Internal Communications Manager, Chiltern Railways in London

Role Purpose

• Responsible for the development and delivery of the internal communications strategy.
• Responsible for establishing internal communication channels and practices that ensure effective two-way communications that convey Chiltern’s vision, values, strategy and key messages.
• To be a trusted partner to key stakeholders, providing the leadership team with first class support in bringing our business strategies and activities to life.
• Be a key member of the Commercial team, using your knowledge, influence and innovative ideas to raise the bar on how our leaders and employees engage and communicate.
• Provide subject matter expertise on all aspects of internal communications and employee engagement ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach resulting in a more inclusive culture.
• Role model Chiltern Railways’ values and leadership behaviours.

Key Accountabilities

• Manage all existing internal communication channels including planning, editing and writing content (Friday Feed, Platform C, Viva Engage, Poppulo etc).
• Review, develop and implement new communication channels that more effectively enable communication/ briefing with disparate audiences, some of which are hard to reach, and have minimal amounts of time released from duty.
• Provide subject matter expertise and create communications and engagement plans for key business projects.
• Support managers in how to communicate/brief staff in terms of message, tone and channel to ensure effective cascade of information and consistency in all internal communications.
• Storyboard or translate ideas to the creative team of external stakeholders for reproducing/ producing internal communications as needed (leaflets/posters/booklets etc.).
• Implement creative and engaging campaigns which support our business strategy and key messages; and create impactful content for our audiences through a range of channels.
• Manage and own the employee engagement survey process and drive continuous increases in employee participation or other measurement processes year on year.
• Work closely with HR colleagues and the wider senior management team to develop and support employee engagement plans that not only inform staff, but engage, motivate, and enthuse them whilst supporting behavioural change and reform programmes.
• Own, plan and manage all engagement and communications events e.g. management conferences, business updates, town halls and leadership visits etc.
• Own, plan and manage key recognition events e.g. STAR Awards and Long Service Awards.
• Build strong relationships across Chiltern Railways and lead by example with participation in organisational initiatives e.g. diversity & inclusion events, health & wellbeing etc.
• Line management of the Internal Communications Executive and Engagement Events Executive including their development within the role.
• To be a member of the communications on call team.

Person Specification

• The job demands the following blend of experience/knowledge, skills and behaviours (all are essential, unless otherwise shown and will be assessed by application and/or interview/assessment):
• Experience working within a complex matrix organisation with demonstrable success in driving engagement improvements with geographically dispersed employees.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Well organised with strong time management ability.
• Previous experience of successful event and project design and delivery.
• Previous experience of change management in a unionised environment.
• Ability to build relationships, credibility and trust with a diverse range of stakeholders and at all levels both within Chiltern and more widely with Arriva group colleagues.
• Resilience and a willingness to work flexibly and quickly whilst able to manage a challenging workload calmly and with minimal support.
• Confidence in dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity in a constantly changing and challenging environment.