Communications Manager (Partnerships and Media Engagement) in Croydon

Salary: £38,000-£40,000 per year

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: UK (minimum 2 days per week in the London office)

Work Pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week with the opportunity for flexible working hours

Reporting To: Head of Marketing and Communications

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit an anonymised CV and covering letter (please remove any identifying details such as name, address, or photos) by midnight on 7th April via the Workable link. In your covering letter, please demonstrate your motivations for applying to the role, how the position aligns with your career plans, and the experience (professional, voluntary, or lived) that makes you a strong fit for the role in line with our values and the criteria outlined in the job description. We encourage candidates to ensure their responses reflect their own skills, experiences, and personal voice. If AI tools are used, candidates should also explain how and why they used them. Candidates who applied during the previous recruitment round, and have not gained significant new experience since then, will not normally be reconsidered for this position.

INTERVIEW STAGES

The selection process will consist of three stages (dates will be confirmed with shortlisted candidates):

• First-round interview w/c 13th April
• Second-round interview w/c 20th April
• Final interview with the CEO w/c 27th April

Candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation (10–12 minutes maximum) on a strategic partnership communications plan. Candidates should allocate no more than 3 hours to prepare this task.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Mission 44 exists to drive change and build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world. As our work and partnerships continue to grow, so does our ambition to tell powerful stories that shine a light on the barriers young people face, champion solutions, and inspire meaningful action. The Communications Manager will be central to this mission, leading high-impact communications across brand and corporate partnerships, media, and talent to amplify Mission 44’s visibility and impact. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with global brands like Formula 1, lululemon, Hot Wheels, and HP on bold campaigns that drive real change for young people.

The role will lead and manage communications across Mission 44’s brand and corporate partnerships, acting as the primary contact and fostering long-term, trusted relationships. The role will develop and execute integrated communications plans, deliver compelling storytelling, and collaborate with internal teams and partners - including Lewis Hamilton Ventures - to amplify impact, drive engagement, and support organisational objectives. The role also supports media relations, managing the day-to-day delivery of our media agency partnership to secure high-quality coverage, and playing a central role in talent engagement, connecting key talent to meaningful campaigns and moments that elevate Mission 44’s mission globally.

Requirements

BRAND & FUNDRAISING COMMUNICATIONS (70%)

• Manage communications across Mission 44’s portfolio of brand and corporate partners, serving as the primary contact.
• Build and maintain trusted, long-term relationships with partners to strengthen engagement and impact.
• Develop and implement integrated communications plans (owned, earned, paid and shared) that support brand growth, income generation and organisational objectives.
• Identify and deliver compelling storytelling opportunities that highlight shared initiatives and drive visibility of the partnership.
• Collaborate closely with Events, Partnerships, and Philanthropy teams to create donor-facing materials, campaign messaging, and communications support for key activities and moments.
• Work in partnership with Lewis Hamilton Ventures to maximise strategic partnership opportunities and amplify Mission 44’s impact.

MEDIA RELATIONS (20%)

• Account manage the day-to-day relationship with Mission 44’s media agency, ensuring the delivery of high quality media coverage (reactive and proactive) to meet organisational objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and key media contacts where necessary.
• Monitor, evaluate and report on media coverage and performance, delivering regular insight and recommendations to the senior leadership team.
• Support crisis communications and reputational risk management as required.
• Work closely with the founder’s brand and communications team on joint high-profile press moments.

TALENT ENGAGEMENT (10%)

• Support talent engagement including strategy development, recruitment and ongoing engagement.
• Work cross-teams to identify and deliver opportunities for talent involvement across communications, fundraising, campaigns and partnerships.
• Support key moments where talent can meaningfully amplify Mission 44’s mission and impact.
• Monitor, evaluate and report on talent engagement activity to inform future strategy.

ABOUT YOU: SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

• Experience in the non-profit, social impact, or corporate social responsibility sectors.
• Proven minimum 5 years experience working across communication channels (owned, earned, paid, and shared).
• Proven experience developing and delivering communications in collaboration with brands and corporate partners that support income generation, strengthen brand visibility, and advance organisational objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling storytelling for diverse audiences.
• Ability to build and maintain trusted, long-term relationships with corporate partners and media.
• Strong project and stakeholder management skills, managing multiple campaigns and priorities simultaneously.
• Analytical skills to evaluate communications impact, provide recommendations, and optimise strategies.
• Confident engaging with high-profile partners, media, and talent - adapting to different situations.

DESIRABLE

• Experience working with global or high-profile brands.
• Experience working with high-profile talent.
• Experience supporting crisis communications and reputational risk management.
• Background in event communications, stakeholder engagement, or collaborative campaign delivery.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Passionate about creating a fairer, more inclusive, more compassionate future for young people around the world.
• Strategic thinker with creative storytelling and problem-solving skills.
• Highly organised and proactive in managing complex projects.
• Collaborative, able to work effectively across teams and with stakeholders.
• Solutions-oriented, with the confidence to propose bold ideas.
• Committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion in all work.
• Resilient with demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

• Enjoy 28 days annual leave, plus a day for your birthday.
• Use our cycle-to-work scheme and free gym access.
• Save for retirement with our generous pension package.
• We finish every Friday at noon in August.
• Optional health insurance and access to an EAP.
• Professional development budget of £1k.
• Unlimited volunteering leave, as agreed with your manager.
• Wellbeing allowance to spend in whatever way works for you.
• Competitive parental leave package.