A reader recently asked me how to find and test a potential candidate to run internal communications and the corporate intranet.

I’ve helped a few clients hire an intranet manager and here are some of the key duties and skills that I suggest are necessary – based on a job posting for the slightly more prolific Editor-in-Chief (feel free to take out some duties and skills for a less prolific position):

Duties:

• Provide the editorial leadership for Intranet, editing and overseeing daily content and news production.
• Support alignment of timely and effective Internal Communications by developing and maintaining an editorial schedule and by being a key writer of homepage content including corporate news and polls.
• Develop, maintain and manage the necessary infrastructure for content publication including policies, process and procedures.
• Create and maintain standards to ensure quality control of the content on the Intranet, working in partnership with Business Unit and Divisional site administrators and content owners to enforce content-editorial policy and corporate identity guidelines.
• Chair the Intranet Editorial Board and be an active member on the Intranet Council.
• Partner with the Intranet Council, IT, Business Units, web administrators, content owners and project stakeholders to identify opportunities and implement solutions that drive usage, streamline processes and facilitate communications, ultimately developing goals and strategies for future content growth.
• Review and analyze employee feedback and site metrics on an ongoing basis, taking action where appropriate to drive usage and enhance content.
• Support the implementation of the Intranet revamp launch communications plan. 
• Support the implementation of employee communication initiatives including quarterly employee updates, employee cascades, electronic newsletters and special projects. 

Qualifications:

• Accomplished and fluent business writer and editor, preferably with experience working in a daily newspaper, publication, news, business Internet or Intranet environment
• Experience in communication management of Intranets including the use of Content Management Systems (CMS), internet content presentation and web writing style
• Familiarity with web technology and how it can be leveraged as a communication/business tool
• Strong relationship building and negotiation skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment with the ability to adapt to change and meet timelines without sacrificing quality
• Basic knowledge of HTML and ASP and some experience in design software and web implementation tools/languages: Photoshop, Illustrator/Freehand, Flash, html,dhtml, javascript 
• Post secondary training or a degree in a related field
• Effective interpersonal, communication, time management and collaboration skills
• 5+ years applicable experience

Keep in mind that the Editor-in-Chief is more than a writer. The Editor-in-Chief is a manager – they manage people, apply standards, and know a thing or two about stick-handling through corporate politics. Writing skills are important, but less important than management skills.

There are a number of personality and management tests that could be employed for testing these skills. My suggestion and one of my favorites is the DISC Profile Personality Test. This is to test apptitude, personality, and management skills. Other writing and skillset tests would be above and beyond this DISC profile test.