Senior Media and External Corporate Communications Manager

Capita; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote working

Competitive salary

23 days' holiday

Volunteer day

Family leave policies

Cycle2Work scheme

Job summary

Capita is seeking a Senior Media and External Corporate Communications Manager to lead the busy press office, manage media relations, and handle issues across UK operations. This remote role requires travel to the London head office and other sites as needed.

You will shape external communications strategies, prepare spokespeople, brief leadership, monitor coverage, and develop stories that showcase Capita's transformation across public and private sectors.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in corporate communications within a PR agency, including media relations and issues management involving UK national and trade media.
• Journalism experience, with a strong understanding of how the media operates and what makes a good story.
• Experience of communications within the public sector, regulated industries or another complex and highly scrutinised environment is preferable.
• Excellent news judgement, with demonstrable experience of writing and editing clear, accurate and high-quality content for different audiences and channels.
• Experience of advising and influencing senior stakeholders, preparing spokespeople and providing clear communications recommendations.
• Ability to interpret complex operational, political and reputational issues and communicate them clearly and concisely.
• Sound understanding of current affairs, the UK political landscape, business issues and relevant technology trends.
• Demonstrable knowledge of digital and social media platforms, with experience of integrated, multi-channel communications.

Responsibilities

• Managing and responding to daily media enquiries, often involving complex, high-profile or sensitive issues that affect individuals and communities.
• Identifying emerging reputational risks and working with contract communications leads, public affairs, internal communications, legal teams, senior leaders and external PR agencies to agree clear handling and escalation plans.
• Developing reactive statements, lines to take, Q&A, briefing materials and other communications needed to support rapid and accurate responses.
• Providing clear, evidence-based communications advice to senior leaders, including constructive challenge where required, and preparing spokespeople for interviews and difficult questions.
• Supporting crisis communications planning and urgent issues outside normal working hours when required.
• Helping to shape and deliver Capita's external communications strategy and plan.
• Developing credible stories and campaigns that demonstrate Capita's transformation, expertise and contribution to the delivery of essential public services across earned, owned, social and digital channels.
• Working closely with colleagues across contracts and functions to identify evidence, insight, case studies and spokespeople that strengthen our external narrative.
• Building trusted relationships with reporters at key national and trade media outlets covering Capita and the sectors in which we operate.
• Monitoring the media, business and UK political landscape to anticipate risks and identify opportunities to share informed viewpoints and profile our spokespeople.
• Monitoring coverage and evaluating communications activity, using insight and evidence to improve future plans and report on reputation, reach and impact.

Skills

Media relations

Press office management

Crisis communications

Stakeholder engagement

Journalism experience

Public sector communications

Job description

Senior Media & External Corporate Communications Manager Location: Remote UK based, able to travel to our Head Office in London and other operational sites around the UK when required As Media & External Corporate Communications Manager, you will play a crucial role in managing a busy press office, media relations and issues management at the heart of the role. You will lead and support responses to complex and high-profile media enquiries, working across the business to protect Capita's reputation. Alongside this, you will help proactively build our profile and communicate Capita's transformation narrative to key external stakeholders through national media (including broadcast), regional press, trade press, owned social media and digital channels. Our clients and prospects are primarily public sector organisations, alongside some large private companies, and our work often directly affects the individuals and communities who rely on essential services. You will report to our Head of External Communications and Marketing, and will work closely with our internal communications team, contract communications teams and marketing teams, as well as liaising closely with investor relations, public affairs and external communications agencies. Successful candidates must have experience from a PR agency background and journalism.

At Capita, we live by our values: Customer First, Always; Fearless Innovation; Achieve Together; Everyone is Valued.

Job title: Senior Media and External Corporate Communications Manager

Job Description:

What you'll be doing

• Managing and responding to daily media enquiries, often involving complex, high-profile or sensitive issues that affect individuals and communities.
• Identifying emerging reputational risks and working with contract communications leads, public affairs, internal communications, legal teams, senior leaders and external PR agencies to agree clear handling and escalation plans.
• Developing reactive statements, lines to take, Q&A, briefing materials and other communications needed to support rapid and accurate responses.
• Providing clear, evidence-based communications advice to senior leaders, including constructive challenge where required, and preparing spokespeople for interviews and difficult questions.
• Supporting crisis communications planning and urgent issues outside normal working hours when required.
• Helping to shape and deliver Capita's external communications strategy and plan.
• Developing credible stories and campaigns that demonstrate Capita's transformation, expertise and contribution to the delivery of essential public services across earned, owned, social and digital channels.
• Working closely with colleagues across contracts and functions to identify evidence, insight, case studies and spokespeople that strengthen our external narrative.
• Building trusted relationships with reporters at key national and trade media outlets covering Capita and the sectors in which we operate.
• Monitoring the media, business and UK political landscape to anticipate risks and identify opportunities to share informed viewpoints and profile our spokespeople.
• Monitoring coverage and evaluating communications activity, using insight and evidence to improve future plans and report on reputation, reach and impact.

What we're looking for - Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in corporate communications within a PR agency, including media relations and issues management involving UK national and trade media.
• Journalism experience, with a strong understanding of how the media operates and what makes a good story.
• Experience of communications within the public sector, regulated industries or another complex and highly scrutinised environment is preferable.
• Excellent news judgement, with demonstrable experience of writing and editing clear, accurate and high-quality content for different audiences and channels.
• Experience of advising and influencing senior stakeholders, preparing spokespeople and providing clear communications recommendations.
• Ability to interpret complex operational, political and reputational issues and communicate them clearly and concisely.
• Sound understanding of current affairs, the UK political landscape, business issues and relevant technology trends.
• Demonstrable knowledge of digital and social media platforms, with experience of integrated, multi-channel communications.

Soft Skills

Calm and considered under pressure, with sound judgement and the ability to prioritise effectively when managing competing deadlines or fast-moving issues. Proactive, creative and collaborative, with the confidence to contribute ideas, challenge constructively and take action. Strong organisation and personal accountability, with the ability to manage your own workload effectively. Comfortable working independently and collaboratively as part of a close-knit team. A confident communicator who can build credibility and positive working relationships with senior stakeholders.

How this role aligns to our Values

Customer First, Always – You’ll communicate clearly, accurately and thoughtfully on issues that matter to our customers and the communities they serve, helping to protect trust and reputation.

Fearless Innovation – You’ll bring fresh ideas to our external communications, finding creative ways to tell our story, challenge thinking and respond effectively to a fast-changing media landscape.

Achieve Together – You’ll work closely with colleagues across communications, public affairs, legal, contracts and senior leadership to manage issues, develop compelling stories and deliver a consistent external narrative.

Everyone is Valued – You’ll communicate with care and respect, considering different perspectives and ensuring our communications reflect the people, customers and communities affected by the work we do.

Join Capita – Where Innovation Meets Opportunity

Capita is a dynamic leader in consulting and digital services, helping some of the UK’s most recognised organisations transform and thrive. We use cutting-edge technology and fearless innovation to create smarter, more efficient solutions that make a real difference. Our work spans diverse sectors---government, healthcare, education, and finance---offering you the chance to contribute to projects that impact millions of lives. At Capita, you’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team that values creativity, growth, and inclusion. We’re committed to your development and success, providing opportunities to learn, progress, and shape better outcomes for customers and communities.

Check out our website www.capita.com

What’s in it for you?

• Remote working – work from wherever you’re happiest in the UK
• Competitive salary
• 23 days' holiday, rising to 27 (pro rata) – plus the option to buy more after qualifying period
• Paid volunteering day with a charity of your choice
• Generous family leave policies – including 15 weeks' fully paid maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
• Cycle2Work scheme, pension, life assurance, and more
• Customer first, always
• Fearless innovation
• Achieve together
• Everyone is valued

We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. As part of our strategic goals, we are focused on accelerating gender and ethnic representation in leadership roles. We warmly encourage applications from women and individuals from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority backgrounds. We're an equal opportunity and Disability Confident employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We're committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone.

If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format (such as large print or audio), or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email [e-mail] and we'll get back to you. For more information about equal opportunities and process adjustments, please visit the Capita Careers website.

AI & Fair Recruitment at Capita

At Capita, we use technology, including AI-enabled tools, to help us manage applications consistently and fairly. These tools support our recruitment teams, they do not make hiring decisions. Every application is reviewed by a trained member of our Talent Acquisition team, and all decisions are made by people. If you need any adjustments during the process, we're here to support you.

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process

To help us deliver a fair, consistent and efficient recruitment experience, Capita uses AI-assisted technology at some stages of the process. These tools simply help us organise and assess information, they do not replace human judgement. All decisions are made by our recruitment team and hiring managers. If you have any questions or need adjustments, please let us know and we'll be happy to support you.

Location: Home-Based - GBR , United Kingdom

Time Type: Full time

Contract Type: Permanent

Capita is an AI-enabled business services partner. We work with organisations across the public and private sectors, helping them deliver better, more efficient services. Every day, millions of people rely on services we support across central and local government and regulated industries. We combine technology, data and AI with the expertise and judgement of our people to help clients solve complex challenges and deliver better outcomes for the people and communities they serve.