Director of Communications & External Affairs

The Electoral Commission; London; On-site; GBP 103,000 - 119,000; Full time

Job description

Director of Communications & External Affairs

The Electoral Commission

Salary: £103,282 - £118,236 (plus £3,217 London weighting and generous benefits)

Location: The Commission is a UK-wide regulator and these roles could be based at any Electoral Commission office, with significant presence required in the Commission’s office in London.

The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. It promotes public confidence in the democratic process and ensures its integrity. A small yet high-impact organisation, our work is wide-reaching and of significant public interest. Over the coming years, the Commission will oversee the delivery of an ambitious Corporate Plan through a critical period of UK-wide elections, especially building our digital offer to voters. It will regulate the rules on political finance, in the context of increasingly complex campaigning techniques and growing public concerns. It will also continue to play a crucial role in coordinating, leading and informing debate to ensure the resilience of our democratic process. We are an ambitious and forward-looking organisation currently at the outset of significant transformation that will enable us to continue delivering for citizens.

In this context, we are now seeking the appointment of a Director of Communications & External Affairs. Reporting to the CEO, you will be a key member of the Executive Leadership Team responsible for managing all of our communications work across the UK. External campaigns, digital outreach and media engagement all form key pillars of this approach, as does ensuring that our internal communications are effective. In the midst of significant legislative change, our ability to communicate with diverse audiences will be critical, and you will spearhead this work. Alongside this, you will also be responsible for delivering a new digital offer aimed at providing voters with easy access to any information they need to support them in engaging in the democratic process. You will inspire and lead our expert workforce, harnessing their commitment and capability to deliver on our strategic plans. You will promote and deliver critical change and improvement as we reimagine how the Commission functions and ensure that its voice is heard, respected and trusted wherever it operates.

You will be an experienced leader able to build credibility with stakeholders across the electoral system and to the highest levels in the Commission itself. You will have experience of managing a busy and complex communications function with a track record of shaping innovative and compelling public campaigns and engaging with the media on a range of issues. You will understand the role and value of a regulator, be familiar with the devolution agenda and show an understanding of how effective regulation works in practice when communicating with audiences. You will be people-focused, committed to our mission and able to deliver positive results through the teams that you lead.

We would like to continuously increase the diversity of our employees. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcomed.

This is a critical and exciting role at the heart of safeguarding the UK electoral process. For more details about the role, please click ‘Apply’ or for a confidential discussion about the role and your suitability contact Matt Malone ([e-mail]) of our recruitment partners, GatenbySanderson.

Closing Date: 5pm on Tuesday 6 May 2025

Link: https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe121078/Director-of-Communications--External-Affairs/