Director, Internal Communications, Enterprise AI Adoption

Director, Enterprise Internal Communications Strategy

Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.

This role leads the enterprise internal communications strategy for Smith+Nephew's Enterprise AI adoption programme. The Director is accountable for shaping the Enterprise AI narrative, message architecture, leadership communication, employee engagement approach, channel strategy and communications governance across functions, regions and priority workflows. Working closely with executive sponsors, business leaders, programme teams, change management, HR, learning, technology and communications partners, this role ensures employees understand what Enterprise AI is, why it matters to RISE, what is changing, and how leaders and teams are expected to engage.

The role provides senior communications counsel, protects message clarity and consistency, and helps build trust, confidence and momentum for responsible AI adoption across a complex global transformation.

What will you be doing?

• Define and lead the enterprise internal communications strategy for Enterprise AI adoption, ensuring clear, consistent and audience-relevant communication across all programme phases.
• Develop and maintain the Enterprise AI narrative, strategic messaging framework, leader messages and core storylines aligned to RISE, Way to Win, responsible AI and business value.
• Act as senior communications advisor to executive sponsors and enterprise leaders, providing counsel, talking points, Q&A, presentations and messaging support for town halls, leadership forums and employee communications.
• Set communication standards, governance, decision rights and editorial discipline for Enterprise AI communication across central, business, regional and pod-level teams.
• Design and manage the enterprise communication channel strategy, editorial calendar and sequencing of communication to ensure leaders and employees receive the right information at the right time.
• Lead development of high-impact communication assets, including leadership messages, intranet content, manager briefings, FAQs, town hall materials, launch communications, toolkits, videos, stories and employee engagement resources.
• Partner with change management to ensure communications support readiness, adoption, reinforcement and feedback, while maintaining clear accountability between communication and change activities.
• Develop audience-led communication approaches for executive leaders, people managers, impacted workflow users, all employees and specialist stakeholder groups across regions and functions.
• Lead employee engagement and feedback approaches that build understanding, trust and dialogue, identifying questions, concerns, resistance themes and opportunities to improve communication effectiveness.
• Coordinate communication activity across programme, product, HR, learning, technology, business, regional and functional communications teams to reduce duplication and protect message consistency.
• Establish and manage communication effectiveness measures, using data, employee insight and feedback to evaluate understanding, engagement, message reach and channel performance.
• Contribute to enterprise internal communications standards, playbooks, governance and knowledge sharing for future AI and transformation initiatives.

Location:

US / Europe (Hybrid Working Model)

Education:

Bachelor's degree (Communication, Psychology, or Business preferred but not required depending on experience)

Licenses/

Certifications:

Internal communication, change communication or digital communication certification desirable

What will you need to be successful?

• Director-level experience leading internal communications for large, complex, global organisations
• Proven experience leading communications for enterprise transformation, digital, technology, data, AI or major organisational change programmes
• Deep experience developing enterprise narratives, strategic messaging frameworks, leader communication plans, employee engagement approaches and communication governance
• Experience advising executive leaders and senior stakeholders on complex, sensitive and high-profile communication topics
• Experience managing communication across multiple audiences, channels, regions and work streams in highly matrixed environments
• Experience partnering with change management, HR, learning, technology, business and programme teams to support adoption and employee understanding at scale
• Significant experience setting communication standards, editorial discipline, governance and measurement for enterprise-wide communication programmes.
• Enterprise internal communications strategy and execution for complex technology, digital, AI or transformation programmes
• Enterprise narrative development, message architecture and audience-led storytelling
• Executive communications, leadership advisory, stakeholder counsel and senior-level influence
• Communication governance, decision rights, editorial planning and standards across…