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Communications & IR Executive Search Market Insights: Senior Talent Analysis Dec 2024

4 December 2024 by Max Forsyth

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As specialist executive search consultants in the Communications and Investor Relations space, our latest data-driven analysis using LinkedIn's Talent Insights Tool reveals compelling insights into senior talent recruitment trends across the UK and US markets. Here's what the talent mapping data shows about the evolving communications and IR executive search and recruitment landscape.

Senior Communications & IR Talent Distribution and Demographics

Our analysis reveals fascinating insights into the geographic distribution and diversity of senior communications and IR talent. The data shows a strong concentration in key global financial centres, with:

New York City Metropolitan Area leading with 10,102 professionals
London follows as the primary European hub, with 8,161 professionals
Los Angeles (4,546), Washington DC-Baltimore (3,646), and San Francisco Bay Area (3,178) rounding out the top five locations

Gender diversity in the sector shows encouraging progress, with women representing 60% of senior communications and IR roles, compared to 40% of male representation. This positive trend in gender balance particularly stands out in an executive search landscape where many other sectors still struggle to achieve equal representation at senior levels.

The data also reveals interesting insights about career longevity and mobility, with a median tenure of 2.7 years - a figure that suggests professionals are actively progressing their careers through strategic moves while still maintaining enough stability to demonstrate impact in their roles.

LinkedIn Talent Insights dashboard showing global communications talent distribution map and metrics: 75,901 professionals, 8,931 job changes, 781 job posts. Top locations include NYC, London, LA, DC, and SF. Leading employers include AT&T, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft. Gender diversity shows 60% female, 40% male representation.
Global talent distribution of communications and IR professionals across key financial centers, showing concentration in New York, London, and other major metropolitan areas. Data source: LinkedIn Talent Insights, December 2024.

Key employment trends show major financial services and technology companies leading in talent acquisition:

AT&T
JPMorgan Chase
Microsoft
Bank of America
AstraZeneca

These organisations demonstrate varying growth rates in their communications teams, from AT&T's 2% growth to more aggressive expansion at firms like JPMorgan Chase (10% growth), indicating different stages of communications function development and investment.

We've identified 11.7% of senior communications professionals transitioned roles in the last 12 months. This movement in the executive recruitment market demonstrates robust career mobility at the senior level, though hiring remains competitive, with approximately 97 communications and IR professionals for every senior job posting.

Leading Employers in Communications & IR Talent Retention

Out of the 100 largest communications and IR teams in the private sector, insights have highlighted 10 Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 organisations that have excelled in retaining senior communications and IR talent. These companies are:

  • BP
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Hilton
  • Fidelity Investments
  • KPMG US
  • Boehringer Ingelheim
  • Hyndayl
  • Unilever
LinkedIn Talent Insights data table showing top employers of communications talent with their respective professional headcount, growth rates, job posts, and attrition rates. Notable companies include BP, Eli Lilly, Procter & Gamble, and others, displaying headcount ranging from 34-143 professionals and attrition rates between 0-3%.
Top 10 organisations excelling in communications talent retention, with attrition rates significantly below industry average. Data shows team sizes and growth rates across major corporations. Data source: LinkedIn Talent Insights, December 2024.

These organisations have demonstrated exceptional talent management strategies, maintaining attrition rates below 3% over the past 12 months, significantly outperforming the industry average of 10.7%.

Critical Gaps in Current Talent Market Intelligence

Our executive search consultants have identified several crucial areas that require deeper analysis in standard market surveys:

  • Senior communications salary benchmarking

  • Communications team structures and budgets

  • Executive benefits and compensation packages

  • Leadership team dynamics and culture

  • Strategic communications priorities for 2025

Communications & IR Recruitment Outlook 2025

As the talent landscape evolves, understanding these executive search trends becomes increasingly vital for both employers and senior candidates. Our specialist communications and IR headhunters are conducting expanded market research to provide deeper insights into senior-level recruitment patterns and executive talent acquisition strategies.

Contribute to Our Market Intelligence and Salary Survey

We're currently gathering data for our comprehensive 2024/25 communications and IR salary survey, and executive search market report. As specialist headhunters in this space, we invite senior communications and investor relations professionals to contribute their insights, ensuring our executive search recruitment data remains representative of current market conditions.

In-house communications and IR professionals can contribute to the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/commssearchss2425

For more information about our executive search services, please use the form below to contact our specialist communications and IR recruiters.

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Market intelligence compiled by Comms Search & Selection, specialist executive search consultants in Communications & IR. Analysis based on comprehensive senior talent mapping across UK and US markets using LinkedIn Talent Insights.

Analysis Parameters

Our specialist communications and IR recruitment research using the following data filters:

  • 27 senior-level communications and IR

  • Cross-market analysis covering UK and US talent pools

  • Private sector leadership roles (excluding agencies, public sector & charitable organisations)

  • Senior executive recruitment patterns and talent movement trends