Head of Communications and Engagement

Are you a strategic communications leader with a proven ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-profile environment?

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Borough,London (Hybrid) minimum 2 days in the office per week.

Closing Date: 30/07/2026

Interviews: August

The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) is a nonprofit organisation providing independent, evidence-based insight on the UK’s energy and climate landscape. We help inform public debate and support better decision-making at a critical moment for the UK’s net zero transition.

This is an exciting senior leadership opportunity for an experienced communications professional who can shape and deliver organisation-wide communications and engagement strategies, lead a talented team, and ensure impactful engagement across media, digital and stakeholder channels. You will play a pivotal role in driving communications strategy, informing key audiences and supporting organisational growth and impact.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director, you will lead the organisation's external communications and engagement function, ensuring all communications activity is strategically aligned, well-coordinated and delivered with pace, accuracy and impact.

You will oversee media relations, digital communications, parliamentary and stakeholder engagement, and lead on rapid response activity, acting as the central point of coordination for organisational messaging and editorial decision-making.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering the organisation's communications and engagement strategy.
• Leading, motivating and managing a multidisciplinary communications team.
• Coordinating communications activity across multiple programmes and projects.
• Leading rapid-response communications and identifying opportunities to inform public debate.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with journalists, producers and key stakeholders.
• Providing strategic communications advice to colleagues and senior leaders.
• Managing organisational reputation and communications risk.
• Maintaining high standards across all communication and engagement channels.
• Using data, analytics and audience insight to evaluate impact and improve performance.

About You

We are looking for a confident and proactive communications leader with the credibility and expertise to operate at a senior level.

• Proven experience leading a communications, public affairs or engagement function.
• Experience of line managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing strategic communications and media plans.
• Strong editorial judgement, including handling politically sensitive and high-profile issues with experience of maintaining high quality standards.
• Experience identifying, assessing and managing reputational risk.
• Strong understanding of the UK political and policy environment.
• Experience integrating digital communications into wider strategic communications activity and adapting content and messaging across platforms.
• Excellent project management skills with experience of coordinating multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Experience building senior-level relationships across media, policy or related sectors.
• Experience using analytics, audience insight and data to evaluate and improve communications effectiveness.
• A highly proactive, self-motivated approach with the ability to take initiative and drive delivery.
• Experience leading rapid-response communications in a fast-moving news environment.
• Experience in climate, energy, environmental policy or related sectors.

• Generous Annual Leave: 30 days annual leave.
• Hybrid working: Benefit from the flexibility of remote work combined with in-person collaboration.
• Monthly team days: Connect and collaborate with colleagues during regular team building events.
• Healthshield healthcare scheme: Access essential health and wellness support, including optical, dental, and physiotherapy coverage.
• Salary Sacrifice pension contributions: We match employee pension contributions up to 5%.
• Cycle to work scheme and Cyclesaver (discounted bike hire)
• FORA Office amenities including on-site gym, rooftop terrace, fully stocked kitchens and secure bike storage and shower facilities.

We know that diverse teams make stronger, more creative and more effective organisations. We are actively working to increase the diversity of our team and we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the climate and environment sector. We particularly welcome applications from marginalised groups, especially people of colour and other ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Disabled people and those who identify as working class.

If you need us to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact us as soon as possible.

If you’re excited about this role but unsure whether you meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We value different perspectives and experiences alongside specific skills.

How to apply

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is as fair as possible, and we ask all applicants to apply via our recruiter who will anonymise applications. For more information please contact hannah@nfp-people.co.uk

We can only consider applicants who are eligible to work in the UK.

Please note that we will only contact shortlisted candidates. All applications will be treated confidentially. We may store your information internally for up to 12 months unless you specifically request otherwise.