Communications & Policy Manager

Kooth; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Pension contributions

AXA Health Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Life assurance

Job summary

Kooth is expanding its policy and communications leadership to shape external messaging and navigate regulatory developments in mental health. The Communications & Policy Manager will work with UK and US teams to ensure consistent, evidence-based storytelling and timely responses to policy changes.

You'll lead communications strategy, draft press materials, brief leadership, and partner with cross-functional teams to turn insights into strategic actions while working in a remote UK/Hybrid setup

Qualifications

• Experience in communications, public affairs or policy roles, or a related field.
• A proven ability to write clearly and persuasively for different audiences.
• Strong understanding of the policy and regulatory environment relevant to mental health.
• Excellent project management and administrative skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver communications strategies and materials for external audiences.
• Monitor policy and regulatory developments and translate into actionable leadership insights.
• Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, clinicians, campaign groups and regulators.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, commercial, research and marketing teams to inform strategic decisions.
• Develop tools and systems to track and maximise policy and communications impact.

Skills

Communications

Policy

Stakeholder engagement

Policy analysis

Writing & editing

Independent work

Job description

Location: Remote UK/Hybrid from London Reports to: Director of Policy and External Communications Salary: £45,000-£60,000 (dependent on experience) Working Pattern: Full time, 9am-5.30pm

Kooth is on a mission to remove the barriers that prevent people from accessing the mental health support they need. As the UK's longest-established digital mental health provider, we create welcoming, accessible spaces where young people can access personalised, effective support in a safe and anonymous way. Our early-intervention approach empowers young people aged 10-25 to build resilience, access timely support and lead fulfilling lives. Today, Kooth's products are available to over 18 million people across the UK and US, connecting them with qualified practitioners and a range of wellbeing resources when they need support. Our culture is grounded in our values - Alongside You, Flexible, Compassionate, Committed and Safe - which guide how we support young people, collaborate as a team and create solutions that meet communities where they are. You'll be joining at an exciting time as we continue to grow our product-led strategy and expand access to digital mental health support through Soluna, our innovative behavioural health service for young people.

About the role

We're looking for a Communications & Policy Manager to help shape how we communicate with external stakeholders, while tracking and responding to the policy and regulatory landscape that affects our business. This is a senior, high-visibility role for someone who can operate independently, think creatively and strategically, and move comfortably between writing a press statement, briefing leadership on a regulatory development, and working across the team to make sure your insights shape our strategy. We're a global team, with services across the UK and United States. While the policy side of this role will focus primarily on the UK, you'll work closely with US colleagues to make sure our work is joined-up, consistent and resonates across the geographies we serve.

What you’ll be doing

• Communications strategy and content - Develop and deliver communications strategies that reach the right audiences, working closely with our marketing and creative team, alongside external agencies and advisors. Draft and manage a range of materials, including press releases, talking points, executive briefings, op-eds, policy position papers and internal communications. Support the management of crisis communications and rapid-response activity when issues arise.
• Policy and regulatory insight - Monitor cultural, policy, legislative and regulatory developments relevant to the business. Translate these into clear, actionable insights for leadership.
• Stakeholder engagement - Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including policymakers, clinical leaders, campaign groups and regulators. Represent Kooth in industry coalitions, working groups and public forums as needed.
• Cross-functional impact - Partner with senior leadership, commercial, research and marketing teams so that policy insight informs strategic decisions. Turn internal insights into compelling stories, and help identify barriers to growth.
• Tools, systems and measurement - Lead the development of tools and systems to track and maximise the impact of policy and communications activity, including ownership of internal project management tools. Work with data science colleagues to scope opportunities to build agents or automate workflows.

We’re looking for someone who

• Writes clearly and persuasively for different audiences, from media and policymakers to executives and the public.
• Shows excellent judgement and discretion, and works well independently under time pressure.
• Brings enthusiasm, creativity and the ability to learn quickly.
• Is confident working collaboratively in a remote, geographically dispersed team.
• Stays organised while juggling multiple priorities.

What you’ll bring

• Experience in communications, public affairs or policy roles, or a related field.
• A proven ability to write clearly and persuasively for different audiences.
• A strong understanding of the policy and regulatory environment relevant to mental health.
• Strong project management and administrative skills.

Benefits

• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, in addition to public holidays.
• Financial Security: Secure your financial future with our pension contributions.
• Health and Well-being: Prioritize your health and well-being with our comprehensive AXA Health Insurance and access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The EAP offers 24/7 telephone mental health support and access to GP consultations, ensuring your mental and physical health are taken care of.
• Life Assurance: Gain peace of mind knowing that you're covered with life assurance, providing up to four times your ann