Senior External Communications Manager - UKIFS Ltd.

STEP; South Wheatley; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in sustainable energy is seeking a visionary Senior External Communications Manager to shape the narrative of a groundbreaking fusion energy initiative. This role is pivotal in developing and executing a comprehensive external communications strategy, engaging with diverse stakeholders, and enhancing the visibility of the STEP programme. You will lead a dynamic team, foster relationships, and leverage digital channels to amplify the organization's message. Join a vibrant culture committed to inclusivity and innovation, and play a key role in promoting a project that aims to revolutionize energy production for the future.

Benefits

Defined Benefit Pension Scheme

Corporate Bonus Scheme up to 7%

Flexible Working Options

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous Annual Leave

Career Development Opportunities

Inclusive Culture

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven relationship builder with stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of external communications strategy for UKIFS and STEP.
• Manage and mentor a small team of communication professionals.
• Engage with stakeholders to enhance the programme's reputation.

Skills

Stakeholder Engagement

Community Relations

Communications Strategy

Media Relations

Team Leadership

Public Speaking

Digital Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Communications

Tools

Social Media Platforms

Content Management Systems

Job description

Company Description

UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is at the forefront of developing fusion sustainable energy. Through the design and delivery of STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme we aim to build a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040.

UKIFS will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year.

UKIFS employees can be based at either of our sites; West Burton, Nottinghamshire or Culham, Oxfordshire. This role will require some travel between sites, and to other locations for events. Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working.

The salary for this role is £59,723.

As an employee of UKIFS, you will benefit from:

• Outstandingdefined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporatebonus schemeup to 7%and aRelocationallowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working optionsincluding family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programmeand trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Wide range ofcareer development opportunities.
• A vibrantculturecommitted to being fullyinclusive.
• A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/
  
  

Job Description

The UKIFS Communications team is at the heart of our organisation, actively shaping and influencing at all levels. We operate in an energising, complex, and mission-driven environment. We are currently seeking a highly experienced and visionary Senior External Communications Manager to join our team at a crucial time in the development of the UKIFS organisation.

As the Senior External Communications Manager, you will have the opportunity to develop and deliver an external communications strategy, working closely with the newly appointed Head of Communications and Community Engagement. Your role will be pivotal in building the profile of the organisation and the STEP programme, ensuring all external stakeholders are informed, engaged, and excited by the opportunities offered by this ground-breaking, nationally significant programme.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and Deliver Communications Strategy:

• Lead the development and delivery of the external communications and stakeholder engagement strategy for UKIFS and STEP.
• Act as deputy to the Head of Communications on all matters of external communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Lead the external communications team, ensuring high-quality delivery and managing performance.
• Conduct horizon scanning to evolve the strategy to meet changing requirements.
  
  

Engage with Partners and Stakeholders:

• Develop and deliver an appropriate programme of external engagements to maintain and enhance the programme's reputation.
• Lead the interface with UKAEA group communications colleagues, ensuring alignment on key communication activities.
• Identify and capitalise on new engagement opportunities and communication channels.
• Act as a spokesperson, leading industry, community, and panel events as required.
  
  

Media Strategy and Digital Presence:

• Exploit digital channels and social media to increase brand and message penetration.
• Oversee the ongoing development of the website and ensure effective public consultation.
• Manage the strategic oversight of STEP and UKIFS social media presence.
• Lead media relations for the STEP programme, working with journalists at all levels.
  
  

Public Relations and Media Strategy:

• Develop and deliver a strategy to increase media coverage and grow brand awareness.
• Position key spokespeople as thought leaders across the fusion sector and beyond.
• Shape and maintain the positive public perception of the organisation through ongoing media engagement.
• Manage the organisation’s response to issues management.
  
  

Brand and Identity Development:

• Lead the evolution of the STEP and UKIFS brands.
• Ensure consistency in brand messaging across all communication touchpoints.
  
  

Collaborate with Internal Communications:

• Work closely with the Senior Internal Communications Manager to ensure alignment and consistency in messaging across both internal and external communications.
• Support joint initiatives that enhance the overall communication strategy and stakeholder engagement.
  
  

Team Development:

• Manage and mentor a small team of communication professionals, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and high performance.
• Utilise centrally held systems, services, and capabilities to deliver organisational objectives.
  
  

Leadership Mindset:

• Embody a leadership mindset and behaviours, embracing the organisation's culture, values, and mission.
• Foster a positive and inclusive team environment.
• Act as a cultural ambassador, representing the organisation's values and professionalism.
• Lead by example, demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and ethical behaviour.
  
  

Qualifications

Essential:

• Extensive experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, and community relations.
• A bachelor’s degree in communications or a related field.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and coaching teams to achieve high-quality delivery.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed, programmatic environments.
• Understanding of government structures and the role of national, regional, and local government in projects like STEP.
• Proven relationship builder with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience as a trusted advisor at CEO, Director, and executive team level.
• Proficiency in producing board-level papers and proposals.
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal.
• Ability to act as an ambassador for the programme.
• Strategic, creative, and innovative thinker.
  
  

Beneficial:

• CIPR qualification.
• Experience working on significant infrastructure projects.
• Experience with print and/or broadcast media.
  
  

Additional Information

For more information on UKIFS visit : https://careers.ukaea.uk/wp-content/uploads/download/UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf

We welcome talented people from all backgrounds who want to help us achieve our mission. We encourage applications from under-represented groups, particularly from women in STEM, ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and neurotypical individuals. Our Executive team, and our EDI Networks actively promote Inclusion and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open-source data.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants. If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications