Internal Communications Manager

Job Description

Location - London (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)

Reporting to - Head of Communications and Content

Salary - £51,000 - £58,000 (salary offered is dependant on proven ability)

Working hours - Full time (9 day fortnight companywide)

Contract type/duration - Permanent

Closing date - 17th November 2024

If you have been selected for consideration for the position, our Recruitment team will contact you to arrange a preliminary phone interview.

Connected Places Catapult is the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and places.

We provide impartial ‘innovation as a service’ for public bodies, businesses, and infrastructure providers to catalyse step-change improvements in the way people live, work and travel. We connect businesses and public sector leaders to cutting-edge research to spark innovation and grow new markets. We run technology demonstrators and SME accelerators to scale new solutions that drive growth, spread prosperity, and eliminate carbon.

Job Overview

As the Internal Communications Manager you will be responsible for creating, shaping and delivering high quality internal communications across the organisation. You will develop consistent, effective and engaging messages which inform, equip and mobilise staff in accordance with the organisational strategy and business plans. You will design and develop the platforms and channels needed to deliver messages and business information, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and informed action. You will work within the Marketing team to align internal and external narratives and produce materials to communicate key messages across the business. You will play an integral role in developing and celebrating organisational culture through creative use of internal communications platforms, content and campaigns, contributing to the organisation’s successful transition to a hybrid operating model.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for developing and implementing an internal communications strategy that enhances value, strengthens employee engagement, and deepens colleagues’ understanding of our purpose and strategic priorities
• Manage and develop our internal communication channels (townhalls, weekly all-hands meeting, intranet, newsletters, internal events) and content calendars in close collaboration with senior leaders, project teams and key stakeholders across the business
• Responsible for driving organisation-wide knowledge management activities to upskill and inform colleagues at all levels and support operational performance improvement.
• Responsible for creating narratives to clearly articulate initiatives, business change, business updates and more.
• Responsible for building understanding of business change programmes through clear communication plans with teams from across the business.
• Responsible for advising, coaching and supporting senior leaders on the delivery of communications to the business to ensure clear and effective messages tied to the organisation’s vision and strategy.
• Responsible for working closely with Human Resources to ensure colleague engagement and our employer brand are priorities in all communication activity, including supporting the annual colleague engagement survey.
• Responsible for working with internal stakeholders, including HR and talent acquisition teams, to align social media content with recruitment objectives and initiatives.
• Responsible for creating and facilitating engagement mechanisms that encourage open and honest feedback from across the business.
• Responsible for working with Champion groups across the business to design and implement communication activities that engage and inspire colleagues.
• Responsible for coordinating clear, consistent and timely communication in response to crisis or emergency situations to inform, advise and reassure staff.
• Responsible for ensuring an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contributing to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.
• Spearhead internal communication initiatives for organisational transformation, crafting compelling narratives and strategies to drive change adoption and align employees with new business directions and processes.
• Ensuring an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contributing to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.

• You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations

Skills and experience

• Demonstrable experience as a standalone Internal Communications professional in a fast moving/highly innovative sector, ideally within a technology and innovation environment relevant to the Catapult’s remit.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading internal communications within a company of over 200 employees.
• Demonstrable experience of using communication as an engagement tool to drive organisational change.
• Be a specialist within own field with extensive knowledge of all internal communication practices, including evaluation and benchmarking, techniques for building engagement, and a detailed knowledge of current digital communication channels.
• Confident working independently and experience to support colleagues with complex issues drawing from own experiences and knowledge.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering communications strategies that support organisation priorities and deliver change, including leading on projects.
• A creative approach to internal communications, constantly seeking new and better ways of doing things
• Proven ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including Executive teams
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and able to take a hands-on role
• Proven ability of using metrics to measure success
• Experience with SharePoint is essential
• Experience with organising and running all-staff events
• Experience using marketing automation tools for creating emails and newsletters
• Experience using wordpress to edit key recruitment and company web pages

Benefits

• 9 day fortnight for everyone, we have a full company shutdown every other Friday.
• 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
• Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
• Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
• Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
• Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
• Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
• Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
• Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.

Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.