Director, External Enterprise Communication
Posted May 5, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
Behavioral
Walk me through a time you had to build an external communications strategy from scratch for an enterprise or large business unit. What was the business goal behind it and how did you know it worked?
whether they can connect communications work to actual business outcomes, not just output volume
Tell me about the toughest crisis or reputational issue you've managed. What did you actually say to the executive team in the first hour, and what did you get wrong in hindsight?
real crisis experience versus theoretical knowledge, and honesty about mistakes under pressure
Describe a time you had to advise a CEO or senior executive who wanted to say something publicly that you thought was a mistake. What did you do?
executive presence and willingness to push back with judgment, not just deference
What's an example of thought leadership you built for an executive that actually changed how media or industry analysts talked about that person or the company?
ability to translate a platform into measurable reputational shift, not just placements
Tell me about a long-range communications plan you built with defined goals and resourcing. What happened when priorities shifted halfway through the year?
planning discipline combined with real-world adaptability
Technical
How would you build a proactive earned media strategy for a company like Brunswick, where the audience ranges from boat dealers and trade press to consumer and business media?
depth of hands-on media relations knowledge across differentiated audiences, not generic PR talk
How do you define success metrics for earned media and reputation work, and how have you used data to change a strategy mid-course rather than just report on it afterward?
whether measurement is used analytically or just for a slide deck
Brunswick shows up at things like CES and major industry showcases. How would you structure the communications plan around a major activation like that to make sure it ties back to brand and business goals, not just a press release?
understanding of activation-level strategic planning versus tactical event support
Give me an example of a press release, executive remarks, or op-ed you personally wrote that you're proud of. What made it work?
actual writing craft and ability to translate business priorities into a compelling external voice
How do you decide which media relationships and industry contacts are worth investing time in over the long haul, versus which are one-off opportunities?
strategic judgment in relationship management, not just a contact list
Situational
Say a plant safety incident breaks on social media at 6pm on a Friday before it's been verified internally. Walk me through what you do in the first two hours.
whether they have a real, ordered crisis protocol rather than vague instincts
This role sits alongside Legal, HR, Operations, and Marketing during a crisis. Tell me about a time those functions disagreed on the response. How did you get to a decision?
ability to lead cross-functional alignment through influence when there's no formal authority
If you inherited a communications function where the CCO wanted more proactive storytelling but the team had spent years mostly in reactive mode, what would you change first?
ability to diagnose and shift team culture and priorities as a new senior leader
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As published by Mercury Marine.
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