Corporate Communications Manager

Job Title: Corporate Communications Manager Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Function: Corporate Communications Position Type: Permanent, full-time (Relocation supported) About the Opportunity We are constructing one of the largest primary metals and industrial complexes in the Middle East—a multi-billion-dollar project backed by international industrial shareholders and a major sovereign investment ecosystem. Having spent the development phase out of view, we are now transitioning from confidentiality to high international visibility. As there is currently no existing communications function, website, owned channels, or brand system, this appointment represents a ground-floor "build mandate". Everything the organisation communicates publicly over the next decade will begin with this role. The Role You will establish the organisation as a credible, disciplined, and internationally legible industrial enterprise. You will own the strategy and execution of our emergence from confidentiality, the overarching corporate narrative, and the governance standards required for an asset backed by listed shareholders across multiple jurisdictions. This is a true build role. Initially, you will be doing the work personally while directing it—equally comfortable drafting executive remarks late at night and presenting reputation risk strategy to the Board the following morning. (Note: Government relations and regulatory affairs are managed separately). Key Responsibilities • Strategy & Narrative: Develop the corporate story, message architecture across global markets, and the sequenced launch strategy. • Media & Reputation: Build regional and international media relationships from scratch; oversee inbound queries, spokesperson preparation, and media monitoring. • Brand & Digital Assets: End-to-end launch of our bilingual website, corporate identity, editorial calendar, and an extensive photo/film asset library. • Executive Communications: Serve as trusted advisor to executive leadership; draft speeches, statements, opinion pieces, board materials, and investor narratives. • Shareholder Coordination: Manage disclosure interfaces with shareholder communications and investor relations functions across multiple jurisdictions on a no-surprises basis. • Internal & Site Communications: Build a multichannel architecture for a rapidly growing, multilingual workforce spread across corporate offices and active construction sites. • Issues & Crisis Management: Establish and test crisis frameworks, scenarios, holding statements, and simulation drills prior to operational launch. • Department & Partner Management: Build the operating model, hire the internal team, manage budgets, and select agency partners. • Capital Markets Readiness: Align the equity story with the corporate narrative to establish securities disclosure discipline in preparation for future capital market activity. First-Year Expectations • First Quarter: Complete governance audits; secure approval for disclosure protocols and emergence calendars; initiate brand and website agency briefs. • First Six Months: Launch the bilingual website; deploy corporate identity; contract primary agencies; establish crisis frameworks and run executive simulations; execute initial controlled announcements. • End of Year One: Achieve a fully functioning department; establish measurable media presence; finalize launch playbooks; embed systematic executive reporting.