Head of Communications

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Marketing & Communications Department
Location:  University House
Salary:  £51,855 to £56,364 per annum
Permanent
Posted On:  Wednesday 22 September 2021
Closing Date:  Sunday 10 October 2021
Interview Date:  Tuesday 26 October 2021
Reference:  092021-413

Our new Head of Communications will play a leading role in how we tell our distinctive story to a range of audiences, developing the reputation of Birmingham City University as a place to study and an institution making a significant impact on the city, region and beyond.

Overseeing the fast-paced work of our communications team, you will direct our ambitious External Relations activities and lead our innovative Internal Communications team, which oversees both staff and student communications. You will also drive forward the rapidly emerging work of our Alumni Relations team, forging links with our graduates to feed back into recruiting new students and enhancing the experience of our current students. 

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Marketing and Communications, you will work closely with our Vice-Chancellor’s Office, promoting the University’s 2025 Strategy and the institution’s influence, externally and internally. You will also play a crucial role in how we support our Chancellor, Sir Lenny Henry, in his work with the University. 

You will maintain our focus on public affairs and corporate social responsibility, promoting links with key political, business and higher education figures, and ensuring BCU is at the heart of major developments across the region, including the Commonwealth Games, coming to Birmingham in 2022.  

Main duties and responsibilities:

1.     Lead the development and implementation of effective external communications strategies, including innovative and proactive media relations activity.

2.     Maintain and develop highly effective internal relations, ensuring our staff and student community is well informed and engaged in the direction and activities of the University.

3.     Work closely with the Vice-Chancellors Office to profile senior leaders of the University internally and externally, and promote their strategic objectives.

4.     Build BCU’s reputation and deliver effective responses to reputational risk and crisis management. 

5.     Deliver a proactive public affairs strategy, featuring lobbying, stakeholder development and an approach to corporate social responsibility that builds reputation. 

Requirements for the role:

• Honours degree or equivalent and a full professional qualification and/or equivalent experience relevant to the role.

• Significant experience as a senior communications professional.

• Experience of managing teams and driving performance, with the ability to motivate and provide  professional leadership.

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills with the ability to deliver high-quality content to a wide variety of audiences and across multiple channels.

  You also should be able to demonstrate:

• A strategic approach with the ability to develop PR, public affairs and communications strategies, and a track record of delivering operational plans.

• Strong knowledge of how best to use digital channels for effective communications.

• Good news judgement and an ability to identify key messages and story angles.

To apply for this role, please complete the online application and upload a copy of your CV.  Candidates are advised to remove any personal information to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process.

Further details:

The University is committed to internationalism and diversity and welcomes applications from all countries, faiths and backgrounds.

It is each individual successful applicants responsibility to ensure that they have permission to work in the UK. Some applicants may require sponsorship from the University and a visa from UKVI to take up the role if successful. More information on this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

Some roles are not capable of sponsorship because they do not meet the UKVI criteria relating to skill and salary level. If you are unsure as to whether you would require sponsorship if successful, or whether the role is capable of sponsorship, please contact us: [email protected]

Please note on occasions where we receive a large number of applications, we may close the advert ahead of the publicised closing date. If this does happen, we will contact all candidates via email who have started but not yet completed their application, giving 48 hours’ notice.  We would therefore advise that you submit your completed application as soon as possible.

At Birmingham City University we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer.  All staff are expected to understand and enact the University’s commitment to ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion in our employment practice and in all that we do . This commitment is enshrined in our Core Values and is detailed in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Employment Policy. The University values and celebrates the diversity of our staff and students; we welcome people from the many  different backgrounds and life experiences that reflect the students and the citizens we serve.  We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and actively encourage unique contributions, in particular from under-represented groups in respect of age, disability, sex, gender or gender identity, ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status

Birmingham City University ('BCU') is committed to protecting your personal data and being transparent about what we do with your personal data. One of the ways we do this is through our privacy notices. For further information please click here .