Communications Manager

HM Revenue & Customs; Leeds; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking an Internal Communications Lead to set strategic direction and collaborate with stakeholders. The role involves developing impactful communications that engage and inspire. Ideal candidates will have expertise in internal communication strategies and strong leadership skills. This position is based in Leeds and offers opportunities to manage teams and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience in transformational change communications.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing communication strategies.
• Ability to engage with stakeholders beyond direct reporting lines.

Responsibilities

• Set direction for internal communications collaborating with senior stakeholders.
• Lead team to deliver effective communications aligned with business priorities.
• Champion continuous improvement in communications practices.

Skills

Excellent knowledge of internal communication best practice

Effective strategic thinking

Strong influencing skills

Good analytical skills

Leadership experience

Job description

Locations: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Preston, Portsmouth

We are recruiting for three Internal Communication Lead roles:

-Learning and Tax Professionalism Communications Lead

-People Communications Lead

-Strategic Change Communications Lead

Internal Communications Leads set direction and strategy for internal communications, working closely with senior stakeholders to create meaningful objectives and communications approaches that engage and inspire colleagues. They lead their teams to develop and deliver creative and impactful organisation-wide communications that support business priorities and align with wider departmental narratives.

This role requires building strong relationships with senior stakeholders to provide strategic advice and insight, whilst influencing direction and championing a culture of continuous improvement.

Job holders in this grade carry out a range of activities across communications professional disciplines to support efficient running of the directorate and may be deployed across any of the communications teams and functional areas to support emerging priority work.

Your key responsibilities:

• Set direction and strategy for internal communications, working collaboratively with senior stakeholders to create meaningful objectives and communications approaches that reflect organisational ambitions and priorities.
• Lead your team to plan, deliver and evaluate individual areas of communications activity, creatively engaging colleagues with day-to-day messaging, announcements and campaigns that support organisational priorities and are aligned to central narratives.
• Provide expert advice, challenge and support to stakeholders at all levels, understanding business objectives and developing communications approaches that fit with wider strategies and plans.
• Oversee the drafting and commissioning of high-quality communication products, aligned to central organisational narratives, delivering these through appropriate channels and working with specialist delivery teams as required.
• Play an active leadership role in the Communications Directorate and across the Government Communication Service community, championing best practice and continuous improvement.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by ensuring all activity is rigorously evaluated in line with GCS principles, reported as appropriate, and actionable insight is used and shared across Communications.
• Line manage direct reports, building and diversifying skills which enable them to achieve their goals, giving them development opportunities and managing talent effectively.
• Develop and lead virtual teams to deliver priorities, working in a matrix style and influencing those beyond your direct line management chain to achieve objectives.

Your key deliverables:

• Strategic communications advice and recommendations for senior stakeholders across the organisation.
• Strategic direction to enable your team to deliver effective and impactful communications activities.
• Regularly updated organisational narratives about key business activities and priorities.
• Cross-directorate collaboration on internal communications priorities.
• Team development plans and talent management strategies for direct reports and wider virtual teams.
• Professional development and continuous improvement initiatives in line with GCS standards and best practice.

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent knowledge of internal communication best practice including experience of transformational change communications, with the ability to draw on this expertise to develop strategies and recommendations for stakeholders at all levels.

• Effective strategic thinking, with a strong track record of leading the development and implementation of innovative communication strategies that meet business objectives, ensuring integration across communication channels and identifying any gaps.

• Ability to engage confidently with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals, with strong influencing skills to bring together key individuals to resolve problems or issues.

• Good analytical skills to understand and respond to qualitative and quantitative insight, evaluate the impact of communications and make informed decisions based on evidence.

• Ability to manage a large number of priorities simultaneously, ensuring conflicting pressures from various stakeholders are well managed whilst maintaining quality and effectiveness.

• Leadership experience with demonstrable ability to lead others to deliver results, establishing clarity of goals, managing talent effectively and considering value for money in all activities.