External Communications Manager

Rolls-Royce plc; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defence company seeks an External Communications Manager to lead strategic communications for high-profile projects. The role involves managing media relations and engaging with senior stakeholders. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in external communications, strong writing skills, and the ability to thrive in pressurized environments. Offering a competitive salary, the position is based in London or Bristol with hybrid working options.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Employee support assistance

Employee discounts

Continuous learning and development opportunities

Hybrid working arrangements

Qualifications

• Significant experience in developing and delivering communications strategies.
• Strong writing skills for various media and digital platforms.
• Comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders and government officials.
• Ability to manage complex issues in high-pressure environments.
• Experience in the Defence sector is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement external communications strategies.
• Manage media relations and stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to influence communications.
• Represent the company at events and manage content creation.

Job description

External Communications Manager page is loaded

External Communications Manager

Apply locations London Bristol time type Full time posted on Posted Yesterday job requisition id JR6140654

Job Description

External Communications Manager

Full time (Fixed Term – 12 Months)

London or Bristol / Hybrid

What you will be doing

When you join Rolls-Royce Defence as an External Communications Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how we tell our story across global markets. You’ll lead external communications for some of the most high-profile defence programmes in the UK and international markets, including the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

You’ll work closely with senior leaders, media and government partners, and industry stakeholders to deliver high-impact messaging and campaigns. If you’re a strategic communicator looking to influence globally significant projects while leading major events and campaigns, this is your chance to make a real impact.

Responsibilities

With this attractive opportunity, you will get a chance to:

• Lead and deliver integrated external communications strategies that promote Rolls-Royce Defence in the UK and international markets.

• Shape and manage media relations and stakeholder engagement across high-profile programmes such as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

• Work closely with senior external and internal stakeholders, including government, industry partners, international media, Rolls-Royce Government Relations, Business Development, Strategy and Group Communications to influence key narratives and campaigns.

• Represent the business at events and exhibitions, and manage the creation of high-quality content for digital and traditional channels.

• This role will require travel across the UK and internationally.

Why Rolls-Royce?

Work with us and we’ll welcome you into a culture of caring and belonging where you can be yourself. We will listen first, embrace feedback and act with integrity. We will invest in your continuous learning and development, and make sure you have access to a wide breadth and depth of opportunities to grow your career and make a difference.

This role sits within our Defence Communications team, focusing on external engagement across the UK and international markets, supporting major programmes.

As External Communications Manager, you’ll be at the heart of high-profile strategic initiatives, managing relationships with senior stakeholders, media, and government partners. You’ll have the opportunity to influence international narratives, lead communications for major defence campaigns and events, and contribute directly to the success of globally significant programmes. With exposure to senior leadership and cross-industry collaboration, this role is a springboard for future career growth within one of the world’s most respected engineering organisations.

We offer excellent development, a competitive salary and exceptional benefits. These include bonus, employee support assistance and employee discounts.

Hybrid working is a way in which our people can balance their time between the office, home or another remote location. It’s a locally managed and flexed informal discretionary arrangement. As a minimum we’re all expected to attend the workplace for collaboration and other specific reasons, frequency will depend on business needs, nature of role, what works for the team and for the individual. Discover more on our GBS Service Portal about hybrid working.

Who we’re looking for
Being a part of Rolls-Royce you’ll know we put safety first, do the right thing, keep it simple and make a difference. These principles form our behaviours. They are an essential component of our assessment process and are fundamental qualities that we seek for all roles.

• Have significant experience developing and delivering integrated external communications and media relations strategies at both a strategic and operational level.

• Demonstrate strong writing skills and experience creating content for media, speeches, marketing collateral, and digital platforms.

• Be confident engaging with senior stakeholders internally and externally, including media, government officials, industry partners and executive leadership.

• Have a proven ability to work under pressure, manage complex issues and make sound judgements in fast-paced environments.

• Ideally, you’ll bring experience from the Defence sector, with an understanding of MoD communications and stakeholder dynamics.

Join us & help Rolls-Royce to become a high-performing, competitive, resilient business.

Please be aware that the priority will be given to employees identified as being at high risk.

The professional level and the salary of the position will be dependent on the skills and experience of the successful candidate.

It is advised that you inform your current manager of your application for this role.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive working environment. We believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures give us different perspectives. And the more perspectives we have, the more successful we’ll be. By building a culture of respect and appreciation, we give everyone who works here the opportunity to realise their full potential.

Learn more about our global Inclusion Strategy

To work for the Rolls-Royce Defence business an individual has to hold a SC clearance. Rolls-Royce will support the application for SC Clearance if you do not currently already have this in place. Due to the nature of work the business conducts and the protection of certain assets we can only progress applications from individualswho are a UK national or, in MoD approved cases, a dual national.

Grade: Level C

Closing Date: 13/08/2025

Job Category

Corporate Affairs

Posting Date

30 Jul 2025; 00:07

Posting End Date

13 Aug 2025

About Us

Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver the cleanest, safest and most competitive solutions to our planet’s vital power needs.