PR & Events Manager

Changan UK R&D Centre Limited; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Changan UK R&D Centre Limited seeks a UK PR & Events Manager to lead a strategic shift in communications, driving brand growth, awareness, and long-term equity. You will spearhead high-impact media campaigns, events and proactive media engagement across automotive, fleet, national and lifestyle outlets.

You will manage agency partners, collaborate with our nationwide retail network, and work with the UK Marketing Director and European teams to shape the brand narrative.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in PR, communications, and event management.
• Established media network across UK national, automotive, fleet, lifestyle.
• Experience planning end-to-end media drives and large-scale events.
• Growth mindset for transitioning from launch to sustained brand building.
• Excellent written and verbal English; ability to translate tech into media copy.
• Experience managing agencies, vendor budgets, and cross-functional teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related.
• Mandarin language skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and deliver an annual PR and communications strategy to amplify UK brand awareness.
• Cultivate relationships with UK automotive, business, technology, fleet, lifestyle media and creators.
• Plan and deliver world-class press events, launches, and activations for upcoming models.
• Oversee the UK media evaluation fleet to maximise editorial coverage.
• Collaborate with the 45-strong franchised retailer network, providing localized PR toolkits.
• Coordinate senior UK/European executives for speaking opportunities and thought leadership.
• Procure and direct agencies with KPI tracking, budgets and brand guidelines alignment.
• Manage day-to-day media inquiries and reactive messaging.
• Develop analytics to monitor sentiment, campaign ROI, AVE, and reach.

Skills

PR & Communications

Event Management

Media Relations

Strategic Growth

English Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications/PR/Journalism/Marketing

Job description

With the Changan UK launch phase completed and foundations now in place, the UK PR & Events Manager will lead the brand's next phase: driving sustained growth, heightening brand awareness, and building long-term equity in the UK market. This role transitions our communications strategy from market entry to proactive scale and cultural resonance. You will spearhead high-impact PR campaigns, dynamic experiential events, and strategic media engagements that position Changan as a clear choice in modern mobility. Managing agency partners, collaborating with our nationwide retail network, and working closely with the UK Marketing Director and European communications teams, you will champion the brand's narrative across automotive, fleet, national, and lifestyle media.

Requirement

• Proven Track Record: Demonstrable experience in PR, communications, and event management (in-house or at a leading agency).
• Established Media Network: Strong, active contacts across UK national, automotive, fleet, lifestyle, and business editorial desks.
• Event Excellence: Proven track record in orchestrating end-to-end media drive programmes, dynamic vehicle reveal events, and large-scale experiential showcases.
• Strategic Growth Mindset: Skilled at pivoting from launch setups to sustained brand building, scaling audience engagement through creative storytelling and impactful narratives.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English; adept at translating engineering, software, and EV technologies into compelling media copy.
• Cross-Functional & Agency Leadership: Proven ability to manage agency partners, vendor budgets, and cross-functional teams within a fast-moving, multi-market corporate framework.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or a related discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
• Language Skills: Proficiency in Mandarin is advantageous, though not essential.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Brand Growth & PR Strategy: Formulate and deliver an ambitious annual PR and communications strategy focused on amplifying UK brand awareness, driving positive sentiment, and increasing editorial share of voice.
• Media & Influencer Relations: Deepen and proactively cultivate relationships with key UK automotive, business, technology, fleet, and lifestyle media, as well as digital content creators and opinion formers.
• Experiential Events & Launches: Plan, manage, and deliver world-class press events, media driving launches, major automotive exhibitions, and experiential consumer activations for upcoming model introductions.
• Press Fleet Management: Oversee the strategic allocation, operational logistics, and reporting of the dedicated UK media evaluation fleet to maximise editorial test coverage and long-term reviews.
• Dealer Network PR Activation: Collaborate with our 45-strong (and growing) franchised retailer network, equipping them with localized PR toolkits and supporting local media, community, and showroom milestone initiatives.
• Executive Profiling & Thought Leadership: Identify, coordinate, and brief senior UK and European executives for high-profile speaking opportunities, thought-leadership features, and tier-one media interviews.
• Agency Management: Procure and direct agencies, ensuring clear briefing, robust KPI tracking, budgetary efficiency, and consistent alignment with UK and global brand guidelines.
• Issues & Reputation Management: Manage day-to-day media inquiries, coordinate reactive messaging, and provide robust crisis communications support in alignment with European leadership.
• Measurement & Analytics: Utilise and develop analytics to monitor media sentiment, campaign ROI, AVE, and qualitative reach, transforming data into actionable insights for continuous brand growth.