Senior Director, External Relations & Communications

Pennon Group Plc; Exeter; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Company Car or Car Allowance

Performance Bonus Scheme

Pension Scheme

Private Healthcare Benefits

Professional Development Opportunities

Employee Discount Programme

Generous Annual Leave Entitlement

Job summary

Pennon Group plc invites applications for a Director of Communications to lead corporate communications across Pennon and its operating businesses. You will shape and deliver the communications strategy, manage proactive media relations and guide executive communications in a high‑visibility environment.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on delivery, overseeing digital and social media growth, incident communications and community engagement across diverse operations, including

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in corporate communications, media relations or reputation management within a large and complex organisation.
• Experience leading communications during operational incidents, crises and issues subject to significant public scrutiny.
• Proven media relations expertise with journalists, editors and broadcasters.
• Experience developing and delivering successful communications campaigns across traditional, digital and social media channels.
• Evidence of building digital communications capability and growing audience engagement through owned channels.
• Ability to translate complex operational, regulatory or technical issues into clear communications.
• Experience influencing, advising and constructively challenging Executive leaders and senior stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capability, including building and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent judgement, resilience and decision-making in fast-moving and high-pressure environments.

Responsibilities

• Developing and delivering communications strategies that enhance reputation and support organisational priorities.
• Leading proactive and reactive media relations activity, including ownership of the media office and newsroom operation.
• Personally managing high-profile, complex and reputation-sensitive media issues.
• Leading communications during major incidents, crises and operational events, including leadership of the Communications Cell within incident management structures.
• Providing expert communications counsel and constructive challenge to Executive leaders and senior stakeholders.
• Leading communications planning and delivery for major corporate announcements, campaigns and business milestones.
• Driving the development and delivery of Pennon’s digital and social media strategy, strengthening audience engagement through owned channels.
• Owning and developing the Pennon corporate website as a key communications platform.
• Leading community communications and community relations activities across Pennon’s operating areas.
• Overseeing executive media briefing, preparation and support for interviews, events and significant announcements.
• Leading communications monitoring, insight and evaluation to inform decision‑making and continuous improvement.
• Building, leading and developing a high‑performing communications team, creating accountability, resilience, capability and engagement.
• Working collaboratively across Public Affairs, Customer, Regulation, Sustainability, Legal and Operational teams to deliver aligned external communications.
• As a critical leadership role within the organisation, the Director of Communications will also maintain effective out‑of‑hours communications and incident response capability, participating in a standby (on‑call) rota and providing communications leadership during incidents, crises and reputation‑sensitive situations, including occasional weekend working as required.

Skills

Senior communications leadership

Media relations

Crisis and incident management

Digital and social media

Executive stakeholder influence

Education

Professional communications qualification

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Pennon Group plc invites applications for a Director of Communications to lead corporate communications across Pennon and its operating businesses. You will shape and deliver the communications strategy, manage proactive media relations and guide executive communications in a high‑visibility environment.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on delivery, overseeing digital and social media growth, incident communications and community engagement across diverse operations, including