Internal Communications Manager

SWECO UK LIMITED; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Pension

Life Assurance

Private Medical Insurance

Discretionary Bonus

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Cycle2Work Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit

Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle

Tree planting for new starters

Job summary

Sweco UK Limited is seeking an experienced Internal Communications Manager to shape how we engage colleagues across the UK & Ireland. You will advise senior leaders, design campaigns, and drive a connected employee experience from our Leeds base, with flexible hours and a minimum of three days in the office.

You will lead narratives, manage intranets and Viva Engage, and build networks across the business to meet priorities with clear, actionable communications.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in internal communications or strategic comms.
• Strong writing, editing, storytelling and presentation skills.
• Experience developing communication strategies and integrated campaigns.
• Experience managing intranets and other employee channels.
• Proven track record supporting change, transformation and sensitive communications.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, audience-focused content.
• Confident influencing senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Experience using data to improve reach and impact.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted strategic communications adviser to senior leaders and stakeholders, providing strategic advice and shaping messages.
• Develop and deliver strategic communications plans and campaigns for major priorities and change programmes.
• Create narratives connecting colleagues to Sweco's strategy, culture and purpose.
• Build networks across the business to identify communications needs and opportunities.
• Translate technical information into clear, engaging communications for audiences.
• Prepare briefings, toolkits and talking points for leaders and managers.
• Oversee intranet and other employee channels; manage Viva Engage rollout and governance.
• Establish rhythm of company briefings, town halls and business updates.
• Support communications for organisational change, transformation and crisis situations.
• Define measures of success and use analytics to demonstrate impact.

Skills

Internal communications

Employee engagement

Strategic communications

Writing

Stakeholder management

Microsoft 365 / SharePoint

Tools

Viva Engage

Intranet management

Job description

Let's transform society together

We are Sweco.

We are Europe's leading design, engineering, environment and regulatory consultancy.

We are future planners, city shapers, urban innovators, digital transformers, net zero chasers, community connectors, social enterprisers and lifestyle improvers.

We are #DifferenceMakers.

We are looking for an experienced Internal Communications Manager to help shape how we communicate with and engage colleagues across the UK and Ireland.

Working closely with the Head of Communications & Marketing, you will be a trusted strategic communications adviser to senior leaders and stakeholders, helping them turn business priorities, change and complex issues into clear, engaging and effective communications. You will shape the communications approach from the outset – understanding the audience, defining the messages and recommending the right channels and activity – while remaining actively involved in delivery.

This is an opportunity to make a visible impact by helping to create a more connected, informed and engaged employee community.

This role is based in our city centre Leeds office and can be worked flexibly, with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office and the option of adjusted start and finish times.

What you will do

• Act as a trusted strategic communications adviser to senior leaders and stakeholders, providing strategic advice, insight, advice and constructive challenges to help achieve business and engagement objectives.
• Develop and deliver strategic communications plans and campaigns that define the audience, objectives, key messages, narrative, channels and approach for significant business priorities, campaigns and change programmes.
• Develop clear and compelling narratives that connect colleagues to Sweco's strategy, priorities, culture and purpose.
• Build strong networks across the business to identify emerging communications needs and opportunities and proactively recommend communications approaches.
• Translate complex business priorities and technical information into clear, engaging and audience-focused communications.
• Develop practical briefings, toolkits and talking points to help leaders and line managers communicate effectively within their teams.
• Experience managing intranets, and other employee communication channels
• Lead the launch, adoption and ongoing governance of Viva Engage - creating opportunities for meaningful two-way communication, enabling colleagues to share ideas, ask questions and provide feedback.
• Establish an effective rhythm of company briefings, town halls and business updates.
• Support, and where appropriate, lead communications for organisational change, transformation and crisis situations as part of the UK&I's Crisis Management Team.
• Define measures of success for communications activity and use channel analytics, colleague insight and feedback to demonstrate impact and continuously improve effectiveness.

About you

You will be a credible and thoughtful communications professional who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery. You will be comfortable getting involved early, understanding the business challenge and audience need and advising on the best communications approach rather than simply responding to a brief. You will be confident influencing senior stakeholders, managing multiple priorities and constructively challenging colleagues to achieve the best outcome.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in internal communications, employee engagement or strategic communications.
• Strong writing, editing, storytelling and presentation skills.
• Experience of developing communication strategies and integrated campaigns.
• Experience managing intranets and other employee communication channels.
• A track record of supporting change, transformation and sensitive communications.
• The ability to translate complex information into clear, audience-focused content.
• Confidence working collaboratively with senior leaders and teams across the entire business.
• Experience using communication data and insight to improve reach and impact.
• Experience within engineering, infrastructure, construction, consultancy, professional services or another complex, multi-site organisation would be advantageous.
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Viva Engage or similar employee platforms would also be beneficial.

Why join us?

You will join a collaborative Communications & Marketing team and have the opportunity to shape the future of our internal communications. Your work will play an important role in helping colleagues understand our strategy, culture and organisational change, including what is happening, why it matters and what they need to do.

Employee Benefits

• Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks Policy)
• Competitive pension contribution
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance
• Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme
• Payment of two relevant professional subscriptions
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year)
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing, mental health, financial and work advice)
• Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit Select (Faircare)
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle Scheme
• We plant a tree for all new starters!

About Us

Transforming society together, we're planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients' most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

Sweco is committed to enabling all its colleagues to achieve a great balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning or other interests. We offer flexible start and finish times, part time and hybrid working options so that you can flex your hours around your day to day needs.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It's important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more The Armed Forces Covenant - Our Commitments | Sweco UK.

We are an accredited Real Living Wage Employer

We are an accredited Real Living Wage Employer which reflects our commitment to fair pay and support for all colleagues.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer

We are also proud to be