C-level Communications Expertise to Organizations Needing
Executive-level Support or Facing Staff Vacancies
What Is AbelsComm’s “Interim Communications Leadership”?
Interim Communications Leadership (ICL) is the part-time or short-term contracting of a C-level professional to serve as an organization’s senior communications leader; providing overall communications management responsibility and accountability.
“Some companies are hiring interim executive talent to fill gaps created by retiring baby boomers while they search for permanent replacements. Others are turning to temporary help to sustain a business following a sudden departure.”
—May, 2008, Wall Street Journal
Organizations benefit from such assistance when:
- The current leader is absent for an extended length of time
- The volume of work exceeds the current ability to manage it effectively
- The organization does not have full-time executive staff but needs expertise now
- A job search for a new marketing/communications leader is underway, but current activities must continue
What Kinds of Activities May Be Involved?
- Create or continue the marketing communications strategy
- Develop/implement formal plans and tactics
- Prioritize and/or manage budgets, internal teams, employees
- Provide executive counsel to senior leadership
- Execute all or part of the communications plan with hands-on actions
- Create key audience/messaging matrix and materials
- Develop and manage all active or reactive media relations
- Write presentations/clarify management’s vision or direction
- Evaluate or update messaging, positioning and materials
- Oversee issues/crisis reaction and response
- Direct all or part of overall marketing program