Head of Legal Communications & Enterprise Issues Management

Overview:

Vanguard’s Corporate Communications division is seeking a senior leader to serve as Head of Legal Communications & Enterprise Issues Management. This role is responsible for strengthening the firm’s enterprise-wide capability to anticipate, manage, and communicate through complex issues.

This position reflects a proactive investment in governance, preparedness, and responsible leadership. Vanguard is focused on building durable, scalable capabilities that ensure clarity, consistency, and sound judgment across a broad range of sensitive matters-supporting long-term trust and business continuity.

The Head of Legal Communications & Enterprise Issues Management will lead strategies, frameworks, and standards to help the organization navigate emerging and active issues. This role meaningfully enhances the firm’s ability to communicate clearly and responsibly in situations that require close coordination with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and senior leadership.

This leader will serve as a trusted advisor to executives, a close partner to the legal and compliance teams, and a steady presence in situations that demand credibility, discretion, and sound judgment. Fit, leadership style, and alignment with Vanguard’s culture and values are essential.

Core Responsibilities:

Enterprise Issues & Preparedness Strategy

• Develop and lead enterprise-wide issues management strategies that anticipate risk, support business objectives, and protect Vanguard’s reputation over the long term.
• Establish standards, frameworks, and governance models that enable disciplined, coordinated responses across the organization.
• Build scalable preparedness capabilities, including escalation models, response playbooks, and scenario planning, with particular attention to regulatory, legal, and compliance-related matters.

Executive & Legal Partnership

• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to senior leaders
• Partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and HR to develop communications strategies that are legally sound, regulator-aware, and reputationally responsible.
• Ensure alignment of messaging across internal and external channels.

Enterprise Issues Execution

• Lead the development and execution of high-quality communications materials across audiences, formats, and channels.
• Oversee all phases of issues communications-from preparation through execution, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure communications are timely, consistent, well-coordinated, and measurable.

Leadership

• Foster a culture grounded in trust, accountability, sound judgment, and collaboration.
• Set clear expectations and provide coaching and feedback aligned with Vanguard’s leadership principles.

Enterprise Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Partner closely with other Corporate Communications leaders to deliver integrated, enterprise-aligned communications strategies.
• Manage relationships with external advisors and communications firms supporting legal and regulatory matters.
• Monitor emerging risks, regulatory trends, and best practices in enterprise issues and legal communications, applying insights thoughtfully within Vanguard’s culture.
• Measure effectiveness and continuously strengthen enterprise preparedness.

Qualifications:

• 12+ years of experience in enterprise issues management, corporate communications, legal communications, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience supporting communications related to regulatory, compliance and legal matters
• Strong track record of close partnership with Legal and Compliance teams.
• Senior leadership experience with the ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Proven ability to operate with discretion, credibility, and sound judgment.
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior leaders.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred or equivalent experience.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission-we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.