External Communications Manager: Engineering, Technology & Safety

Rolls-Royce Corporation; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Annual Leave

Group Life Assurance

Income Protection

Rolls-Royce Shares Matching

Job summary

Rolls-Royce Corporation seeks an External Communications Manager for Engineering, Technology & Safety (ET&S) to shape external narratives and drive external communications. You will develop media strategies, executive content and thought-leadership opportunities, translating complex engineering topics for external audiences.

The role requires collaborating with senior leaders, managing issues, and delivering integrated campaigns in a hybrid environment (3 days on site in Derby or Bristol).

Qualifications

• Proven experience developing narratives and proactive external comms programmes across digital channels.
• Outstanding writing and editorial skills for complex technical subjects.
• Strong news judgement identifying stories with relevance beyond the organisation.
• Experience advising senior executives on external positioning.
• Passion for engineering, technology, innovation and safety communications.

Responsibilities

• Shape the external communications strategy for ET&S and leadership narratives.
• Develop media strategies, announcements, executive content and thought leadership opportunities.
• Build a proactive content pipeline covering engineering breakthroughs, safety and partnerships.
• Advise senior leaders and SMEs; translate technical subjects for external audiences.
• Manage issues and reputation in alignment with Group Communications.

Skills

Proven experience developing narrativ​

Proactive external comms programmes

Outstanding writing

Editorial skills

Communicate complex subjects

Strong news judgement

Advising senior executives

External positioning

Engineering comms

Tech comms

Safety comms

Project management

Stakeholder influence

Collaborative approach

Challenge status quo

Media strategies

Executive content

Thought leadership

Tech media relations

Engineering media relations

Issues management

Reputation management

Insights & measurement

Integrated campaigns

Governance for content

Budget planning

Tools

UK media relations

Digital channels

Job description

External Communications Manager – Engineering, Technology & Safety

Derby or Bristol – Hybrid (3 days per week on site). Full time.

Why join Rolls-Royce?

At Rolls-Royce we are proud to be a business that has truly helped to shape the modern world and are committed to always being a force for progress; powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere. By joining Rolls-Royce, you'll have the opportunity to work on world-class solutions, supported by a culture that believes individuality is our greatest strength, and all perspectives, experiences and backgrounds help us innovate and enable our high-performance culture.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an External Communications Manager to shape and deliver external communications for the Engineering, Technology & Safety (ET&S) function, telling the story of our engineering expertise, technology and innovation to strengthen our reputation and drive our growth potential.

Engineering, Technology & Safety (ET&S) is the team at the heart of Rolls-Royce, with the capabilities to drive engineering and manufacturing excellence, enabling fast and efficient development and deployment of safe, innovative and mature products. We deliver cutting-edge technology and world-class engineering and manufacturing solutions that enhance efficiency, performance, sustainability and safety, keeping Rolls-Royce competitive, future-ready and a trusted partner for all our customers across Civil Aerospace, Defence, Power Systems and Nuclear.

You will develop and embed a compelling external narrative for ET&S, aligned with the company communications strategy and corporate narrative, strengthening our reputation for distinctive engineering expertise, technology, innovation capability and leadership among key external audiences.

As part of our selection process, candidates in certain locations may be asked to complete an online assessment, which can include cognitive and behavioural aptitude testing relevant to the role. If required, full instructions for the next steps will be provided.

Key Accountabilities

• Shape the external communications strategy for ET&S, including the development of a nascent technology narrative to strengthen our reputation for distinctive engineering expertise, technology and innovation capability and leadership among key external audiences
• Develop media strategies, announcements, features, executive content and thought-leadership opportunities in support of ET&S and Group Communications strategies
• Build a proactive content pipeline covering engineering breakthroughs, innovation, safety, people, partnerships, capability and commercially focused outcomes
• Be a trusted advisor to senior leaders and subject-matter experts
• Translate complex engineering and technical subjects into clear, accessible and engaging stories for external audiences
• Protect and strengthen reputation through insight and issues management in conjunction with the Group Communications team
• Use insight and evaluation to refine the narrative, content priorities, channel and media strategy and track communications impact with target audiences

Key Experiences and Qualifications

• Proven experience developing narratives and building proactive external communications programmes from an early stage, including best practice across digital channels
• Outstanding writing and editorial skills, with proven ability to communicate complex technical subjects clearly and credibly
• Strong news judgement, with the ability to identify stories with relevance beyond the organisation
• Experience advising senior executives and technical experts on external positioning
• Passion for and knowledge of engineering, technology, innovation and/or safety communications
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to build networks and influence across a complex, highly matrixed organisation
• Strong collaborative approach, with the ability to bring new thinking and challenge the status quo
• Experience developing and executing media strategies, announcements, executive content and thought-leadership opportunities
• Experience building relationships with technology, engineering, innovation and/or corporate media
• Experience supporting issues and reputation management involving complex or sensitive subject matter
• Experience using insight, measurement and evaluation to assess reputation outcomes and refine communications activity
• Experience working across multiple communications disciplines to deliver integrated external communications campaigns
• Establish effective approval and governance processes for complex or sensitive technical content
• Plan and manage activity within an allocated budget

Regional Benefits

• Generous Annual Leave
• Retirement Savings through the Rolls-Royce Retirement Savings Trust
• Group Life Assurance provides for a lump sum benefit if you die whilst employed by Rolls-Royce Group
• Income Protection provides an income in the event that you are unable to work due to illness or injury
• Your Shares: Matched is a simple way to own Rolls-Royce shares and invest in our future, together. Buy one share, get one free!
• Our vision is to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that shaped our history continues into our future.
• Our multi-year transformation programme aims to turn Rolls-Royce into a high-performing, competitive, resilient and growing company.
• Join us, and it can be your future vision too.
• Rolls-Royce are committed to being a respectful, inclusive, and non-discriminatory workplace where individuality is valued, diverse perspectives fuel innovation, and everyone can thrive.