Director, Global Public Affairs & Crisis Communications

Mission
You will be Schneider Electric's global lead for high-stakes communications and stakeholder engagement. This role sets the strategy and operational readiness for crisis response, issues management, reputation, and public affairs, anticipating and shaping external dynamics across markets, advancing policy and advocacy priorities, and protecting trust during moments of scrutiny. As a senior advisor to corporate affairs leadership and enterprise stakeholders, the Director orchestrates rapid, disciplined crisis response; drives proactive risk identification; and leads public affairs strategies that engage policymakers, regulators, NGOs, industry bodies, and community partners. The role translates complexity into clear, actionable guidance and equips leaders to communicate credibly at scale.

Responsibilities

• Crisis Communications
  • Own the global crisis communications strategy, readiness model, and escalation framework across geographies and business units.
  • Serve as a core member of the crisis management team, providing expert counsel and cross-functional orchestration during critical incidents.
  • Design and deliver executive simulations, table-top exercises, and training to strengthen decision-making under pressure.
  • Lead or support media relations in crises (statements, media inquiries, briefings, press conferences), ensuring accuracy, speed, empathy, and legal alignment.
  • Proactively identify emerging risks, conduct issue/risk assessments, and develop mitigation plans.
  • Conduct post-incident reviews and drive continuous improvement of playbooks, roles, and processes.
• Public Affairs & Stakeholder Communications
  • Develop and execute public affairs strategies that engage policymakers, regulators, NGOs, trade associations, and community leaders on priority issues (e.g., energy transition, sustainability, digital infrastructure, industrial competitiveness, workforce).
  • Partner with Government Affairs teams globally to shape policy narratives, advocacy materials, executive positioning, and influence pathways; ensure consistency across markets.
  • Build stakeholder maps and coalitions; lead issue-based campaigns and thought leadership to advance Schneider Electric's agenda and credibility.
  • Coordinate proactive outreach during moments of heightened legislative or regulatory scrutiny.
  • Strengthen relationships with third-party validators, academic institutions, and industry bodies to amplify impact.
• Community & International Engagement
  • Support community and stakeholder engagement, fostering relationships with local organizations and leaders to enhance reputation and social impact.
  • Support engagements with international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations, ensuring strategic participation, messaging discipline, and measurable outcomes.
  • Elevate executive visibility and representation at global policy forums and multilateral platforms.
• Reputation Stewardship & Issues Management
  • Monitor reputational drivers across media, policy, and stakeholder channels; surface emerging issues early with scenario-based recommendations.
  • Embed disciplined narrative development, stakeholder mapping, and risk guidance into major announcements and enterprise priorities.
  • Advise senior leaders on message strategy, engagement choices, and risk trade-offs in complex or sensitive situations.
• Team Leadership
  • Provide clear direction, prioritization, and development for direct reports.
  • Ensure strong coordination between crisis response and public affairs workstreams; elevate the function from reactive support to proactive risk leadership.

Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in communications, Public Affairs/Policy, Journalism, Political Science, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 12-15+ years of progressive experience in public affairs and corporate communications, with deep exposure to crisis communications and issues management in global/multinational contexts.
• Proven success leading complex, multi-market crisis responses and public affairs campaigns in partnership with Legal, Government Affairs, HR, Security, Sustainability.
• Demonstrated experience engaging policymakers, regulators, NGOs, and trade associations, strong understanding of public policy and stakeholder ecosystems in the U.S., U.K., and EU.
• Excellence in message development, executive counsel, media relations, and spokesperson preparation.
• Strong analytical skills and high judgment; adept at synthesizing complex information into clear, actionable guidance.
• Outstanding writing, verbal communication, and presentation skills; resilient under pressure and comfortable navigating ambiguity.
• Familiarity with crisis communication platforms, media monitoring tools, and analytics solutions.

At Schneider Electric, Diversity & Inclusion is at the heart of our organisation, it's an integral part of our history, culture, and identity. We recognise that embracing diversity unlocks innovation and creativity and fosters collaboration. We want our employees to reflect the diversity of our communities and the customers we serve. As a result, our teams are stronger to drive the company's future. We are committed to equal opportunity employment and comply with applicable laws to ensure equal opportunity for all employees and applicants.

What we offer you:
Competitive salary & Bonus Scheme, 28 Days Annual Leave + Public Holidays, Holiday Buy & Sell programme, Pension Scheme, Employee Share Ownership Programme, Various Health & Wellbeing Support Options, Gym Flex, Open Talent Market (internal mobility opportunities + access to mentors & projects globally), Shopping & Dining Discounts, Learning Portal and much more.

Apply now:
Please submit an online application to be considered for any position with us. You know about us, so let us learn about you! Apply today.

Looking to make an IMPACT with your career? When you are thinking about joining a new team, culture matters. At Schneider Electric, our values and behaviours are the foundation for creating a great culture to support business success. We believe that our IMPACT values - Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity, Teamwork - starts with us. IMPACT is also your invitation to join Schneider Electric where you can contribute to turning sustainability ambition into actions, no matter what role you play. It is a call to connect your career with the ambition of achieving a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable world. We are looking for IMPACT Makers; exceptional people who turn sustainability ambitions into actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. We celebrate IMPACT Makers and believe everyone has the potential to be one. Become an IMPACT Maker with Schneider Electric - apply today!

You must submit an online application to be considered for any position with us. This position will be posted until filled.

Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and inclusion is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do.

At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here.

Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, colour, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.