Europe External Communications Manager

InterContinental Hotels Group; Windsor; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Windsor, UK, seeks a Communications Manager specialising in External Communications to join its Europe Corporate Affairs team. You will help shape external narratives for Europe and support senior leaders across a multi-market region.

The role covers media relations, crisis management, agency oversight, and strategic storytelling to elevate IHG’s image with owners, partners, media and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant external communications experience.
• Experience in a complex, matrixed corporate environment.
• Strong media relations and crisis-handling skills.
• Exceptional written communication and storytelling ability in English.
• Ability to advise senior stakeholders and influence at all levels.
• Experience leading agencies, managing budgets, and running end-to-end campaigns.
• Collaborative mindset that aligns messages and builds engagement.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Business Unit and Market Leadership to bring key European growth priorities to life through external narrative.
• Advise senior leadership on external messaging, media strategies, risk and reputation.
• Identify and oversee external speaking opportunities for key spokespeople and briefings.
• Coordinate external comms activity at leading industry events with related teams.
• Manage external comms plans and press materials, and oversee Europe press office.
• Lead up to four PR agencies across Europe for strategy and delivery.
• Develop thought leadership for Europe’s leaders through storytelling and LinkedIn.
• Collaborate with Global Corporate Affairs on campaigns and initiatives.
• Participate in crisis communications as part of a regional team, including on-call duty.
• Collaborate with EMEAA and Global Corporate Affairs to align with regional strategy.

Skills

External communications

Media relations

Crisis communications

Written communication

Storytelling

Stakeholder advisory

Agency management

Budget management

Job description

Inspire Growth. Protect and Enhance Reputation. Tell the Story of IHG’s Next Chapter.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we're shaping the future of hospitality, and we're looking for an Communications Manager specializing in External Communications, to join our Europe Corporate Affairs team at our Global Headquarters in Windsor.

This is an exciting opportunity to build your communications career at one of the world's leading hotel companies. You'll gain exposure to a global business with more than one million hotel rooms worldwide, while playing a key role in Europe, one of IHG's largest regions, spanning more than 40 countries and nearly 1,000 open hotels.

Working alongside a supportive team of experienced communications professionals, you'll help tell the stories that shape how IHG is seen by our hotel owners, partners, media and external stakeholders. From corporate communications and media relations to issues management and events, you'll have the chance to make a real impact while learning from senior leaders and experienced colleagues across the business.

If you're curious, proactive and ready for your next challenge, we'd love to hear from you.

Your day-to-day

• Partner with Business Unit and Market Leadership to bring key European growth priorities to life through an external narrative that elevates IHG’s position in priority markets across Europe.
• Act as the go-to for external communications in Europe - advising senior leadership (including regional MDs) on external messaging, media strategies, risk and reputation.
• Identify and oversee external speaking opportunities for key spokespeople that build awareness of IHG’s initiatives across key media markets and manage senior spokespeople briefings - from the UK & Ireland and Germany to France, Spain and beyond.
• Facilitate external comms activity, including media and panel briefs, at leading industry events, and work closely with Hotel Development and Development Communications & Events teams.
• Manage external communications plans and materials, including press materials (press releases, Q&A decks, spokesperson briefing notes), and help manage the busy Europe press office.
• Manage up to four PR agencies across Europe to ensure best-in-class strategy, delivery, and performance against IHG’s brand and reputation goals.
• Develop thought leadership platforms for Europe’s senior leaders through strategic storytelling and LinkedIn programmes.
• Collaborate with your wider Global Corporate Affairs colleagues to feed into 360 market- and business-wide communications campaigns and initiatives.
• Play an active role in crisis communications management as part of a trusted regional team, including being part of an Out-of-Hours on call rota.
• Collaborate with EMEAA and Global Corporate Affairs colleagues to deliver aligned and impactful communications that ladder up to our regional strategy.

What we need from you

• Significant communications experience, focusing on external disciplines, ideally with agency experience.
• Proven success in a complex, matrixed corporate environment, ideally with B2B or hospitality experience.
• Strong media relations and crisis-handling skills.
• Exceptional written communication and storytelling ability in English (additional European languages a plus).
• Confidence and judgment to advise senior stakeholders and influence at every level.
• Experience leading agencies, managing budgets, and running end-to-end external communication campaigns in high-pace environments.
• A collaborative mindset — someone who brings people together, aligns messages, and builds engagement through clear, authentic communication.

You’ll join a passionate Corporate Affairs team at the heart of IHG’s European growth journey, supporting strategic priorities, driving engagement, and helping shape how our story is told in outside our business.

Closing date for applications 15th September2026

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