Senior PR & External Communications Lead (Hybrid)

Bright Horizons Family Solutions, LLC.; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Discounted childcare

Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks

Annual gala award evening

Discounts on high street retailers

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Bright Horizons is seeking a PR and External Communications Manager in the UK. The role is hybrid, full-time, with a £60k salary and travel to our Northampton HQ. You will shape and share compelling stories across nursery, Work&Life and employer brands.

You will lead media relations, integrated storytelling and thought leadership, collaborating with HR, internal comms and marketing to protect and grow our reputation across local, national and social channels.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in an in-house or agency PR, media or integrated communications role at manager level.
• Proven record of generating positive coverage and delivering creative campaigns across consumer, local, trade, national or business media.
• Experience of integrated PR, social and content planning and an understanding of how communications can support reputation, engagement, growth and employer brand.
• Experience of managing agencies, budgets and multiple priorities, and of using insight and evaluation to demonstrate impact.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver an insight-led PR and external communications plan supporting our nursery and Work&Life businesses.
• Create a strong pipeline of positive stories, research and campaigns for local, national, childcare, education, workforce, business, HR, benefits and workplace media.
• Build productive relationships with journalists, editors and sector influencers, pitching timely ideas and securing accurate, high-quality coverage.
• Work with nursery and operational teams to uncover authentic local stories and adapt them for traditional media, social and owned channels.
• Raise the profile of Work&Life through employer partnerships, approved client and client-employee stories, workplace insight and executive commentary.
• Work closely with social media and content colleagues to plan once and use stories effectively across earned, owned and social channels.
• Develop thought‑leadership opportunities and support confident, credible spokespeople from across Bright Horizons.
• Partner with HR, Talent Acquisition and Internal Communications to strengthen our reputation as an employer of choice through authentic colleague, career and workplace stories.
• Work with the Bright Horizons Foundation to share appropriate stories about its impact, partnerships and fundraising activity across PR, social and owned channels.
• Manage PR agencies, specialist suppliers and budgets, ensuring activity delivers measurable value.
• Use media monitoring, social insight and evaluation to improve performance, and support reactive or sensitive communications when needed.
• Lead and develop PR team members, creating a collaborative, creative and high‑performing function.

Skills

Media relations

Storytelling

Budget management

Stakeholder collaboration

Spokesperson training

Education

Degree in Marketing, PR or Communications

Tools

Media monitoring tools

Job description

Bright Horizons is seeking a PR and External Communications Manager in the UK. The role is hybrid, full-time, with a £60k salary and travel to our Northampton HQ. You will shape and share compelling stories across nursery, Work&Life and employer brands.

You will lead media relations, integrated storytelling and thought leadership, collaborating with HR, internal comms and marketing to protect and grow our reputation across local, national and social channels.