What does a Head of Communications and Public Affairs actually do?
Digitization is changing our working world. This creates new professions and job descriptions. But what is behind the designations? We want to make that tangible in “And what are you doing?” Today: Maxwell Philp, Head of Communications and Public Affairs at plug surfing.
BASIC thinking: Maxwell, you work as Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Plugsurfing. Describe to us in four sentences how you explain your job to new friends.
Most people are familiar with the work of a social media influencer. My work is similar, albeit much more background. Rather than helping people make their purchasing decisions about a specific product, I am positioning Plugsurfing as the trusted EV charging service with the media, policy makers, and our partners and customers through polished messaging and a clear tone of voice.
I also work with my colleagues in other companies. Together we ensure that policy makers understand what needs to be done to make the transition to electric cars successful from an infrastructure perspective.
Contents
A normal working day as Head of Communications and Public Affairs
What does a normal day look like in your job?
First, I check my messages and emails to see if there’s a task that needs immediate attention. I spend about half my working hours, maybe even more, on meetings. I also find out about current events in the industry.
In my job it is very important that I am always up to date on what is happening in the e-mobility sector and thus take the opportunity to position Plugsurfing when it is thematically appropriate. I also spend time writing, preparing presentations and communicating with stakeholders.
What do you start the day with?
I like to start my day with some exercise. At the same time, I’m not a morning person. So the early hours are always a balancing act for me. I drink my first coffee, have a hearty breakfast and read the news. When I have time, I like to go to the gym. But even a walk to the office or a bike ride gets the blood pumping.
Head of Communications and Public Affairs: Responsibilities
What tasks are in your area?
In my role I am at the interface between political work and communication. So on the one hand I am involved in building our future society, on the other hand I explain how plugsurfing and the electromobility industry creates added value for this.
My main task is to represent Plugsurfing towards legislation, the media and our customers. I work in a trade association called ChargeUp Europe, which advocates for our industry in Brussels.
Together we refine our messages and political demands. In this way, they can be heard and accepted by the political decision-makers. I also work on storytelling for articles and take care of brand communication for our customers.
How do you personally define and interpret your job as Head of Communications and Public Affairs?
I see myself as an advocate of Plugsurfing. I make sure that the right people hear and understand our voice and our vision for our product, our industry and for the future economy of Europe.
If I am successful in my role, Plugsurfing will be perceived positively and the conditions in the wider market and society will be ripe for our success as a company.
Integration into the corporate structure
How is your position integrated into the company structure? Say: Who do you report to and with whom do you work?
I report to our Chief Marketing Officer because public affairs and communications are part of marketing as it is about storytelling and creating the right market conditions through political lobbying. For communication work, I work regularly with the Head of Design.
With our Head of Customer Success, I select media-related topics. I also meet regularly with the Head of Strategy, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and the legal team to set our policy positions and develop regulatory response mechanisms.
Of course, the role of the Head of Communications and Public Affairs is interpreted differently in every company. What perspectives are you missing out on that are fundamentally part of the job description?
My job focuses on public relations rather than general communications. As a result, I do not oversee many communications related to our products. From push notifications to transactional emails, pretty much everything is covered by our product team.
Nevertheless, we are of course in lively exchange. I’m also less directly involved in things like marketing emails and newsletters, although I regularly contribute to our official branded content and social media work streams.
Fun and gratitude at work
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I can work with people from all over Europe who are passionate about a new, sustainable future. It’s great to be able to learn from my colleagues in the other companies as part of the public relations work and to see what they are dealing with in their organizations and countries. I can work with them on communication campaigns to spread the message of our industry across Europe.
What are you particularly grateful for?
I really feel like I’m helping to create a cleaner and better world for everyone. The faster we roll out electric car infrastructure, and the better government knows how best to structure that rollout, the faster we can reduce our dependency on petroleum products.
This will of course benefit the climate, but also our cities. Imagine Berlin without polluting cars. The air would be so good! There are also many other benefits beyond environmental friendliness. The digitization of our mobility will enable us to live in a completely different way.
There will be less need to own a car and software can really moderate our transportation and ensure that the energy going into the cars is from renewable sources. I am convinced that my work makes a real contribution to the future green digital economy in Europe.
Tips for newcomers and career changers
In the digital industry in particular, there is often no longer a classic education. How did you get your position?
As an American, I find the German model of vocational training too rigid. You don’t need a qualification to do a job. We can really achieve anything if we put our minds to something. I think Germany loses a lot of great talent if it keeps people from getting a job because they don’t qualify on paper.
I got this role through a combination of experience, some education and the confidence of my managers that I could turn my passion into great work.
For the first ten years of my career, I worked in various communications roles and earned my master’s degree in international affairs. In addition, I gained research experience in the field of public policy from the very first days of my career. So when you put the puzzle together, it fits.
What tip would you give to a newcomer or interested career changer who also wants to become Head of Communications and Public Affairs?
This job is about relationships: socializing and communicating with different people is paramount! It’s also helpful to stay up to date on politics. If you can show that you know what you’re talking about, you can have better conversations and gradually build on that knowledge base for future work.
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