Deputy Director, Communications and Campaigns, Universities UK

Rachel Miller; London; On-site; GBP 72,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Universities UK is seeking a Deputy Director for Communications and Campaigns to lead a substantial program aimed at reshaping perceptions of higher education. The role demands a seasoned professional with a passion for proactive campaigning, a strong media background, and excellent leadership skills to guide media and digital teams effectively.

Benefits

27 days' annual leave

Qualifications

• Strong strategic thinker with a track record in initiating and delivering campaign initiatives.
• Background in media and issues management.
• Experience in leading media and digital teams.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead the delivery of communications and campaign initiatives.
• Influence politicians, policy makers, and opinion formers using both social and traditional media.
• Manage media relations and demonstrate strong leadership within teams.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Campaign management

Media management

Leadership

Communication

Job description

Deputy Director, Communications and Campaigns

Location:	London
Salary:	£72,044 to £80,048 per annum
Permanent
Post Type:	Full Time
Closing Date:	Thursday 31 July 2025
Interview Date:	See advert
Reference:	UUK01525

Working with its members, Universities UK is embarking on a major programme of work to shift the dial on perceptions of higher education over the next four years. We are seeking a seasoned communications and campaigns leader to spearhead the delivery of this work.

You’ll be a strong strategic thinker, buzzing with ideas for how to build campaign initiatives that influence politicians, policy makers and opinion formers in a complex stakeholder and policy-based environment. You’ll also be able to show how you’ve initiated and delivered your ideas in similarly complex landscapes to UUK’s, especially using social and traditional media.

The UK’s universities are constantly hitting the headlines so as well as possessing a zeal for proactive campaigning, you’ll have a strong background in media and issues management. As well as being able to demonstrate all this experience, you’ll evidence strong leadership skills as this role will be responsible for getting the very best from our media and digital teams.

This is a rare opportunity to make a big impact – to harness a period of change in higher education to rebuild public confidence in one of our nation’s greatest strategic assets. We hope you’ll be as excited by that prospect as we are.

This role comes with generous terms and conditions, including 27 days’ annual leave.

Interviews are expected to take place in September 2025.

Further details

JobDescriptionandPersonSpecification

Universities UK (UUK) is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and joinUUK.

Find out more about working at UUK and our equality, diversity and inclusion action planon our website.