# Communications Manager Resume Sample - ATS Template 2026 > Get a Communications Manager resume (CV) sample with an ATS-friendly format, strong bullet points, role keywords, and job-specific guidance. Canonical HTML: https://www.liftmycv.com/resume-samples/communications-manager-resume/ Markdown: https://www.liftmycv.com/resume-samples/communications-manager-resume.md Site: https://www.liftmycv.com/ Communications Manager Resume Sample - ATS Template 2026 On this page, you can preview an ATS-friendly Communications Manager resume template, see what to include in each section, review strong bullet examples and relevant keywords, avoid common mistakes, and create a job-specific resume that matches real communications manager job requirements. { "title": "How LiftmyCV Helps with Communications Manager Resumes", "subtitle": "For a Communications Manager resume, LiftmyCV helps create job-specific resumes, generate a resume for each application, and match your resume to relevant roles in one workflow.", "cards": [ { "icon": "FileText", "title": "Create Job-Specific Resumes", "desc": "Paste a job description and create a job-specific resume in under a minute for less than $1.", "href": "https://www.liftmycv.com/ai-resume-generator/" }, { "icon": "Bot", "title": "Generate Per-Job Resumes During Auto-Apply", "desc": "During auto-apply sessions, LiftmyCV can generate a per-job resume for each role, helping your application stay aligned with the job description.", "href": "https://www.liftmycv.com/ai-auto-apply/" }, { "icon": "Search", "title": "Match Your Resume to Relevant Openings", "desc": "LiftmyCV uses AI to match your resume with relevant jobs, autofill application forms, and submit applications automatically.", "href": "https://www.liftmycv.com/ai-job-matching/" } ] } { "title": "Why This Communications Manager Template Works", "intro": "A Communications Manager resume needs to organize messaging strategy, media relations, internal communications, executive support, and campaign results without becoming crowded. This structure keeps the page readable for ATS-based applications while giving recruiters a clear path through communication channels, writing strengths, stakeholder work, and measurable outcomes.", "items": [ { "title": "Readable ATS Formatting", "text": "Simple headings, standard section labels, and text-based bullet formatting support cleaner parsing of job titles, dates, employers, skills, and education. For a Communications Manager, that matters when the resume includes varied work across press releases, employee communications, crisis messaging, newsletters, social content, and executive communications." }, { "title": "Clear Editorial Hierarchy", "text": "The layout separates summary, core skills, experience, tools, education, and certifications so a reviewer can quickly see communication scope. A focused opening can frame media relations, brand voice, content planning, and cross-functional coordination before the experience section provides campaign and stakeholder details." }, { "title": "Natural Keyword Placement", "text": "The structure gives keywords a place to appear where they sound normal rather than repeated. Terms such as strategic communications, media relations, internal communications, corporate messaging, crisis communications, press materials, content calendars, stakeholder communications, and executive briefs can be worked into skills and experience bullets." }, { "title": "Measurable Communication Results", "text": "Achievement bullets are organized around outcomes a Communications Manager can credibly document, such as media coverage, message consistency, employee engagement, campaign delivery, event promotion, newsletter performance, or reduced approval delays. The best entries pair the communication activity with scale, audience, channel, deadline, or operational result." } ] } { "title": "What to Include in This Resume", "intro": "A communications manager resume should connect strategy, writing quality, channel ownership, and audience outcomes. Focus each section on messaging plans, media relations, internal communications, executive support, content calendars, analytics, and the tools used to manage campaigns across digital and organizational channels.", "columns": [ "Section", "What to write", "What to avoid", "Example" ], "rows": [ { "section": "Professional Summary", "what_to_write": "Summarize communications scope, years of experience, audience types, channel mix, and one measurable result tied to engagement, coverage, message consistency, or campaign performance.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid vague branding language, broad marketing claims, or summaries that do not mention communications channels or measurable outcomes.", "example": "Communications Manager with 6+ years of experience across internal communications, media relations, executive messaging, and digital content planning. Increased employee newsletter engagement by 32% through editorial calendar redesign, audience segmentation, and clearer leadership updates." }, { "section": "Areas of Expertise", "what_to_write": "List communications strengths that match the role, including planning, writing, media outreach, internal messaging, reputation support, analytics, and cross-functional coordination.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid generic soft skills, unrelated marketing specialties, or long phrases that read like a job description instead of skill areas.", "example": "Internal Communications, Media Relations, Executive Messaging, Crisis Communications, Editorial Planning, Press Release Writing, Stakeholder Communications, Brand Voice Governance, Campaign Reporting" }, { "section": "Technical Proficiencies", "what_to_write": "Include platforms used to create, distribute, monitor, and report on communications across email, web, social, media relations, collaboration, and analytics workflows.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid listing basic office tools only, outdated platforms you cannot use, or design software without communications context.", "example": "Cision, Meltwater, Mailchimp, WordPress, Google Analytics 4, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Teams" }, { "section": "Professional Experience", "what_to_write": "Show communications ownership with scope, audience, tools, campaign type, writing deliverables, stakeholder coordination, and results tied to engagement, coverage, response time, or content performance.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid task-only bullets such as wrote newsletters or managed social media without audience, channel, cadence, metric, or business context.", "example": "Communications Manager, Meridian Health Network. Led internal and external communications for a 1,200-employee organization, raising intranet article readership by 28% in two quarters through message mapping and editorial planning. Managed press releases, media lists, and monitoring in Cision, contributing to 45 earned media mentions during a regional awareness campaign." }, { "section": "Earlier Roles", "what_to_write": "Keep older communications, PR, marketing, or editorial roles brief while preserving career progression and recognizable role context.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid lengthy descriptions for early roles if stronger communications management achievements appear in recent experience.", "example": "Public Relations Coordinator, Brightline Community Partners, 2017 to 2019" }, { "section": "Education", "what_to_write": "Include a relevant degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field, plus coursework only when it supports the target role.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid adding unrelated coursework, unfinished details without context, or education entries that crowd out stronger experience.", "example": "Bachelor of Arts in Communications, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017. Coursework in Public Relations Writing, Media Ethics, and Organizational Communication." }, { "section": "Certifications", "what_to_write": "Add communications, analytics, digital content, project management, or crisis communications training that supports channel management, measurement, and stakeholder communication responsibilities.", "what_to_avoid": "Avoid expired, unrelated, or entry-level certificates that do not connect to communications planning, reporting, or content execution.", "example": "Accredited in Public Relations, Google Analytics Certification, HubSpot Content Marketing Certification, FEMA Basic Public Information Officer Training" } ], "quick_tip": "Anchor the resume in audience, channel, message, tool, and outcome so each section proves communications judgment, not just writing ability." } { "title": "Communications Manager Resume Example Bullets", "intro": "Weak communications manager bullets list tasks without context. Strong bullets show the audience, channel, message strategy, approval process, and business or reputation result behind the work.", "columns": [ "Bullet", "Strong bullet", "Weak bullet" ], "rows": [ { "section": "Executive Messaging", "strong_bullet": "Developed executive talking points, internal memos, and town hall scripts for a 1,200-employee organization, aligning leadership messages across HR, operations, and corporate communications.", "weak_bullet": "Wrote messages for company leaders." }, { "section": "Media Relations", "strong_bullet": "Managed press outreach for product and company announcements, preparing briefing materials, coordinating spokesperson interviews, and securing coverage in trade publications and regional business outlets.", "weak_bullet": "Contacted reporters and sent press releases." }, { "section": "Crisis Communications", "strong_bullet": "Built response plans for service disruptions and sensitive customer issues, including holding statements, approval workflows, employee FAQs, and stakeholder updates that reduced delays in public messaging.", "weak_bullet": "Helped with crisis communication tasks." }, { "section": "Internal Communications", "strong_bullet": "Launched a monthly employee newsletter and manager cascade toolkit using SharePoint and email analytics, improving message consistency across remote, office, and frontline teams.", "weak_bullet": "Created newsletters for employees." }, { "section": "Campaign Reporting", "strong_bullet": "Tracked communication campaign performance across email, intranet, and social channels, using engagement data to refine subject lines, posting cadence, and audience-specific messaging.", "weak_bullet": "Reported on communication activities." } ] } { "title": "Communications Manager Keywords Recruiters Often Look For", "intro": "Use these role-relevant terms naturally across your Communications Manager resume, especially in skills, summary, and achievement bullets.", "items": [ "Media Relations", "Internal Communications", "Crisis Communications", "Stakeholder Engagement", "Content Strategy", "Executive Communications", "Press Releases", "Brand Messaging", "Public Relations", "Social Media Monitoring", "Communications Planning", "AP Style", "Cision", "Meltwater" ] } Communications Manager Resume Formatting Rules Use this section to catch formatting and content problems before your Communications Manager resume reaches a recruiter or ATS. Watch for vague campaign language, missing metrics, generic skill lists, tiny fonts, unclear formatting, and unreadable structure that can weaken PR, internal communications, media relations, or executive messaging experience. - use a clean, ATS-friendly layout - keep the resume to one page when possible, two pages only when justified - use readable 10.5 to 12 pt body text - stick to standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman - use clear section headings and a simple reading order - keep contact details in the main body of the resume - show measurable communications impact with numbers and outcomes - name the communications tools and platforms you actually used - tailor keywords naturally to the target Communications Manager role - save the file as a simple .pdf or .docx - do not use photos or profile pictures - do not use fancy or decorative fonts - do not add tables, columns, text boxes, icons, or graphics - do not place important details in headers or footers - do not turn the resume into a dense wall of text - do not write vague claims without metrics or context - do not list every communications tool or platform you have ever touched - do not stuff keywords unnaturally - do not let the resume run past two pages for this template - do not use design-heavy layouts that are harder for ATS to parse ## Resume sample Marina Ellis Communications Manager Denver, Colorado • marina.ellis@liftmycv.com • linkedin.com/in/marinaellis ## Professional Summary Communications Manager with 7 years of experience leading internal communications, media relations, executive messaging, content planning, and crisis response for B2B technology and nonprofit organizations. Skilled in translating business priorities into clear stakeholder communications, managing editorial calendars, preparing spokespeople, and measuring performance across earned media, email, web, and social channels. Experienced with Cision, Muck Rack, Meltwater, Sprout Social, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, WordPress, Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, and AP Style. ## Areas of Expertise Strategic Communications • Media Relations • Internal Communications • Executive Messaging • Crisis Communications • Press Releases • Corporate Storytelling • Employee Engagement • Change Communications • Content Strategy • Brand Voice • Editorial Calendar Management • Spokesperson Preparation • Stakeholder Communications • Social Media Strategy • Email Communications • Event Communications • Reputation Management • Communications Measurement • AP Style ## Technical Proficiencies Cision • Muck Rack • Meltwater • Sprout Social • Hootsuite • Mailchimp • Google Analytics • WordPress • SharePoint • Microsoft 365 • Asana • Slack • Canva • Adobe Creative Cloud • PowerPoint • SurveyMonkey • Staffbase ## Professional Experience Brightline HealthTech — Denver, CO | March 2023 – Present Communications Manager Manage external and internal communications for a 900-employee health technology company, supporting executive visibility, product announcements, employee updates, media outreach, and issue response. - Built a quarterly communications planning process across product, people, legal, and customer success teams, reducing last-minute announcement requests by 34% within the first year. - Managed media relations for product launches and company milestones, securing 42 earned media placements across trade publications, podcasts, newsletters, and regional business outlets. - Rewrote executive messaging for all-hands meetings, customer advisory updates, and internal change announcements, improving employee communication survey scores from 71% to 83% favorable. - Created a crisis communications playbook covering escalation paths, holding statements, spokesperson roles, approval workflows, and post-incident reporting for data, service, and policy-related issues. - Led monthly performance reporting using Meltwater, Google Analytics, Sprout Social, and Mailchimp, connecting coverage volume, message pull-through, website referrals, email engagement, and sentiment trends. - Partnered with HR on return-to-office, benefits, and leadership transition communications, producing manager talking points, employee FAQs, intranet articles, and email templates for 6 major initiatives. - Coached 9 executives and subject matter experts on media interviews, webinar remarks, panel introductions, and concise message delivery before public-facing events. Northstar Community Foundation — Boulder, CO | July 2020 – February 2023 Senior Communications Specialist Led communications for donor engagement, community programs, annual campaigns, public announcements, and board-level reporting for a regional nonprofit with 40 staff members and more than 120 community partners. - Owned the editorial calendar for email, web, social media, annual reports, press releases, and partner toolkits, increasing publishing consistency from 2 to 5 planned communications per week. - Developed campaign messaging for a regional giving initiative that reached 18,000 subscribers and supported a 27% year-over-year increase in online donation conversions. - Drafted press releases, op-eds, board statements, donor letters, and community partner announcements using AP Style and organization-approved voice guidelines. - Managed Mailchimp segmentation and A/B testing for donor newsletters, improving average email click-through rate from 2.8% to 4.6% over 12 months. - Coordinated media outreach for grant announcements and community events, earning coverage in 23 local and regional outlets without paid placement. - Refreshed the organization’s messaging framework, including audience priorities, proof points, boilerplate language, leadership bios, and key messages for 5 program areas. - Prepared communications dashboards for senior leadership and board meetings, summarizing email engagement, web traffic, social growth, media coverage, and campaign results. Larkspur Creative Group — Fort Collins, CO | June 2018 – June 2020 Communications Coordinator Supported client communications programs for professional services, education, and civic organizations, including media lists, social content, newsletters, event promotion, and website updates. - Maintained targeted media lists in Cision and Muck Rack for 15 client accounts, improving outlet relevance and reducing bounced outreach contacts by 22%. - Drafted more than 80 press releases, media advisories, blog posts, newsletters, social media calendars, and event announcements for agency clients. - Tracked campaign performance across Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and email platforms, preparing weekly reports on engagement, referral traffic, follower growth, and content performance. - Coordinated communications logistics for 12 public events, including speaker briefs, media check-in, run-of-show documents, signage copy, and post-event recap materials. - Updated WordPress pages and landing content for client announcements, correcting broken links, outdated bios, inconsistent boilerplate language, and accessibility issues in published copy. ## Earlier Roles Marketing and Communications Intern, Colorado Arts Council — Denver, CO | January 2017 – May 2018. Supported newsletter drafting, event promotion, media monitoring, social media scheduling, and content updates for statewide arts programming. ## Education Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Minor in Journalism Colorado State University — Fort Collins, CO ## Certifications Accreditation in Public Relations, APR — In Progress PRSA Strategic Communication Certificate Program Google Analytics Certification ## Example jobs - **External Communications Manager — The Salvation Army (NT) Prpty Trust atf Social — Winnellie, NT, Australia**: The Salvation Army is seeking an External Communications Manager to enhance community connections and engagement across Australia from the Darwin Regional Administrative Office. This permanent, full-time role involves implementing communication strategies, building relationships with government stakeholders, driving community initiatives, managing media relations, and supporting internal campaigns. Candidates should have strong relationship-building skills and experience in media relations, along with relevant qualifications. The position offers meaningful benefits, flexibility, and an opportunity to make a positive impact in the community. - **External Communications Manager — Team Member Services — AH TRICKEL BUILDING**: AdventHealth is seeking an External Communications Manager to join their team. This role is about contributing to a community that values holistic well-being and communication excellence. Responsibilities include managing budgets, executing communication strategies, maintaining media relationships, and providing counsel to executives. Candidates should possess strong storytelling abilities and experience in media relations. Benefits include health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, and more support for well-being and career development. - **External Communications Manager — McDermott Will & Schulte LLP — Boston**: Build your big career with the firm that does **Big Law, Better**. McDermott Will & Schulte is a leading global law firm that brings together more than 1,700+ lawyers and 1,400 business professionals. We celebrate excellence, collaboration, and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by *USA Today, Fortune*, *The American Lawyer, Vault*and others. We are also certified by Great Place to Work. At McDermott, we don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office. **With us, you’ll find:** - **A firm where everyone belongs:**Our award-winning culture prioritizes warmth and authenticity — we encourage you to be yourself! - **Enthusiasm for all perspectives:**We’re smarter and stronger when everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. We welcome unique viewpoints and ideas, and we make opportunities for you and your career to thrive. - **Support to feel your best and do your best:**Wellness is integral to building a successful career and a rich life. That’s why our benefits program supports your physical, emotional, mental, and financial health, with an emphasis on work-life balance. - **Real rewards for real work:**We offer generous compensation packages that recognize hard work and excellence. **Job Description:** The External Communications Manager supports the firm’s proactive and reactive public relations strategy by identifying, pitching and placing opportunities that align with firm, practice, industry, and individual profile-raising priorities. This position is fully embedded in an integrated and global marketing, communications and business development team and partners with firm stakeholders to successfully implement strategic communication programs. **EssentialFunctionsandResponsibilities:** - Establish and maintain positive relationships with priority media outlets and key industry influencers - Develop strong relationships with firm stakeholders, including leadership, lawyers and lateral hires; collaborate with the wider brand and communications teams, business development, events and practice/industry marketing teams to implement strategic communication programs that align with business objectives and plans - Monitor ongoing industry trends, editorial calendars and competitor activity; provide trend analysis - Identify media opportunities; actively lead topic generation efforts and collaborate across practices and markets - Pitch and place profile-raising coverage - Craft media messages, including research and writing of press releases, drafting of deal announcements and other client-related communications as well as copy for the firm website - Serve as a firm contact for media requests; coordinate information and interview preparation - Collaborate with external agencies as directed by communications leaders - Proficiency of Salesforce to track PR activity and use data to report to stakeholders and inform public relations plans - Leverage the firm’s news distribution and media monitoring tools - Track and report on KPIs and media metrics; maintain working knowledge of firm technologies and other resources - Track and report coverage using internal announcements, newsletters and .com, among others - Align and help implement firmwide processes related to media relations - Provide back-up support to the global communications team **Job Specifications:** - Bachelor’s Degree - At least five (5) years of related work experience - Ability to build strong media relationships within key sectors - Knowledge of news distribution, media monitoring and tracking software - Strong written and verbal communication skills - Strong organizational skills - Ability to work under tight deadlines and prioritize responsibilities - Ability to handle and maintain confidential information - Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment - Ability to work independently and under own direction and initiative - Ability to travel as needed Successful candidates will be provided with outstanding career opportunities and will receive a competitive total rewards package with the opportunity to earn performance-based bonuses. Target Hiring Range $138,000 - $194,000 Please note that quoted salary ranges are not guarantees of what final salary offers may be. Base pay is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographic location. Base pay is only one part of the Total Rewards that MWE provides to compensate and recognize our staff professionals for their work. Full time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and a comprehensive benefits package. **Physical Demands and Work Environment:** The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. **Physical Demands:** - While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, stoop, talk and hear - Employee must occasionally lift up to twenty (20) pounds **Work Environment:** Typical indoor office environment **Disclaimer:** The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people within this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job. ** ** ** ** ## FAQ ### What is the best format for a Communications Manager resume? Use a reverse-chronological format with a brief summary, a skills section, and recent roles that show media relations, internal communications, executive messaging, campaign planning, and stakeholder management. This format works well because Communications Manager resumes need to show both writing judgment and measurable communication outcomes. ### How long should a Communications Manager resume be? Most Communications Manager resumes should be one to two pages. Use one page if your experience is under about 7 years, and use two pages if you need room for leadership scope, crisis communications, PR campaigns, employee communications, agency coordination, or major brand initiatives. ### What should I include in the skills section of a Communications Manager resume? Include skills that match the role, such as media relations, corporate communications, crisis communications, executive communications, internal communications, brand messaging, content strategy, press releases, speechwriting, editorial calendars, and analytics reporting. Add tools only if you have used them, such as Cision, Meltwater, Muck Rack, Google Analytics, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, HubSpot, or a CMS. ### How do I make my Communications Manager resume more measurable? Tie communication work to concrete outputs, such as press placements, campaign reach, employee engagement survey participation, newsletter performance, event attendance, media response time, or content production volume. For example, replace “managed internal communications” with “planned weekly internal newsletter and leadership updates for 1,200 employees across 4 departments.” ### Do certifications matter on a Communications Manager resume? Certifications can help when they support the job description, especially in public relations, digital marketing, project management, analytics, or crisis communications. Keep them in a separate certifications section and prioritize hands-on accomplishments over credential lists. ### Can I use the same Communications Manager resume for every application? Use the same core resume structure, but adjust the summary, skills, and top bullet points for each posting. A corporate communications role may need more internal messaging and executive communications, while a PR-focused role should bring media relations, press strategy, spokesperson support, and campaign results closer to the top. Create a Job-Specific Communications Manager Resume with LiftmyCV Create a professional, ATS-friendly Communications Manager resume in seconds by pasting a job description. Or turn on per-job resume generation before starting auto-apply, so the AI agent adjusts your resume for each role.