Strategic Communications Lead (FTC - 12 Months)

Job Introduction

Job Description for Strategic Communications Lead (FTC - 12 Months):

There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the nuclear sector. New opportunities are being created all the time. At UKNNL, you’ll be in the ideal place to capitalise on this momentum, face new challenges and develop a long, successful and meaningful career. 

We’re an organisation that’s here to experiment and push the limits of what’s possible. So, if you’re keen to excel in your chosen field, this is the place to do it. Because at UKNNL, anything is possible.

The Strategic Communications Lead will be responsible for leading development and delivery of communications plans, that reach and influence the perceptions of diverse audience groups to achieve business objectives. 

Passionate about making a difference, they will lead and enthuse a small team to bring new, inspired ideas to tell the story of UKNNL and enhance our reputation for delivering nuclear science that benefits society.

An organised strategic thinker, the right candidate will drive development of a robust communications pipeline and oversee effective management of governance processes, working collaboratively with the wider UKNNL Communications team and strategic partners to deliver high-quality communications to engage stakeholders and effectively manage reputation. 

From developing strategies and delivering compelling content to enhancing governance and continuous improvement; this is a varied role that will play a key part in building UKNNL’s reputation.

The location for this role is flexible and can be based at Stonehouse, Culham or Risley.

Main Responsibilities for Strategic Communications Lead (FTC - 12 Months):

• Design and deliver high quality strategic communications strategies and campaigns, identifying opportunities for UKNNL to be seen, to support reputation management.
• Oversee strategic campaign planning and implementation activities, supporting development and delivery of a strong communications pipeline that aligns all communications to tell a cohesive story of UKNNL as a purpose driven organisation.
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, offering expert communication counsel. 
• Lead and enthuse a small team of communicators to write and deliver compelling strategic communications campaigns that tell the story of UKNNL, going beyond day to day to achieve long-term change.
• Work in collaboration with the Communications team, strategic and internal partners to identify communication needs and develop associated strategies, building the pipeline and ensure activity is planned across all internal and external channels. 
• Work in collaboration with the Communications team to create and deliver high quality strategic communications campaigns across all internal and external channels; maximising engagement through a sound understanding of target audience groups. 
• Identify and establish requirements for strategic partnerships to support development and delivery of high-quality communications. 
• Be the team's 'go to' governance expert; proactively ensuring processes and procedures are implemented effectively and consistently across the team.  
• Develop regular and consistent reporting to evaluate campaign performance and insight to inform recommendations for continuous improvement of our activities.
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, contributing to definition of functional strategy and deputising as required.

Essential Criteria for Strategic Communications Lead (FTC - 12 Months):

• Proven experience in a senior strategic communications role.
• Experience of creating and delivering communications strategies and multi-channel campaigns, with an eye for defining and communicating clear messages consistently, internally and externally.
• Experience in leading and mentor teams to deliver high quality strategic results.
• Experience of leading multiple communications projects simultaneously, in a busy team, with the ability to handle competing deadlines.
• Experience in technical and or scientific environments, taking complex content to simple effective communications.
• Robust organisation skills, with strong attention to detail and experience of managing communications roadmaps and plans, projects and budgets.
• Creative writing skills with the ability to develop compelling and engaging content that connects with audiences.
• Passionate about all things communications, with a creative outlook and zest for finding new and better ways of doing things.
• Natural flare for building effective relationships and partnerships at all levels, internally and externally, with ability to influence.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret and learn from evaluation data.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).
  

Desirable Criteria for Strategic Communications Lead (FTC - 12 Months):

• Degree in Communications, Marketing or associated subject.
• Professional institute qualifications.
• Professional institute membership.

Why join us?

UKNNL isn’t just a place where you can do career-defining work that makes a real-world impact. It’s also a place where you’ll feel appreciated and valued. We’re creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is free to be themselves and feel like they belong. We put your wellbeing first, we push you to reach your potential, and we do everything possible to help you feel safe, supported and inspired.

We also offer a range of employee benefits:

• Sector leading Family-Focused Policies: celebrate life events, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and a week off for your marriage.
• UKNNL offers attractive pension plans. If you contribute 5%, UKNNL contributes 15%. Alternatively, if you choose not to contribute (0%), UKNNL will still contribute 10%.
• Annual Leave: Benefit from 25.5 days of leave, plus 4 extra days to be taken during Christmas shutdown, plus Bank Holidays.
• Reduced gym membership with discounts of up to 25% from 3,700 gym and leisure providers across the UK
• Company Bonus: Be rewarded for your contributions.
• Learning Opportunities: Enhance your skills through excellent development programmes.
• Employee Assistance: Access support for personal and professional challenges.
• Cycle to Work: Stay active and eco-friendly.
• Life Assurance: Ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
• Enhanced Sick Pay Benefits: Receive support during illness or injury.
• Access to ‘Mydiscounts’ which has a range of special offers and discounts from more than 200 suppliers, including medical insurance and dental insurance. 
• Health Care: Health savings plan which allows you to claim money back on visits to the dentist, optician and/or physiotherapist (limits apply).

About The Company

UKNNL is an incredible place to work. A place where people do things that have never been done before. A place where people push boundaries to further themselves, the business and society as a whole.

This is a place where personal and professional opportunities are limitless. If you want to change the world, if you want to tackle climate change, if you want to help advance medical science, if you want to help put things in space, if you want to answer the big questions, if you want to work with extraordinary materials, if you want to meet great people, learn new skills, challenge yourself, work flexibly, and build a long successful career with the power to make a real impact… you can do it all here.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UKNNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where UKNNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures, providing reasonable adjustments as appropriate. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging and the ability to access to workplace in a way which works for you.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory