Communications Manager: entering the communications field

Course overview

Description generated based on course syllabus and open data.

The Communications Manager program focuses on practical brand analysis, communication planning, and collaboration with media and influencers. It includes PESO modeling, SWOT analysis, and preparation of a one-page strategy and CV.

Communications Manager — program and lecturer

Duration: 11 sessions. Lecturer: Nastia Humeniuk, 6+ years in communications; PR for educational projects at a Ukrainian IT company; experience with the Ministry of Digital Transformation (Diia.Business, Diia.Education); co-founder of cheriti.feriti; contributor to the “Thank You with Heart” campaign (Silpo, OLX, McDonald's, COMFY, Planeta Kino, Tabletki.ua, Darnytsia); strategies for SMEs.

Who the Communications Manager role suits and who it doesn’t

Suitable for

• Students and graduates in marketing and PR seeking to structure core skills.
• Marketers, brand strategists, and PR specialists (up to 1 year experience) who need systematic approaches.
• PPC, email, and SMM specialists integrating communications tools into workflows.

Not suitable for

• Those not planning to work with media, influencers, or brand speakers.
• Those expecting universal templates without brand/TA adaptation.
• Those unwilling to engage in analytics, data work, and documentation.

Problem → consequence in communications management → covered by modules

• Unsistematic communications → scattered messages → modules on strategy, brand model, and one-page strategy.
• Unclear target audience → low channel relevance → audience mapping and PESO planning.
• No news hooks or media plan → low visibility → work on topics, hooks, speakers, and crisis scenarios.

Alternatives comparison for a Communications Manager

• Self-learning: flexible yet fragmented → here modules are interlinked.
• Standalone webinars: narrow and episodic → here tasks are end-to-end.
• Theory-heavy courses: many concepts, less application → here documents are built on a personal case.

What is shaped after completion — outcomes for a Communications Manager

• Completed SWOT analysis of brand and competitors.
• Prepared one-page strategy and a PESO channel map.
• Draft set: news hooks, media list, speaker scripts.
• Updated CV with relevant Communications Manager terminology.

Program «Communications Manager» (11 sessions)

• Lecture 1: Intro to communications. HW: analyze 5 vacancies; list priority soft/hard skills.
• Lecture 2: Brand and its role in communications. Guest speaker.
• Lecture 3: Communications strategy. HW: SWOT; one-page strategy; PESO channels.
• Lecture 4: Brand vs communications strategy. HW: brand model and value-based activation.
• Lecture 5: Channels and tools of communications.
• Lecture 6: Workshop — brand community and audience work. HW: audience plan.
• Lecture 7: Media operations: media list, topics, pitches, embargo.
• Lecture 8: Influencers: selection, formats, legal basics.
• Lecture 9: Brand speakers: prep, Q&A, positioning.
• Lecture 10: Crisis communications: scenarios, message boxes, post-mortem.
• Lecture 11: Wrap-up: document review, CV, development roadmap.