Strategic Internal Communications & Engagement Specialist

Morson Group; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Morson Group is seeking an experienced Strategic Internal Communications & Engagement Specialist to join its client’s Internal Communications and Strategic Change team on a four-month interim contract in Leeds Valley Park. Hybrid working—one day in the office and four days from home.

The role is hands-on and strategic with no line management, delivering communications across two major programmes, engaging stakeholders at all levels, and translating complex change into clear messages to support

Qualifications

• Proven experience in internal communications environment.
• Experience delivering strategic and tactical comms and engagement plans.
• Experience supporting large-scale organisational, operational or technology change programmes.
• Excellent stakeholder management, with ability to influence at all levels including senior leaders.
• Ability to translate complex programme information into clear, engaging messages.
• Strong content creation and storytelling skills.
• Experience advising stakeholders on communications approaches.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Experience using feedback and performance measures to evaluate communications effectiveness.
• Proficient in MS Office for comms planning, reporting and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of internal communications and engagement plans across major change programmes.
• Shape communications approaches with programme teams and business leaders.
• Support regional delivery programme by communicating changes to operating models and front-line structures.
• Lead communications to support improvements to customer journeys and digital services.
• Translate complex programme information into clear, accessible messages for colleagues.
• Ensure messaging is aligned with programme objectives and wider change portfolio.
• Build relationships with stakeholders at all levels and act as trusted adviser.
• Influence stakeholders and change teams to adopt effective communications approaches.
• Support senior leaders in communicating and positioning themselves during change.
• Monitor communications effectiveness and feed insights back into governance and delivery.

Skills

Internal communications

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Clear messaging

Content creation

Advising stakeholders

Organization & planning

Microsoft Office

Communication influence

Digital/tech change comms

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Strategic Internal Communications & Engagement Specialist

Contract: 4 months (interim), possible perm opportunities.
Location: Leeds Valley Park.Hybrid – 1 day per week in the office (typically Wednesday) and 4 days working from home
Salary: £207 daily rate, PAYE. (£54,000 pro rata salary).

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Internal Communications professional to join our client’s established Internal Communications and Strategic Change team on a four-month interim contract.

This is a hands-on strategic communications role, with no line management responsibilities. You will play a key role in supporting the delivery of significant organisational change, helping colleagues understand, engage with and adapt to new ways of working.

Working as part of a collaborative team of approximately 10 colleagues within a wider Brand and Communications function of 44, you will lead communications and engagement activity across two major programmes of work: the Regional Delivery Programme and our Customer Journeys and Digital Transformation Programme.

You will work closely with programme teams, change leads and stakeholders at all levels of the organisation, including senior leaders. This is an opportunity for someone who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery, confidently influence stakeholders and ensure communications genuinely support successful change.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Communications & Change Delivery

• Lead the development and delivery of strategic internal communications and engagement plans across significant operational and technology change programmes.

• Shape communications approaches in partnership with programme teams, business leaders and change leads.

• Support the Regional Delivery Programme, communicating changes to regional operating models, frontline team structures and service delivery approaches.

• Lead communications activity supporting improvements to customer journeys, digital services and colleague engagement with technology-enabled change.

• Translate complex programme information into clear, accessible and engaging messages that help colleagues understand what is changing, why it matters and how it affects them.

• Ensure communication activity is aligned with programme objectives, business priorities and the wider strategic change portfolio.

Stakeholder Management & Influencing

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation, from frontline colleagues to senior leaders.

• Act as a trusted communications adviser, providing guidance and constructive challenge on how change should be communicated and delivered.

• Confidently influence stakeholders and change teams, using professional judgement and colleague insight to recommend the most effective communications approaches.

• Support senior leaders in how they communicate, engage and position themselves throughout periods of change.

• Work closely with programme and change leads to ensure communication activity supports the successful adoption of new ways of working.

• Identify and proactively manage communication, engagement and reputational risks, escalating issues where appropriate.

Content, Channels & Engagement

• Develop compelling communications and storytelling that bring complex change to life for colleagues.

• Create and deliver engaging content across appropriate internal communications channels.

• Ensure consistency of messaging, tone of voice and visual identity across communications activity.

• Champion a colleague-centred approach, ensuring communications are relevant, accessible and tailored to different audiences.

• Explore opportunities to improve colleague engagement through digital channels and emerging communications approaches.

Planning, Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Manage multiple communications priorities, ensuring plans and deliverables remain on track against challenging timescales.

• Maintain oversight of interconnected change activity, identifying dependencies, opportunities and potential communication conflicts.

• Bring communication recommendations, risks and interventions into relevant programme governance and decision-making forums.

• Monitor the effectiveness of communications through feedback, measures and colleague insight.

• Use findings to continuously improve communications approaches, processes and delivery.

About You

We are looking for a confident and experienced Internal Communications professional who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced, changing environment.

You will be someone who can think strategically but is equally happy rolling up your sleeves and delivering communications activity. You will be confident working with senior stakeholders, able to challenge constructively and comfortable influencing decisions about how change is communicated.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Proven experience working within an internal communications environment.

• Strong experience developing and delivering strategic and tactical communications and engagement plans.

• Experience supporting large-scale organisational, operational or technology change programmes.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders.

• The ability to translate complex business and programme information into clear, compelling and accessible communications.

• Strong content creation, storytelling and communication skills.

• Experience advising stakeholders and providing constructive challenge on communications approaches.

• Excellent organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver to tight deadlines.

• Experience using colleague feedback, audience insight and performance measures to evaluate and improve communications effectiveness.

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly for communications planning, reporting and stakeholder management.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within a structured change management or transformation environment.

• Knowledge of change management principles and colleague engagement approaches.

• Experience supporting operational transformation, customer experience or digital transformation programmes.

• An understanding of digital communications channels and how they can be used to improve colleague engagement.

What Will Make You Successful?

To be successful in this role, you will be:

• Strategic: Able to see the bigger picture and understand how communications support wider business transformation.

• Influential: Confident holding your own in conversations, constructively challenging stakeholders and recommending the right approach.

• Collaborative: Comfortable working across an established team and building strong relationships with programme and business colleagues.

• Adaptable: Able to navigate ambiguity, respond to changing priorities and maintain momentum.

• Delivery-focused: Equally comfortable developing a strategic communications plan and getting involved in the practical delivery.

• Audience-focused: Passionate about ensuring colleagues understand, engage with and feel informed about organisational change.

The Team

You will join an established Internal Communications and Strategic Change team, working collaboratively across both strategic and business-as-usual communications activity.

Contract & Working Arrangements

• Four-month interim contract.

• Based at Leeds Valley Park.

• Hybrid working: one day per week in the office, typically Wednesday, with four days working from home.

• Indicative salary equivalent: £48,000–£54,000 per annum.