Head of Media

techUK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

techUK is seeking an experienced Head of Media to lead its press office and shape the UK's technology policy narrative from London. You will manage rapid responses to government announcements, regulate communications strategy, and brief senior leadership on media positions to influence public debate.

The role sits in a hybrid London setting, reporting to the Director of Marketing, Membership and Communications.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in communications with press contacts in technology and policy.
• Background in technology and/or policy communications.
• Demonstrable experience landing a story or shaping a debate.
• Experience managing a broad group of internal stakeholders and advising senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own techUK's press office, responding to time-sensitive media enquiries across technology policy.
• Set and deliver proactive communications to raise techUK's profile.
• Run spokespeople operations: briefings, media training, interviews.
• Lead crisis communications with forward-thinking strategies and statements.
• Build relationships with national, broadcast and trade journalists; write press releases and statements.
• Support media elements of report launches, events outreach and proactive communications.
• Inform and align internal communications with regular updates and newsletters.
• Line-manage a Junior Communications Manager.

Skills

Press relations

Media strategy

Crisis communications

Stakeholder management

Job description

Job Title: Head of Media

Location: London / Hybrid

Salary: £45,000 - £65,000 per annum based upon experience plus discretionary bonus and comprehensive benefits

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

Role Overview

This is an opportunity for an experienced media professional to own techUK's voice in the national conversation on technology and policy, running a busy press office and shaping how the UK's most contested tech issues are argued in public. As Head of Media, you will lead techUK's response to fast-moving Government announcements, regulatory developments and industry news on behalf of our more than 1,200 members, often to tight deadlines. No two days are the same, from rapid-response commentary on data centres, AI regulation or defence procurement to proactive outreach on robotics in healthcare or international trade. You will bring clarity to complex issues and protect our reputation as a relevant, credible and influential trade association. You will sit at the heart of techUK's operation. You will be in the room as our positions are developed, brief the Senior Leadership Team before broadcast and interviews, and join meetings with Government and regulators alongside our policy leads. Few in-house media roles offer this proximity to the substance, and it is what turns press handling into genuine influence. Reporting to the Director of Marketing, Membership and Communications, you will run the press office, set and deliver our proactive media strategy, manage our spokespeople and lead issues and crisis communications. Success is measured by cut-through rather than volume: the quality and placement of coverage, and whether techUK's arguments shape the debate on the issues that matter most to our members.

Key Responsibilities

• Own techUK's press office, responding to often technical and time-sensitive media enquiries across the technology policy landscape.
• Set and deliver techUK's proactive communications, identifying news opportunities that raise techUK's profile and support the wider technology sector.
• Run techUK's spokespeople operation: developing briefings, delivering media training sessions, sitting in on interviews and accompanying colleagues to in-person interviews where appropriate.
• Lead issues and crisis communications, preparing forward-thinking crisis comms strategies, statements and briefing.
• Build relationships with national, broadcast and trade journalists, and write press releases, briefings, and statements.
• Support the media elements of our report launches, events outreach and other proactive communications.
• Support internal communications, keeping colleagues informed of business updates and core messaging, and deliver regular internal updates including a bi-weekly newsletter, all-hands calls and ad hoc Town Halls.
• Line-manage a Junior Communications Manager, leading by example, providing day-to-day support and direction.

Core Competencies

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

• Proactive, curious and forward-thinking attitude.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong time-management and organisational skills, able to juggle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines.
• Sound judgement and discretion, particularly when handling sensitive or time-sensitive media enquiries.
• Composure under pressure, with the ability to stay level-headed during fast-moving or crisis situations.
• The confidence to form and hold a view on policy substance at speed - able to get across a technical argument quickly and make it in your own words to a journalist on a deadline.

Essential Knowledge And Experience

• Proven experience in communications, with established press contacts in technology and policy.
• A background in technology and/or policy communications, with a clear passion for the sector and current issues it faces.
• Demonstrable experience of landing a story or shaping a debate, rather than volume of coverage secured.
• Experience managing a broad group of internal stakeholders, including advising senior stakeholders and managing expectations, while delivering to deadline.
• An understanding of social media and digital content across multiple channels.

Desired Knowledge And Experience

• Experience in a newsroom, in Parliament, in Government or in a policy-facing in-house role - somewhere that has given you a feel for how the UK policy debate actually moves.
• Agency experience - techUK works across a variety of sectors, technologies and issues. We are keen to see experience in switching between different messages and audiences.
• Experience of, or confidence in, supporting in crisis communications and working directly with senior spokespeople on the rapid development of messages. Experience in upskilling a direct report.

Additional Information

This is a full time role based out of techUK's London offices, however techUK operates a flexible working policy. Ad-hoc UK travel may be required depending on the needs of the business.

This role profile is a guide to the work that is required but does not form part of any contract of employment and may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances.

The successful candidate must have permission to work in the UK prior to the commencement of employment.

Candidates with experience of: Director of Media, Media Manager, Head of Digital Media, Communications Manager may be considered for this role