Senior Communications Manager

EIT Food; Województwo mazowieckie; Hybrid; PLN 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

EIT Food is seeking a Senior Communications Manager to lead central media relations and drive hands-on communications for strategic initiatives. You will work with journalists, senior leaders and experts, translating complex topics into clear external messages.

The role blends strategic thinking with practical delivery across a broad communications mix, from content to media campaigns. The position also covers disseminating for funded projects, including EU initiatives, with ownership of work

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of professional communications experience.
• Strong media-relations experience, including handling incoming media enquiries and proactive engagement.
• Experience delivering integrated communications plans across multiple channels.

Responsibilities

• Act as a senior media contact for EIT Food and manage media inquiries across the organisation.
• Approve, draft and consult on press releases for EIT Food and its projects (roughly 40 approvals and 15 drafts per year).
• Lead or contribute to communications work packages for corporately funded or EU-funded initiatives.
• Develop and implement integrated communications and dissemination plans for assigned projects.
• Maintain oversight of communications work-package priorities, deliverables, milestones, budgets and reporting requirements.

Skills

Media relations

Integrated communications

Content creation

Project management

Strategic communications

Digital & social

Canva

Stakeholder management

Tools

Canva

Job description

The Senior Communications Manager is part of the Brand & Communications team and combines senior responsibility for EIT Food's central media relations with broad, hands-on communications and project delivery for strategic initiatives.

This is a role for an experienced communications generalist with deep media expertise. You will act as a senior point of contact for media across EIT Food, managing incoming media requests, identifying proactive opportunities and helping protect and strengthen EIT Food's reputation. You will work confidently with journalists, senior leaders, subject-matter experts and colleagues across the organisation, helping translate complex topics into clear, compelling communications for external audiences.

At the same time, a significant part of the role will involve the delivery of communications and dissemination for corporately funded and externally funded projects, including EU-funded initiatives. You will lead or contribute to communications work packages and be comfortable delivering the full range of activities within a communications plan, from strategy and messaging through to content creation, media relations, social media, websites, events, interviews, video and stakeholder communications.

This is therefore not a purely media-relations role. We are looking for someone who enjoys combining strategic thinking with hands-on delivery and who can move comfortably between an urgent journalist enquiry, planning a media campaign, creating communications content and managing the deliverables, budget and reporting requirements for complex funded projects.

You will operate with a high degree of autonomy and ownership, reporting to the Director of Brand & Communications and collaborating closely with colleagues across EIT Food as well as external partners and project consortia.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Media relations (roughly 40% of role)

• Act as a senior media contact for EIT Food, managing and coordinating media enquiries across the organisation and ensuring responses are accurate, timely and aligned with EIT Food's positioning and messaging.
• Approve, draft and consult on press releases for EIT Food and its projects (roughly 40 approvals and 15 drafts per year)
• Work with senior leaders and subject-matter experts to prepare for interviews and media engagement, including developing key messages, briefing materials and Q&As.
• Monitor the media environment and emerging issues relevant to EIT Food and its mission, identifying potential opportunities and reputational considerations.

Strategic project communications management (roughly 60% of role)

• Lead and coordinate the high-quality delivery of communications and dissemination work packages for corporately funded (or EU-funded) initiatives
• Develop and implement integrated communications and dissemination plans for assigned projects, translating project objectives and contractual commitments into practical communications activity and measurable deliverables.
• Maintain oversight of communications work-package priorities, deliverables, milestones, budgets and reporting requirements, ensuring activities are delivered on time and to the required standard.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on communications generalist. Depending on project requirements and organisational priorities, you will be expected to plan and personally deliver activity across a broad communications mix, including:

• Writing and editing compelling communications for different audiences and channels.
• Developing messaging, narratives, communications plans and campaign concepts.
• Developing and publishing social media content.
• Measuring communications performance and using insights to improve future activity.

The precise mix will vary according to organisational and project priorities, so breadth, adaptability and willingness to deliver are essential. The scope of the role may evolve in response to EIT Food's strategic priorities, funded-project portfolio and communications needs.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• At least 7 years' professional communications experience, including experience operating at a senior level in a complex, international or matrixed organisation.
• Strong, demonstrable media-relations experience, including handling incoming media enquiries, proactive media engagement, developing media materials and working directly with journalists.
• Demonstrable experience developing and delivering integrated communications plans, with the ability and willingness to personally execute activity across multiple channels.
• Excellent writing, editing and storytelling skills in English, with the ability to turn complex information into clear, engaging communications for different audiences.
• Strong project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines, stakeholders, deliverables and competing priorities.
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy while working collaboratively as part of an international team.
• Near-native professional English is required.

Funded-project experience

• Candidates should also have experience of delivering communications within funded, partnership-based or similarly complex project environments. Experience in delivering communications and dissemination work packages of funded projects focused on positive societal impact as part of a corporate team is an asset.

As a senior communications generalist, you should be able to demonstrate additional relevant experience across the following areas:

• Media Relations: Media handling, journalist relationships, pitching, press releases, interview preparation and reputation management.
• Content Creation: Creating compelling, audience-specific content across different formats and platforms.
• Strategic Communications: Turning organisational or project objectives into actionable communications plans.
• Digital & Social: Managing and optimising digital communications and social media channels, inclunding creating straightforward visual assets using tools such as Canva.
• Storytelling: Finding strong human and organisational stories within complex programmes, projects and subject areas.
• Brand: Applying brand guidelines, tone of voice and messaging consistently across channels.
• Project Management: Delivering complex communications activity against agreed plans, deadlines, budgets and deliverables.
• Stakeholder Management: Working effectively with senior leaders, partners, experts and colleagues across different functions and countries.
• Procurement and contracting of communications, media, content or design services.
• Experience in the agrifood sector, innovation, research, sustainability or other mission-led environments would be an advantage.
• Polish and/or other European language skills are an asset.

LOCATION & TRAVEL FREQUENCY

This role is based in Poland. To be eligible, you must be based in Poland and have the legal right to work there. We offer flexible working arrangements, including remote and hybrid options, depending on local policies and requirements.

Occasional travel within Europe.