs, and initiatives into clear, audience‑focused communications and materials.
• Create executive communications, leadership briefings, FAQs, talking points, and related resources that equip leaders to communicate effectively.
• Manage end‑to‑end communication programs, from strategy and executive consultation through content development, production, and delivery.
• Partner with stakeholders across the organization to gather input, align messaging, and create a coordinated colleague experience.
• Evaluate communication effectiveness through feedback, engagement data, and adoption indicators, adjusting strategies as needed.

Required

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications, leadership consulting and content strategy.
• 5+ years of experience in demonstrated exceptional writing skills with a keen eye for detail, clarity, tone and audience alignment.
• 5+ years of experience leading large‑scale campaigns or engagement initiatives.
• 5+ years strong business acumen and understanding of the banking or financial services industry.
• 5+ years of experience managing cross‑functional projects and stakeholder alignment.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

This role offers the opportunity to shape the colleague experience by creating engaging communications that support careers, development, benefits, and organizational change. You'll have the chance to own communication campaigns from strategy through delivery while partnering closely with senior leaders and stakeholders across the organization. If you enjoy bringing creative ideas to life and making complex topics meaningful for employees, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact.

We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified parties, including but not limited to people returning to the workforce, people with disabilities, those without a college degree, and veterans or those with military experience.

In addition to core traditional benefits, we take pride in offering benefits for every stage of life.

• Retirement savings including both 401(k) and Pension plans.
• Paid time off to volunteer in your community.
• Opportunities to connect with others through our diversity-focusedColleague Resource Groups.
• Competitive salaries with professional development and advancement opportunities.
• Bonus benefits including well-being programs and incentives, parental leave,anemployee stock purchase plan, military benefits and much more.
• Personal banking, loan, investmentand insurance benefits.

Associated Bank serves more than 120 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri and we consider our colleagues critical to our continued success. See why our colleagues continually vote us a best place to work in the Midwest.

Compliance Statement

Associated Bank is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We support a work environment where colleagues are respected and given the opportunity to perform to their fullest potential. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors.

Fully complies with all applicable enterprise policies and procedures. Acts in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in training materials, including but not limited to Bank Secrecy Act. Responsible for reporting suspicious activity to Financial Intelligence. Responsible to report all customer complaints as prescribed and procedure violations to management or HR.

Responsible to report ethical concerns as needed to Associated Bank’s anonymous Ethics Hotline.

Associated Bank provides additional assistance throughout the application, interview and hiring process. Please contact [e-mail] if you need an accommodation at any time during the process.

Associated Banc-Corp participates in the E-Verify Program. E-Verify Notice English or Spanish. Know Your Right to Work English or Spanish.

Associated Bank is Pay Transparency compliant.

The pay range represents anticipated base pay for this role. Actual pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, work location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role.

For certain positions, total compensation may also include incentive, commission, or bonus opportunities not reflected in the posted base pay range.

$92,470.00 - $158,520.00 per year