Senior Communications Manager (Maternity Leave Cover)

Better Cotton; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 81,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sustainability initiative is seeking a Senior Communications Manager to oversee impactful communications and lead a diverse team. This full-time role, based in London, offers a salary of £80,824 per year and involves managing flagship projects like the Annual Conference. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in communications, a track record of success in team management, and knowledge of sustainability practices.

Benefits

Hybrid working – two days/week in office

Opportunity to work from anywhere for up to one month/year

Flexible working hours

25 days paid annual leave

Enhanced parental benefits

Qualifications

• Demonstrated track record in a senior communications role.
• Proven success in managing communication strategies.
• Extensive experience in line managing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead flagship communications projects for Better Cotton.
• Oversee all communications channels effectively.
• Develop and implement the communications strategy.

Skills

Communications strategy

Public speaking

Team management

Sustainability knowledge

Crisis communications

Education

Relevant degree in communications or marketing

Job description

Overview

Senior Communications Manager (Maternity Leave Cover)

Starting Date: ASAP

Contract type: 9 month Fixed Term Contract (With potential for extension) - Full-Time

Salary: £80,824 per year

Location: London

About the Job

The Senior Communications Manager (Maternity Cover) leads Better Cotton’s communications sub-function, driving flagship initiatives such as the Annual Conference and website revamp. The role ensures strategic alignment across channels, supports country teams, manages reputational risk, and oversees the implementation and monitoring of the annual operating plan and budget.

Are you purpose-led and ready to embark on a journey to shape the future of sustainable cotton? Join us at Better Cotton as Senior Communications Manager and lead a global team responsible for delivering high-impact communications for the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative. We support more sustainable farming practices and livelihoods for nearly 3 million farmers across 23 countries.

The Challenge

Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, major reductions in synthetic pesticide use, improvements in soil health across our network, stronger farm incomes, and support for women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers.

As Senior Communications Manager, you will ensure our external and internal communications are impactful, connect with our audiences, and reflect the strength of our value proposition.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated Senior Communications Manager to join our Advocacy, Communications and Events team. In this role, you will:

• Lead flagship communications projects including the Better Cotton Annual Conference and the ongoing website redevelopment, ensuring timely delivery, quality content, and strong engagement with global audiences.
• Oversee all communications channels – media relations, digital platforms, member communications, brand management and internal communications – to ensure consistent messaging and strategic alignment.
• Develop and implement the communications strategy and annual operating plan, aligning resources, priorities, and budgets with Better Cotton’s organisational goals.
• Provide leadership to a diverse team of seven communications professionals, supporting their professional growth, setting clear objectives, and ensuring a collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Support country offices and regional teams with communications capacity-building, technical guidance, and hands-on support for priority campaigns and events.
• Matrix-manage the US Communications Coordinator, ensuring coherence with global priorities while enabling local tailoring.
• Manage reputational risk and crisis communications, crafting clear, timely, and transparent responses that protect and enhance Better Cotton’s reputation.
• Work cross-functionally across the organisation, collaborating with Advocacy, Events, Membership, Programme, and Senior Leadership colleagues to deliver integrated communications that showcase Better Cotton’s impact and progress.
• Represent Better Cotton externally, acting as a spokesperson at events, conferences, and high-level stakeholder meetings, positioning the organisation as a thought leader in sustainability and agriculture.
• Report on communications performance, ensuring data and analytics inform decisions, improve efficiency, and maximise the reach and influence of our messaging.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who has

The following skills, knowledge, and experience:

• Demonstrated track record in a senior communications or marketing role within prominent global organisations.
• Proven success in managing communications strategies that engage international mainstream and trade press.
• Extensive experience in line managing teams, providing visionary leadership, and fostering professional growth.
• Strong public speaking and external representation skills at high-profile events and with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience overseeing budgets and aligning resources with strategic communications priorities.
• Expertise in sustainability standards and ability to integrate these into communications strategies.
• Experience leading globally dispersed teams and managing communications on a global scale.
• Knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices and issues facing smallholder farming communities.
• Strategic vision for embedding sustainability perspectives into communications frameworks.
• Experience working in multicultural, mission-driven environments with a collaborative approach.

What we offer

• Hybrid working – Two days/week in our office in Canary Wharf
• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time
• Continuous learning and development
• 25 days paid annual leave, plus 8-9 Bank Holidays and a further 3 days off over Christmas
• Enhanced parental benefits
• A warm, positive working environment where everyone is valued
• The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in London. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. The position will require limited international travel.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 22/10/2025 via this link.

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening:

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews:

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment and Testing:

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks:

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton

Better Cotton is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
• As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)

Better Cotton is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.