Head of Reputation Communications

VMA Group; England; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Hybrid working (4 days in office, 1 from home)

Highly flexible working options

Wide range of other benefits

Wide range of other benefits

Job summary

A global FMCG organization is seeking an experienced Head of Reputation Communications to lead crisis preparedness and manage reputational risks. This pivotal role involves advising senior leaders, shaping communication strategies, and collaborating across various departments. The ideal candidate should have significant experience in crisis communications and issues management, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively. Benefits include performance bonuses and hybrid working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in issues management, crisis communications, and reputational advisory.
• Strong understanding of UK media, consumer sentiment, and digital/social media landscapes.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to distil complexity quickly.
• Highly analytical with hands-on experience using social listening and monitoring tools.
• Composed, resilient, and decisive under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Advise on positioning and messaging for sensitive topics.
• Partner with Legal, Marketing, HR, and Sustainability to assess potential issues.
• Monitor media and social sentiment to manage reputational risks.
• Shape crisis communication strategies and ensure consistent messaging.
• Deliver regular reputational landscape reports to senior leadership.
• Support governance and review of advertising and communication assets from a reputational perspective.

Skills

Issues management

Crisis communications

Reputational advisory

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Influencing

Collaboration

Tools

Social listening tools

Job description

Head of Reputation Communications

Exclusive opportunity for a Head of Reputation Communications to play a pivotal role in anticipating, managing, and mitigating reputational and communication risks for a global FMCG organisation. Operating as a senior specialist within Corporate Affairs, this role identifies emerging issues, drives crisis preparedness and response, and safeguards both corporate and brand reputation. Highly cross‑functional, it provides expert counsel to senior leaders on sensitive topics, public sentiment, and communication strategy.

Reputational Risk Management

• Advise on positioning and messaging for sensitive topics, ensuring alignment with brand and corporate priorities.
• Partner with Legal, Marketing, HR, and Sustainability to assess potential issues and maintain a reputational risk register.
• Monitor media, social sentiment, and emerging risks, setting up and managing relevant tools and dashboards (team support available).
• Develop and maintain issues‑management playbooks, scenarios, and escalation processes.
• Lead training and simulation exercises to embed a reputation‑aware culture across the business.
• Support governance and review of advertising and communication assets from a reputational perspective.

Crisis Response

• Act as coordination lead during issues or crises, providing clear recommendations on actions and communications.
• Shape crisis communication strategies and ensure consistent messaging across internal and external channels.
• Conduct real‑time monitoring, assess impact, and advise on recovery strategies.
• Provide expert counsel on sensitive topics, cultural trends, and societal shifts relevant to brand and corporate risk.
• Draft and evolve communication policies and guidelines, partnering with teams to ensure organisation‑wide adoption.
• Deliver regular reputational landscape and risk insight reports to senior leadership and global teams.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with External Communications on media strategy and reactive response.
• Align with Public Affairs on issues involving political or regulatory dimensions.
• Support Internal Communications on sensitive employee messaging and protocols for business continuity scenarios.
• Work closely with brand, legal, scientific, HR and operational teams to ensure facts, actions and communications are aligned.

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience in issues management, crisis communications, and reputational advisory.
• Strong understanding of UK media, consumer sentiment, and digital/social media landscapes.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to distil complexity quickly.
• Highly analytical with hands‑on experience using social listening and monitoring tools.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across a matrix organisation.
• Composed, resilient, and decisive under pressure, with strong strategic judgement.
• Experience in fast‑paced and reputation‑sensitive sectors such as consumer goods or FMCG is preferred.

Benefits

• Performance bonus
• Hybrid working (4 days in office, 1 from home)
• Highly flexible working options
• Wide range of other benefits

Contact

If you have the experience and are interested in discussing further, please get in touch ASAP with your current CV: [e-mail]

Due to a high volume of applicants, we are unable to respond to everyone. We will get in touch if you are successful in your application.