Comms Search & Selection

The communications function is now mission-critical for navigating a permanent state of global flux. To understand how the world’s leading communicators are handling these headwinds, I recently sat down with Ed Whitehead, Advisory Director at Ipsos, on the Strategy, Story & Stakeholders podcast. We dive into the key findings from the Ipsos Reputation Council 2025 Report: The Eye of the Storm, including: The CCO as Geopolitical Analyst: Why global complexity is now a core competency. Strategic Silence: Knowing when not to speak. The AI Paradox: Balancing efficiency with the need for human nuance. The Death of "ESG": How corporate responsibility is being forced to evolve. The Indispensable Advisor: Why the CEO/CCO relationship is the foundation of market value. As we get into the swing of the new working year, the need for top-tier talent who can navigate these "Eye of the Storm" conditions has never been higher. You can hear the full conversation with Ed now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ez7-cRmt Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eRNnimr8 #podcast #reputation #communications #strategystorystakeholders

It's Monday morning, and I've just seen two competitors advertise different 'Head Of' level roles in London at £80k and £90k, for a large matrixed organisation and a private equity firm, respectively. Have I woken up in 2006? In all seriousness, is anyone apart from a select few in my industry bothering to advise clients anymore? The mismatch between expectation and reality is extraordinary. No wonder my industry gets such a bad rap. If you want to know what you should be paying for a 'Head Of' level role, or what level of role your budget will actually get you (there is no shame in hiring a senior manager, by the way), sign up for our 2026 Market Report waitlist here: https://lnkd.in/etFsEyNd #comms #commsjobs #communications #marketreport #salarysurvey

Great to see an organisation in the PR and Comms world doing a good thing by comms professionals currently out of work. Chapeau, PRWeek UK. #commsjobs #commsjobsUK p.s. It still saddens me that I now often have to clarify that the advisory calls we have with candidates at Comms Search & Selection are free of charge. As Exec Search firms and recruiters, we have always made our money from paying hiring companies who engage with our services to find them the very best talent. Charging candidates was never a thing before hiring slowed down a couple of years ago, and yet there are recruiters out there right now charging candidates for job search advice, CV reviews, etc. To me, it raises legitimate questions around conflicts of interest, potential bias in searches and frankly, it's immoral to take money from people who are desperate for work. If you own a search firm and profits are down, what do you do? You manage your cash flow and expenses accordingly, cut your cloth and go again when the bull market returns. You don't dip into candidates' pockets!

Starting an exec search and recruitment business at the beginning of a hiring recession 2.5 years ago, I must have been foolish, mad, or maybe both. But I bloody love it and it's been a pleasure working with some brilliant businesses to hire exceptional communications talent. From Stolt-Nielsen Limited, First Sentier Investors and Hollis in London to Hines in NYC and PartnerComm, Inc. in Dallas, you can read more about the work we have done with them here: https://lnkd.in/e735p8JH There are others we can’t talk about of course (good old NDAs), and more case studies will be published next month, but if you like what you read and would like to discuss how Comms Search & Selection can support you with your key Communications and IR hires, get in touch.

Most senior communications roles don’t start out over-scoped. They become that way. A new social channel appears. Investors need reassurance. A major workforce change is coming. Suddenly, one role is expected to cover everything — external, internal, CEO, reputation — often without the seniority or reward to match. Before advertising a comms leadership role, it’s worth asking: ● Who is this role really for — investors, employees, customers, or all three? ● Does the job title reflect the reality of the mandate? ● Is the total reward competitive for what the role will actually carry? Right-sizing isn’t about paying more. It’s about hiring once. Not twice. Our new compensation and benchmarking report launches in mid-January and will help CHROs, CEOs and CCOs sense-check role scope and reward against the wider market. 👉 Get the report first and join the waitlist: https://lnkd.in/eZE3i-3y

Senior content managers with multi-channel brand building experience (website, social, digital, podcasts etc.) for specialty insurance providers, apply below 👇 Permanent and interim/temp to perm options available. #commsjobs

We're #hiring a new Senior Content Manager in London Area, United Kingdom. Apply today or share this post with your network.