Director of Corporate Communications & Sustainability

AXA UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance firm in the UK seeks a Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability. This pivotal role involves defining and executing a comprehensive strategy to enhance AXA's external narrative and corporate reputation across multiple business units. The successful candidate will require extensive expertise in corporate communications and reputation management, ensuring alignment with regulatory and governance standards. This position allows for a hybrid working model, combining home and office work to suit individual needs.

Benefits

Competitive annual salary

Annual performance-based bonus

Contributory pension scheme

Life Assurance

Private medical cover

28 days annual leave

Wellbeing services

Employee discounts

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level expertise in corporate communications, ideally in financial services.
• Deep experience in sustainability and reputation strategies.
• Exceptional capability in managing reputation risks and sensitive issues.
• Strong relationships with journalists and political stakeholders.
• Highly developed executive communications and media handling skills.
• Extensive experience in matrix leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver integrated strategies that drive outcomes.
• Strong commercial and strategic acumen.
• Advanced understanding of emerging communication technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead Corporate Communications and Sustainability function.
• Define and execute an external narrative and reputation strategy.
• Shape public policy and manage relationships with government and regulators.
• Drive AXA UK’s corporate reputation strategy.
• Ensure alignment with global strategy and governance requirements.
• Lead proactive and reactive media activity.
• Manage reputational risk assessments.
• Represent AXA at senior external levels.
• Embed robust ESG reporting standards.

Skills

Corporate communications

Public affairs

Media relations

Sustainability

Reputation management

Strategic planning

Influencing stakeholders

C-suite communication

Education

Extensive senior-level expertise in a regulated environment

Tools

Media intelligence platforms

AI-powered search tools

Job description

Description

As Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability, you’ll lead a newly created, integrated Corporate Communications and Sustainability function, bringing together Corporate Communications, Media Relations, Public Affairs, ESG/Sustainability, Executive Communications and Reputation Management under a single, senior strategic leader. Reporting into the Chief Customer and Communications Officer, you’ll set the ambition, standards and governance for how AXA UK&I shows up externally at a Group, Market and Business Unit level.

You'll be responsible for defining and executing a renewed Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability strategy for AXA UK. Setting the external narrative for the Market, strengthening AXA’s position with government, regulators, industry bodies and media, whilst also embedding a consistent, insight-led corporate reputation strategy across all business lines. You'll work across the entirety of AXA UK, which include our Commercial, Health and Retail Business Units, providing a unifying corporate narrative and integrated reputation strategy for the whole UK market.

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations, visiting clients or attending industry events.

What you’ll be doing:

• Work closely with the Head of Sustainability to deliver AXA UK ambition, ensuring regulatory alignment, clear governance, integrated reporting and a strong external narrative that positions AXA as a credible, responsible business across climate, inclusion, responsible investment and societal impact.
• Own AXA UK’s external influence strategy by shaping public policy, managing relationships with government, regulators and industry bodies, advising the chief Customer and Communication officer, CEO and MC on political, economic and regulatory developments that affect the business.
• Define and drive AXA UK’s corporate reputation strategy, including how we position AXA in the UK insurance market, how we communicate our transformation agenda, and how we differentiate ourselves versus the competitive landscape.
• Ensure UK alignment with global strategy, governance requirements, reporting expectations and corporate positioning. Shape how AXA UK contributes to and influences group wide initiatives, embedding global frameworks while tailoring to local market context. Serve as a trusted partner to group leadership on strategic issues, major announcements and global campaigns.
• Lead all proactive and reactive media activity, including national media, financial media, sector press and policy commentary.
• Oversee horizon scanning, reputational risk assessment and Group alignment. Lead complex issues, manage sensitive and politically significant communications, and ensure AXA’s crisis preparedness and response capability is best‑in‑class.
• Represent AXA externally at senior levels including industry forums, regulatory roundtables, parliamentary briefings and ESG platforms. Build strong, influential networks that position AXA as a trusted leader in the sector.
• Embed robust ESG reporting standards, working closely with Group Sustainability. Lead the integration of climate, social and governance metrics into corporate reporting, stakeholder disclosures and narrative ESG communications.
• Lead the strategic adoption of emerging AI, digital and search technologies across the Corporate Communications and Sustainability function.

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role, we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure we’re able to effectively manage interest. Therefore, if you’re interested in joining us at AXA, please don’t hesitate to apply.

What you’ll bring:

• Extensive senior‑level expertise in corporate communications, public affairs, media relations, sustainability and reputation management, operating at C‑suite and Board level within a complex, regulated environment, ideally insurance or financial services.
• Deep experience developing and delivering Sustainability and reputation strategies, including governance structures, regulatory reporting, climate disclosures and stakeholder engagement at senior levels.
• Exceptional reputation leadership capability, including horizon scanning, reputation risk management, scenario planning and directing responses to politically sensitive or complex external issues.
• Established credibility and authority to influence external agendas and shape debate through strong relationships with senior journalists, political stakeholders, regulators, industry bodies, and by representing AXA UK as a visible ambassador at key external events, forums, and government roundtables.
• Highly developed executive communications and media handling skills, including managing complex announcements, high‑stakes interviews, issues responses and major strategic programmes.
• Extensive experience in matrix leadership, working across multiple divisions influencing outcomes without direct control and delivering alignment on enterprise priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver integrated corporate communications and sustainability strategies that strengthen reputation, support business transformation and drive measurable outcomes.
• Strong commercial and strategic acumen, with the ability to connect external environment insight, political/regulatory change, reputational impact and business strategy.
• Advanced understanding of emerging communications technologies, including AI‑powered search, content production tools, media intelligence platforms and digital influence techniques — with the ability to translate these into strategic advantage.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

What we offer:

At AXA UK, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary
• Annual company & performance‑based bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 × annual salary)
• Private medical cover
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• Wellbeing services & resources
• AXA employee discounts

To apply, click on the ‘apply for this job’ button, you’ll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long‑term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, we’re proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to [e-mail].

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Who we are:

AXA UK Support Functions power AXA’s three customer‑facing business units, providing the infrastructure, support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether you’ve got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you, or you’re just starting out, we’ll give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence.