Job title: Internal Communications Manager
Company: British Council
Job description: We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021-22 we reached 650 million people.
British Council Pay band: 8
Salary: Starting £38,820 up to £46,203 plus £3,300 London Market Allowance{ only for those based in the London area. }
Benefits Include, but are not limited to:
- 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
- 3 days volunteering leave
- Career average defined benefit pension scheme
- An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and/or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world.
Location: Cardiff, London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast. (The UK only).
Department: Corporate Communications
Contract type: One year FTC
Closing Date: Sunday 26th of November 2023 at 23:59 UK Time.
You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.
There is no relocation or sponsorship support.
British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be
Role Purpose:
Our internal communications team devises creative campaigns that engage colleagues with The British Council’s strategy and purpose, as well as and inform, engage, change behaviours, and ultimately improve organisational performance. They also coach senior leaders to develop inspiring leadership communication.
This role will provide internal communications support (strategic and delivery) for our Cultural Engagement (CE) division’s new strategy and associated global change projects. They will also conduct an internal communications audit, to determine where we can improve internal communication channels, content and processes within the division, including leadership communications.
Function Overview:
The Communications team leads our global strategy and sets the professional standards for media and PR, crisis communications, internal communications, events management, and digital communications. They also devise and deliver strategic global campaigns.
The internal communications team manages and develops our global channels and works closely with regional communication teams to ensure coordinated engagement of our 11,000 colleagues across more than 110 countries.
The work of our Cultural Engagement (CE) division brings together our global portfolio of programmes in arts, culture, and education.
Main Opportunities and Challenges for this Role:
- Build trusted relationships with leaders, increase their understanding of internal communication strategy and processes, and influence effective, authentic leadership communications.
- Manage several campaigns and projects simultaneously and ensure they are aligned with other communication activities globally and regionally.
Main Accountabilities:
Strategic and change communication
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the Cultural Engagement division, their business plan, and the wider organisational context, to fully understand their strategy, priorities, comms opportunities and challenges.
- Develop and deliver strategic internal and change communication campaigns that help to achieve the objectives of the CE business plan.
- Measure campaign effectiveness, and provide clear evidence of successful engagement, behavioural change and return on investment.
- Create engaging written and visual content to support campaigns, including internal news, briefing documents, video, infographics, and various creative methods.
- Maintain communication activities in the internal communications campaign planner and content schedule, identifying and resolving message or timing conflicts.
- Work with Marketing and regional communication teams to ensure global and regional communications and engagement activities are aligned.
- Ensure all campaigns reinforce the British Council’s values and behaviours.
- Uphold editorial standards and adherence to our brand and tone of voice.
Leadership communication
- Advise the Cultural Engagement senior leadership team on effective leadership comms.
- Ensure channels and processes are in place for effective leadership communication, encourage ownership, and create clear roles and responsibilities.
Internal communications audit and actions
- Conduct an audit of internal communication processes, channel-use, and content priorities within the CE division, and from the division to the rest of the organisation.
- Make recommendations for improvements to internal communication activities or suggest new approaches, then project manage implementation.
- Identify communication risks and issues and develop solutions.
Ensure channels, comms processes and activities align with global and regional comms
Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:
Education and Qualifications
- Degree or professional qualification in internal communications or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
Role specific knowledge and experience:
- Internal comms experience in a global, matrixed organisation with an understanding of the associated comms challenges
- Strategic change communication and comms planning methodology, including measurement and analysis
- Coaching senior leaders in authentic leadership comms
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Conducting internal comms audits and implementing solutions
- Professional writing and editing skills
- Experience of developing creative concepts and putting them into action
- Channels and events management
A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement
The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.
The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.
We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.
Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.
If you have any problems with your application please email
Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.
Expected salary: £38820 – 46203 per year
Location: London
Job date: Sat, 11 Nov 2023 07:49:46 GMT
