Head of Public Affairs

Over the past 2 years, GuildHE has been transforming into the voice for distinctive higher education providers, building our brand on the principle that diversity is necessary for a healthy and vibrant higher education sector. We have a new look, a renewed energy, and a bold vision for the future of distinctive institutions. Now, we need the final piece of the puzzle: our first‑ever Head of Public Affairs. This is a landmark appointment for us.

As a newly‑created role following our recent rebranding, you’ll be building our external presence, taking our fresh identity and the work we’ve undertaken so far to the next level as we seek to double‑down on our high‑impact advocacy and engagement work. The Head of Public Affairs will lead the development and execution of a cohesive external engagement strategy and be responsible for managing the organisation’s reputation, building high‑level stakeholder relationships, and ensuring the collective voice of our member institutions is heard by policymakers and the media.

As our inaugural Head of Public Affairs, you will have a unique mandate to shape the way GuildHE interacts with the world, where you can:

• Own the Narrative: Take our new brand and shape the “GuildHE voice” across Westminster, the media, and the wider HE sector.
• Build the Blueprint: You will have the autonomy to design our engagement frameworks from scratch—working with the Director of Policy and Strategy to decide how we influence policy and how we best champion the value of specialist education.
• Create a Legacy: Because this is a brand‑new headcount, every success will be yours to claim. You are here to build a function that will help define our influence for the next decade.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and Planning: Audit and overhaul our existing GHE communications strategy and annual communications plan, bringing fresh thinking to ensure we’re not just participating in conversations, but leading them. This work will be supported by the Communications Manager and require close working with the Director of Policy and Strategy and the Parliamentary Engagement Policy Manager. It should include monitoring and reporting (using metrics) to assess the overall effectiveness of our communications strategy and engagements.
• Strategic Advocacy: Develop and lead multi‑channel public campaigns to influence higher education policy at local, national, and international levels. Identify opportunities for collaboration, and lobbying to support strategy objectives.
• Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement: Build and maintain a map of key influencers, including press contacts and media personalities, government officials, funding bodies, industry partners, and think tanks. Establishing new relationships and expanding our network is expected.
• Media & Reputation Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries. Oversee press releases, media briefings, and crisis communication protocols.
• Member Relations: Work closely with member institutions to ensure external messaging aligns with their diverse needs and reflects our values, mission and strategic priorities.
• Digital Presence & Branding: Oversee the organisation’s digital footprint, ensuring that social media, web content, and annual reports reflect a modern, authoritative brand.
• Event Leadership: Working closely with the Director of Operations and Membership, and the Membership and Partnerships Manager, provide oversight of our conferences and events as platforms for HE advocacy and key avenues for raising awareness about our work and priorities.

We’re looking for someone who will champion diversity in higher education. From world‑leading arts and agricultural institutions to large and distinctive HE providers who serve their students, industries and communities in innovative ways, you will find the common threads that bind our members and weave them into a compelling national story. You aren’t just representing institutions; you’re representing a vision of a more varied, vibrant educational landscape.

The right candidate will have proven experience leading communications, marketing or external relations at a senior level, with exceptional and wide‑ranging communications skills. As a small team, we’re looking for those who are adaptable, agile and resilient, able to flex well between high and low pressure moments and different paces of work throughout the year, helping the team to navigate chaotic periods calmly. Most importantly, we’re looking for pioneers, who are energised by the phrase, “we haven’t done that before.”

If you’re a strategist who loves the “start‑up” energy of building and expanding functions within a respected, established body, we want to hear from you.

Offer details

• Salary: starting range £49,593 to £52,570, for full‑time permanent contract (35 hrs a week)
• Pension: USS
• Annual leave: 25 days plus 8 bank holidays, 3 well‑being days, and a Christmas office closure
• Location: Hybrid, flexible working model with an office located in central London for those that like to use it. Occasional UK‑wide travel for member events and into London at least once a month for an all‑team day.
• Reports to: Director of Operations and Membership.

Want this job? Please send a cover letter explaining why you’re the best fit for us (2 pgs max) and a CV by an email via the button below by 4pm, 22 May. Application closing date: May 22, 4pm. Interviews: June 3-4.

Not sure if this is right for you and want some more information? Please contact Angellique Woolery, Director of Operations and Membership by an email.