Managing Director, Strategy & Communications
Australia
The Opportunity
As Teneo continues to grow its presence in Australia, we are seeking a Managing Director with a strong background in strategic communications to join our Strategy and Communications team, based in Sydney.
Teneo’s Strategy and Communications offering provides integrated communications and reputation counsel to CEOs and senior leadership teams. As a Managing Director, you will operate at the intersection of reputation, strategy, and context, supporting leaders to build trust, manage disruption, and navigate complex stakeholder environments. You will advise clients through business‑critical moments including corporate positioning, financial and strategic transactions, leadership transitions, crises, regulatory and policy issues, and long‑term reputation management.
You will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of high‑quality advisory services across multiple client engagements, often involving integrated, multi‑disciplinary teams. Managing Directors play a central role in shaping client strategy, developing talent, and contributing to the growth and profitability of the firm. They bring deep experience across strategic communications, corporate affairs, financial communications, public affairs, and issues management, and are recognised as trusted senior advisers with strong client relationships.
Responsibilities
As a Managing Director within Teneo’s Strategy and Communications team in Australia, your role will include:
Strategic leadership and client advisory
- Provide senior‑level strategic counsel to CEOs, boards, and executive teams on reputation, communications, and stakeholder strategy.
- Oversee the development and delivery of integrated communications programmes aligned to clients’ commercial and strategic objectives.
- Act as the senior escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high‑risk client situations.
Business development and growth
- Play a leading role in new business development, including originating opportunities, leading pitches, and shaping proposals.
- Leverage strong commercial acumen to support revenue growth, forecasting, and profitability across client portfolios.
- Grow existing client relationships through expanded briefs and long‑term advisory network.
Media, issues, and reputation management
- Bring deep understanding of the Australian media, regulatory, and stakeholder landscape to position and protect clients effectively.
- Provide expert guidance on issues management, crisis response, and reputational risk.
Client relationship management
- Serve as a senior client lead, maintaining trusted relationships with key decision‑makers.
- Build and sustain a strong external network across business, media, government, and industry.
Team leadership and development
- Lead, manage, and mentor teams, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and professional development.
- Support the development of future leaders within the Australian business.
In addition, you will be expected to:
- Lead large and often integrated teams across disciplines and geographies.
- Ensure consistently high standards of client service, delivery, and commercial management.
- Innovate on behalf of clients, introducing new thinking, products, and ways of working.
- Actively contribute to the broader growth and profile of Teneo in Australia and the wider Asia Pacific region.
Requirements
- 15+ years’ experience in strategic communications, corporate affairs, financial communications, public affairs, or related advisory roles, ideally within a consultancy or professional services environment.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior executives and boards on complex reputation and communications issues.
- Strong commercial acumen and understanding of how strategy, reputation, and execution drive enterprise value.
- Proven ability to lead and grow teams, manage large client engagements, and operate effectively at Managing Director level.
- Deep knowledge of the Australian business, media, regulatory, and political environment.
- Executive presence, with the confidence and credibility to engage at CEO and board level.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; postgraduate qualifications are an advantage.
About Teneo
Teneo is the global CEO advisory firm. We partner with our clients globally to do great things for a better future.
Drawing upon our global team and expansive network of senior advisors, we provide advisory services across our five business segments on a stand-alone or fully integrated basis to help our clients solve complex business challenges. Our clients include a significant number of the Fortune 100 and FTSE 100, as well as other corporations, financial institutions and organizations.
Our full range of advisory services includes strategic communications, investor relations, financial transactions and restructuring, management consulting, physical and cyber risk, organisational design, board and executive search, geopolitics and government affairs, corporate governance, ESG and DE&I.
The firm has more than 1,800 employees located in 42+ offices around the world.
Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Teneo is an equal opportunity employer and promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace. Teneo considers all applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, genetic information, or sexual orientation or any other status protected by applicable law.
