Internal Communications Manager

The Open University; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking an Internal Communications Manager to shape and deliver strategic, insight-driven internal campaigns that inform, engage and inspire staff. You will design multi-channel plans with stakeholders across the university, aligning with brand and objectives while driving employee advocacy.

Based in Milton Keynes with hybrid remote options, the role requires creating clear messaging, building engagement, and delivering high-quality content across channels while measuring

Responsibilities

• Strategic communications planning and delivery of internal campaigns across units and faculties.
• Stakeholder management to translate business objectives into measurable, multi-channel communications.
• Employee engagement initiatives, open dialogue and two-way information exchange across the organisation.

Job description

Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid

Department: Internal Communications

Closing Date: 27 September 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 12 months from start date

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About the Role

The Internal Communications Manager is responsible for supporting the delivery of strategic communication campaigns that inform, engage and inspire employees.

Working with the Senior Internal Communications Managers you will be responsible for helping to design and deliver insight driven, multi-channel communications plans, both at organisational and unit or faculty level. You will work with stakeholders across the University to understand business objectives and translate these into measurable communications plans, leading on the design and delivery of communications initiatives to support operational activity.

You will be responsible for creating messaging and content that supports the delivery of University objectives, building employee engagement, and driving brand advocacy through consistent and compelling storytelling.

You will be responsible for creating, editing and distributing high-quality, engaging content across all internal communications channels and measuring how it performs. This insight will help to drive improvements in University-wide communications services and capability and will improve understanding of key audiences.

You will ensure consistency in messaging and tone of voice across all content and channels, and you will be responsible for ensuring activity is planned into the internal communications calendar and integrated MarCommsDev plan. This will ensure activity is aligned with brand comms and external messaging.

You will also support the delivery of our Employee Engagement objectives by ensuring communications initiatives, channels and events facilitate conversation and enable a diversity of voices to be heard.

You will act as a communications champion, providing insight-led advice, guidance and support to colleagues across the university, and will support the development of our university communications capability by sharing evidence, learning and best practice.

You will require excellent all-round communication and stakeholder management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively. You will need to be personally resilient and comfortable working with a degree of ambiguity.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic communications planning and delivery

• Support the development and delivery of internal communications campaigns that are aligned with the University’s objectives, values and brand. Partnering with teams in MarCommsDev, Professional Services units and Faculties as required.
• Design and deliver operational communications plans and initiatives using OASIS methodology to ensure effective planning, measurement and evaluation.
• Ensure all proactive internal communications activity is planned into the internal communications calendar and integrated MarCommsDev planner.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with University-wide stakeholders to support the delivery of business initiatives, translating objectives into multi-channel, measurable communications campaigns.
• Provide evidence-based communications advice and guidance to stakeholders across the university, to build audience understanding and enhance institutional communications capability and practice.
• Build effective stakeholder networks to elicit feedback and understand audience sentiment.

Employee Engagement

• Facilitate open conversation and two-way information exchange across the organisation, fostering connections between leaders and peers.