Global Director External Communications & Thought Leadership

Join Wolters Kluwer as Global Director External Communications & Thought Leadership

Supervisory Relationships

Reports To: VP, Branding, External Communication & Global Digital Marketing

Supervises: A team of 10-12 experienced communicators, supporting Wolters Kluwer globally. The role oversees both the External Communications and the Thought Leadership teams.

Basic Function

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, governance, risk & compliance, and legal & regulatory sectors. Headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, the company serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 22,000 people worldwide. Every day, our customers make critical decisions to help save lives, improve the way they do business, and build better judicial and regulatory systems.

The Director of External Communications will lead the development and execution of comprehensive communication strategies that drive high visibility and value, as well as protect the company’s reputation. This leadership role involves overseeing all external communication efforts, managing media relations, and collaborating with executive leadership to align communication initiatives with business objectives.

As a direct report to the Vice President Branding, External Communications & Global Digital Marketing, the Director is a member of the Global Brand, Communications and Marketing (GBCM) team and is responsible for raising the overall visibility of Wolters Kluwer—including the company, its executives, products, services, thought leadership, and financial results and reporting, primarily in Netherlands-based media. The role serves as the Global Communications team’s point person on crisis communications matters.

This role is based out of corporate headquarters in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Candidates must have a strong background in PR and Media Relations, ideally for a Euronext traded company, with a good network of contacts in the Netherlands, the USA, European countries, and globally. Must demonstrate experience in leading a team of PR professionals and external PR agencies. Additional requirements include strong communication and interpersonal skills to establish strong relationships with cross-functional teams, an ability to quickly adapt to changes in business requirements, and a desire to learn new skills and areas of responsibility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Media Relations

• Develop and execute comprehensive external communications/media relations strategies, plans, and activities in support of the Company’s strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to the Executive Team as a seasoned, confident external communications professional with an excellent sense of judgment and the ability to earn trust.
• Oversee externally focused communications materials including press releases, stand-by statements, news alerts, media briefings, targeted emails to editors/reporters, FAQs, blog and social media posts, and bylined articles.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with key media outlets, industry publications, and other influencers; pitch stories to key publications with a planned and regular cadence.
• Create media/analyst meeting opportunities for executives and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), in support of strategic divisional plans and objectives.
• Define desired outcomes of external communications initiatives, including quantitative and qualitative measures.
• Monitor media coverage and public perception, providing insights and recommendations to executive leadership.

Crisis Communications

• Manage crisis communication efforts, developing and executing response plans to protect the company’s reputation.
• Govern all crisis communications documents including templates, plans, and messaging.
• Partner with the Business Continuity Team as needed.
• Meet assigned deadlines and deliver on goals and objectives.

Thought Leadership

• Develop and execute a strategic thought leadership approach for key topical and domain areas, enabling teams (communications, digital, and branding) to develop, refine, and distribute content in alignment with the GBC strategy to support the business.
• Strategically position Wolters Kluwer as a future-ready thought leader in key topical and domain areas that are of long-term importance for the business in partnership with the brand, communication, and digital marketing teams.
• Work closely with local and corporate management, and direct colleagues to produce a strong and consistent pipeline of company thought leadership.
• Curate and collect strategic content across businesses to align with global thought leadership campaigns and key domain areas Wolters Kluwer seeks to increase its share of voice in the conversation.
• Participate in the management of the company’s editorial approach, including content plans, by working across the organization and with the wolterskluwer.com managing editor.
• Explore content delivery methodology on multiple platforms, including traditional website, marketing automation, social, and other third-party distribution working in conjunction with other GBC teams.
• Lead editorial meetings with GBC leaders in partnership with the managing editor of wolterskluwer.com.
• Review produced content to ensure quality control and brand compliance and provide feedback for content created in key topical campaigns.
• Measure the value and effectiveness of thought leadership.

Leadership

• Lead and manage the external communications team, as well as the thought leadership team, providing guidance and support to ensure effective execution of communication strategies.
• Collaborate with internal departments and functions to ensure consistent messaging across all external channels.
• Stay informed about industry trends and best practices in external communications to continuously improve strategies and tactics.

Other Duties

• Special projects as appropriate.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in external communications or public relations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role, ideally in a Euronext public company.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful external communication strategies.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, both in English and Dutch.
• Strong media relations experience and established network of media contacts.
• Ability to work flexible hours.
• Detail-oriented approach to work; ability to maintain confidentiality; strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while also functioning as an integral part of a team.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to take initiative and to follow through on assignments.

Travel Requirements

Some travel might be required (approximately 25% of time).

Physical Demands

This is a hybrid role with a requirement of being in the Alphen office a minimum of 8 days a month, or more as needed, depending on PR activities related to being a stock listed company.

If making a difference matters to you, then you matter to us.

Join us at Wolters Kluwer and be part of a dynamic global technology company that makes a difference every day. We’re innovators with impact. We provide expert software and information solutions that the world’s leading professionals rely on, in the moments that matter most. You’ll make a real difference in the lives of millions of people. Together with our customers, we help to advance sustainability, health, justice, prosperity, and commerce around the world.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer reported 2023 annual revenues of €5.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,400 people worldwide.

Our customers work in industries which impact the lives of millions of people every single day. Our mission is to empower our professional customers with the information, software solutions, and services they need to make critical decisions, achieve successful outcomes, and save time.

Our expert solutions combine deep domain knowledge with technology to deliver both content and workflow automation to drive improved outcomes and productivity for our customers.

We are committed to helping professionals improve the way they do business and solve complex problems with our range of digital solutions and services, which we continuously evolve to meet their changing needs. Our 188-year legacy and portfolio represent thousands of customers worldwide.