Senior Director Corporate Communications

About the Opportunity

Taj HR is seeking a Senior Director Corporate Communications to establish and lead the communications function for a major primary metals and industrial complex in the Middle East. This multi-billion-dollar project, backed by international industrial shareholders and a sovereign investment ecosystem, is transitioning from a development phase to high international visibility. This full-time role is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and requires building the entire communications infrastructure from the ground up.

The Role

The Senior Director Corporate Communications will be responsible for establishing the organization as a credible and internationally recognized industrial enterprise. This involves owning the strategy and execution of the organization's public emergence, developing the overarching corporate narrative, and implementing governance standards required for an asset backed by listed shareholders across multiple jurisdictions. The role requires a hands-on approach, involving both strategic direction and direct execution of communication tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop the corporate story, message architecture for global markets, and a sequenced launch strategy.
• Build regional and international media relationships, manage inbound queries, prepare spokespersons, and oversee media monitoring.
• Lead the end-to-end launch of a bilingual website, corporate identity, editorial calendar, and an extensive photo/film asset library.
• Advise executive leadership, drafting speeches, statements, opinion pieces, board materials, and investor narratives.
• Manage disclosure interfaces with shareholder communications and investor relations functions across multiple jurisdictions.
• Establish a multichannel communication architecture for a growing, multilingual workforce across corporate offices and construction sites.
• Develop and test crisis frameworks, scenarios, holding statements, and simulation drills prior to operational launch.
• Build the operating model for the department, hire the internal team, manage budgets, and select agency partners.
• Align the equity story with the corporate narrative to establish securities disclosure discipline for future capital market activity.

First-Year Expectations

• First Quarter: Complete governance audits, secure approval for disclosure protocols and emergence calendars, and initiate brand and website agency briefs.
• First Six Months: Launch the bilingual website, deploy corporate identity, contract primary agencies, establish crisis frameworks, run executive simulations, and execute initial controlled announcements.
• End of Year One: Achieve a fully functioning department, establish a measurable media presence, finalize launch playbooks, and embed systematic executive reporting.

Candidate Profile and Requirements

• Over 12 years of experience in corporate communications, with at least 3 years leading a function or serving as a deputy group lead in a large enterprise.
• Demonstrated strong track record within a company, with direct accountability for commercial and corporate outcomes.
• Proven experience establishing or substantially rebuilding a communications department from the ground up.
• Experience working under securities disclosure obligations, with a strong understanding of materiality and regulatory timing.
• Experience in heavy industry sectors such as metals, mining, energy, chemicals, or large-scale industrial infrastructure.
• Demonstrated success communicating a major capital project through construction to operational launch, or through significant corporate transitions (*, IPO, listing, carve-out).
• Practical experience personally leading communications through live reputational, environmental, or operational crises.
• Willingness to be based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with regular site visits.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working within or alongside international joint ventures or Chinese-listed enterprise structures.
• Experience preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• Background in metals, mining, or aluminum.
• Pre-existing network within regional and international industrial/metals trade media.
• Experience within sovereign-backed or state-linked portfolio entities.