At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead communications for Arden's AI Transformation Programme and engage with colleagues and students.
- Company: Join Arden University, a multi-award-winning institution focused on innovation and digital education.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days holiday, a generous pension plan, and free courses for you and your family.
- Other info: Hybrid working arrangement with opportunities for career growth and development.
- Why this job: Be a driving force in shaping transformative change in higher education.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading communications through organisational change and strong storytelling skills.
The predicted salary is between 59660 - 70507 £ per year.
This role operates on a hybrid working arrangement, combining remote working with attendance at our agreed Arden campus or office. This may fluctuate in line with business requirements. Our hybrid working arrangements are a non-contractual benefit, and an Arden work location will be included in your employment contract.
About Arden University: We are an aspirational and multi-award-winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first-choice university for career-focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.
About our Department: The Transformation team is leading the Arden AI Transformation Programme, helping shape how the University works, delivers education and supports its people and students. Working across the organisation, the team brings together colleagues and programmes to turn our transformation ambitions into meaningful and sustainable change.
About the Opportunity: As Transformation Communications and Engagement Lead, you will shape the narrative and engagement approach that brings Arden's AI Transformation Programme to life. Working closely with Internal Communications, you'll develop a clear, compelling story that helps colleagues and students understand the transformation, what it means for them and how they can contribute. You'll lead communications and engagement across multiple programmes, creating opportunities for genuine two-way participation, building colleague networks and supporting leaders to communicate confidently through change. You'll also use feedback, insight and data to understand engagement, inform decisions and continually improve our approach. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping how transformation is understood, experienced and embedded across the University.
About You: We're looking for an experienced communications and engagement professional with a strong background in leading communications through complex organisational change. You'll be a confident storyteller and strategic adviser, able to turn complex ideas into clear, engaging messages, build trusted relationships and create meaningful opportunities for people to influence change.
Essential Requirements:
- Significant experience leading communications and engagement for large-scale organisational change or transformation.
- Proven track record of delivering sustainable change across multiple workstreams.
- Strong understanding of recognised change management methodologies, such as Prosci, ADKAR or Kotter.
- Experience influencing senior leaders and stakeholders, supporting authentic communication through uncertainty and change.
- Expertise in stakeholder engagement, communications, adoption and change readiness.
- Experience designing meaningful two-way engagement and participation.
- Experience working alongside transformation, programme and change management teams.
- Experience leading or managing teams and developing high-performing cultures.
- Excellent writing, storytelling, facilitation, presentation and content-development skills.
- Ability to translate complex strategies and programmes into clear, compelling narratives.
- Strong stakeholder management, analytical and organisational skills.
- Understanding of how insight, data and feedback can improve engagement and adoption.
Desirable Requirements:
- A relevant qualification such as APMG Change Management, Prosci, Agile PM, PRINCE2, APM PMQ or MSP.
- Experience delivering digital, technology, AI or organisational transformation programmes.
- Experience working in higher education or similarly complex environments.
- Knowledge of benefits realisation and portfolio management approaches.
Why Arden: At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students' journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits.
- 30 days holiday + bank holidays on-top, and even a Christmas closure!
- A generous Aviva pension plan, company contributions starting from 7%
- BUPA Cash Plan
- Private Medical Insurance coverage (applies to certain job roles)
- Access to Perkbox benefits
- Study any Arden course for free, with a discount for all family and friends
- Plus, other excellent benefits
- Our 'Golden Ticket' which allows you to gift anyone in your life a free Arden education
Our Values: Stand out, Progressive, Accessible, Resourceful, Kindness, reflect who we are as an institution, a team and as individuals. If they also reflect you and you are excited by the chance to be the driving, creative force within a growing business, we want to hear from you.
Closing Date: 17th November. We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the specified closing date should we receive sufficient applications or in order to respond to business needs. In order to avoid missing an opportunity to apply please submit your application as early as possible.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Arden University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you have a disability, as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010, you may be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role. If you wish to be considered under this scheme, you can indicate via the application form below.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Therefore, we make sure that our recruitment and selection processes never discriminate based upon people's age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances, and actively welcome applications from all groups.
Transformation Communications & Engagement Lead employer: Arden University
Arden University is an innovative and rapidly growing institution that prioritises accessibility and student success, making it an exceptional employer for those passionate about education. With a strong commitment to employee development, generous benefits including 30 days of holiday, private medical insurance, and opportunities for free study, Arden fosters a supportive and inclusive work culture. Joining Arden means being part of a dedicated team that values kindness and resourcefulness while shaping the future of higher education in a dynamic environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Transformation Communications & Engagement Lead
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We think you need these skills to ace Transformation Communications & Engagement Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
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Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Arden University. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Arden University
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You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Arden University, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Arden University, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
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Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Arden University could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
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