Director of Campaigns and Communications

Shape the future of one of the world’s most influential human rights movements.

At a time when human rights are increasingly contested, Amnesty International UK has a clear ambition: to build public support for human rights, strengthen people-powered movements and create lasting change. To achieve that ambition, the organisation is seeking an outstanding leader to join its Senior Leadership Team as Director of Campaigns and Communications.

One of the most significant leadership opportunities in the sector today, the postholder will report directly to the Chief Executive and will lead a large directorate spanning campaigns, communications, public engagement, media, policy, research and political relations, helping to shape how one of the world’s most recognised movements engages the public, mobilises supporters, influences decision makers and drives social change.

The opportunity: Human rights organisations face a fundamental challenge: facts alone are not enough. In an increasingly complex and polarised world, organisations must connect evidence with emotion, inspire people to act, build movements and create the public mandate required for lasting political and social change. As Director of Campaigns and Communications, you will help define how Amnesty International UK meets that challenge. You will shape the organisation’s public voice, influence its strategic direction and lead work that reaches millions of people across the UK.

You will join at a pivotal moment as AIUK seeks to:

• Build broader public support for human rights
• Grow and diversify its movement
• Reach and engage new generations of supporters
• Increase its influence in public and political debate
• Strengthen the integration between campaigning, communications, activism and movement building
• Create bold, creative and audience-focused approaches to change

About the role: As a member of the SLT, you will contribute to the overall leadership of AIUK and play a central role in shaping organisational strategy and culture. You will lead a substantial and highly talented directorate, bringing together expertise across:

• Campaigns and political relations
• Communications and public engagement
• Media, PR and artist relations
• Policy and research
• Nations and regions

You will create greater alignment across these functions, ensuring they operate as a coherent whole in pursuit of AIUK’s strategic priorities. You will also represent AIUK externally, building relationships across the Amnesty movement, civil society, media, politics and public life, and helping to position AIUK as a leading voice in shaping the future of human rights in the UK.

This is a hybrid role between home and our London office in WC1X, where you will be able to work from home regularly. The postholder will have significant contact with stakeholders which will require you to be in London regularly. This is likely to be at least weekly and includes occasional evening and weekend events.

Who we are looking for: We are seeking an experienced and values-driven leader with the credibility, judgement and vision to operate at executive level. You may currently be:

• A Director of Campaigns, Communications, Public Engagement or Advocacy
• An Executive Director leading large-scale influencing or movement building functions
• A senior sector leader with responsibility for public mobilisation, communications, campaigning or political influence

You will be adept at operating strategically, leading through complexity and building alignment across diverse stakeholders. You will bring:

• Significant leadership experience within a complex organisation
• A track record of delivering ambitious campaigns, communications or public engagement strategies at scale
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams
• The ability to build organisational alignment around a clear strategic vision
• Strong political and external awareness
• A sophisticated understanding of how public narratives shape social and political change
• An inclusive and collaborative leadership style
• A commitment to anti-racist practice, equity and human rights

Leadership at AIUK: This role requires both conviction and humility. You will bring fresh thinking, challenge established assumptions and help AIUK adapt to a changing environment. At the same time, you will understand how to build trust, bring people with you and create conditions for others to succeed. We are looking for a leader who can combine strategic clarity with empathy, collaboration and courage – someone who is comfortable making difficult decisions, navigating ambiguity and leading through influence rather than hierarchy.

Why join AIUK? Few leadership roles offer this combination of influence, visibility and purpose. You will have the opportunity to:

• Shape the future direction of one of the world’s most recognised human rights organisations
• Influence public and political debate on some of the defining issues of our time
• Lead work that strengthens democratic participation and social justice
• Help build a broader, more diverse and more powerful movement for human rights
• Work alongside exceptional colleagues across the UK and the global Amnesty movement
• Leave a lasting legacy on the future of human rights advocacy in the UK

This is a rare opportunity to lead at scale, shape public narratives and help define the next chapter of Amnesty International UK.

Amnesty International UK’s commitment to colleagues: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA) are at the core of our values. We want to be an organisation that tackles structural inequality and prejudice as well as be an actively anti-racist organisation. This means taking a meaningful and equitable approach to supporting and developing you and others during your time with us.

New colleagues receive:

• 27 days leave annually (29 after five years), as well as bank holidays (pro-rated for part time) and 3 wellbeing days
• 2-5% employee pension contributions are matched at 6-9%
• 6 months full pay for family leave
• Supportive of flexible working such as compressed work patterns and job shares.

We welcome applications from everyone and particularly encourage applications from people from an ethnic minority background, and people with a disability to help us achieve a balanced representation in our workforce, especially at senior grades. We are a disability confident organisation. We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so we can help make the application process work for you.