Associate Director of Communications
Posted Today by Hays
£85,000 Per year
Undetermined
Hybrid
London, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Associate Director of Communications will lead the communications teams across multiple colleges, focusing on strategic storytelling and collaboration. This senior role involves managing high-performing teams, advising on reputation management, and driving integrated campaigns. The position requires a confident leader with significant experience in communications within a complex public sector environment. The role is pivotal in uniting distinct college identities under a shared strategic direction.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build and lead high-performing, resilient teams across colleges.
- Translate College Executive Board priorities into compelling narratives and campaigns.
- Strengthen and protect the institution's reputation, advising senior leaders on issues and opportunities.
- Champion groundbreaking research, collaborating with Deans of Research and Knowledge Exchange.
- Elevate college brands, working with Brand, External Comms, and specialist channel teams.
- Drive evidence-based communication using insights and data to maximize reach and impact.
- Lead integrated campaigns, including flagship end-of-year student shows.
- Play a key role in department-wide leadership, shaping university-wide collaboration.
- Manage four Heads of Communications & Engagement and oversee budgets, planning, reporting, and continuous improvement.
Key Skills:
- Significant experience advising executive teams on communications, risk, and issues management.
- A proven track record of delivering impactful communication strategies and campaigns.
- Strong experience working with a wide range of stakeholders in a large, complex public sector environment.
- Expertise in improving communications infrastructure, tools, and channels.
- Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, guide, and unite teams across multiple sites.
- A strategic mindset, able to juggle multiple high-profile projects with clarity and confidence.
- A passion for community building and improving student and staff experience.
- Creativity and innovation, embracing new technologies and modern communication approaches.
- Experience in a large higher education institution or similarly complex organization in Public Services.
- An appreciation of creative arts and the creative industries.
Salary (Rate): £85,000.00 yearly
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: Other
We're looking for an inspiring Associate Director of Communications to work across several of our colleges to lead our college communications teams and champion the stories, people and research. If you're a strategic communications leader who thrives on influence, collaboration and purpose-driven storytelling. As a senior member of our integrated Communications Department, you'll lead the communications functions across all six colleges, uniting distinct identities behind a shared strategic direction.
You will:
- Build and lead high-performing, resilient teams across our colleges
- Translate College Executive Board priorities into compelling narratives and campaigns
- Strengthen and protect our reputation, advising senior leaders on issues and opportunities
- Champion our groundbreaking research, working closely with Deans of Research and Knowledge Exchange
- Elevate college brands, collaborating with Brand, External Comms, and specialist channel teams
- Drive evidence-based communication, using insights and data to maximise reach and impact
- Lead integrated campaigns, including our flagship end-of-year student shows
- Play a key role in department-wide leadership, shaping how we collaborate university-wide.
You'll manage four Heads of Communications & Engagement and oversee budgets, planning, reporting and continuous improvement across all college comms.
About You
You're a confident senior communications leader who brings:
- Significant experience advising executive teams on communications, risk and issues management
- A proven track record of delivering impactful communication strategies and campaigns
- Strong experience working with a wide range of stakeholders - including senior leaders, academic teams, unions, students, partners and community groups - in a large, complex public sector environment
- Expertise in improving communications infrastructure, tools and channels
- Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, guide and unite teams across multiple sites
- A strategic mindset, able to juggle multiple high-profile projects with clarity and confidence
- A passion for community building and improving student and staff experience
- Creativity and innovation, embracing new technologies and modern communication approaches
- Experience in a large higher education institution or similarly complex organisation in Public Services
- An appreciation of creative arts and the creative industries
This is a rare opportunity to bring together the power of six iconic creative colleges and lead communications at scale, complexity and cultural significance. If this role is of interest, please apply ASAP with an up-to-date version of your CV highlighting all your relevant experience. Please do get in contact for more information as happy to discuss the role in detail.
Desired Skills and Experience
Associate Director of Communications
3-6 months FTC
£75-£85K Pro Rata
London - Multiple Sites
Full-time: 37 hours/week - Hybrid-3 days on site
Salary: £75-85k PR + Benefits
Closing date: 4th of March
Interviews: week commencing the 9th of March
Start date: 7th of April
We're looking for an inspiring Associate Director of Communications to work across several of our colleges to lead our college communications teams and champion the stories, people and research. If you're a strategic communications leader who thrives on influence, collaboration and purpose-driven storytelling. As a senior member of our integrated Communications Department, you'll lead the communications functions across all six colleges, uniting distinct identities behind a shared strategic direction.
You will:
- Build and lead high-performing, resilient teams across our colleges
- Translate College Executive Board priorities into compelling narratives and campaigns
- Strengthen and protect our reputation, advising senior leaders on issues and opportunities
- Champion our groundbreaking research, working closely with Deans of Research and Knowledge Exchange
- Elevate college brands, collaborating with Brand, External Comms, and specialist channel teams
- Drive evidence-based communication, using insights and data to maximise reach and impact
- Lead integrated campaigns, including our flagship end-of-year student shows
- Play a key role in department-wide leadership, shaping how we collaborate university-wide.
You'll manage four Heads of Communications & Engagement and oversee budgets, planning, reporting and continuous improvement across all college comms.
About You
You're a confident senior communications leader who brings:
- Significant experience advising executive teams on communications, risk and issues management
- A proven track record of delivering impactful communication strategies and campaigns
- Strong experience working with a wide range of stakeholders - including senior leaders, academic teams, unions, students, partners and community groups - in a large, complex public sector environment
- Expertise in improving communications infrastructure, tools and channels
- Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, guide and unite teams across multiple sites
- A strategic mindset, able to juggle multiple high-profile projects with clarity and confidence
- A passion for community building and improving student and staff experience
- Creativity and innovation, embracing new technologies and modern communication approaches
- Experience in a large higher education institution or similarly complex organisation in Public Services
- An appreciation of creative arts and the creative industries
This is a rare opportunity to bring together the power of six iconic creative colleges and lead communications at scale, complexity and cultural significance. If this role is of interest, please apply ASAP with an up-to-date version of your CV highlighting all your relevant experience. Please do get in contact for more information as happy to discuss the role in detail.
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