Communications Manager in London

Communications Manager in London

London Full-Time 32000 - 40000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
HOUSE OF COMMONS

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead creative communications campaigns and engage diverse audiences with compelling content.
  • Company: Join the House of Commons Library and POST, central to UK parliamentary democracy.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 30-35 days annual leave, a generous pension scheme, and flexible working options.
  • Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for professional growth and development.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by ensuring reliable information supports democratic decision-making.
  • Qualifications: Strong communication skills and experience in diverse channels are essential.

The predicted salary is between 32000 - 40000 £ per year.

Are you a creative communications professional who is passionate about making trusted information accessible and engaging? As Communications Manager for the House of Commons Library and POST, you'll play a key role in ensuring that MPs, their staff and wider audiences can easily discover and engage with the impartial research, analysis and information that supports parliamentary democracy.

Working within the Communications and Engagement team, you'll develop and deliver proactive communications campaigns, create compelling content across a range of channels, manage social media and newsletters, and identify innovative ways to promote the Library and POST's services and publications. You'll work closely with researchers, stakeholders and colleagues across Parliament to translate complex information into clear, engaging communications that resonate with diverse audiences.

This is a varied, fast-paced and rewarding role, offering the opportunity to work at the heart of UK Parliament, helping to ensure that reliable, impartial information remains central to democratic decision-making. This role is offered on a hybrid working basis, with an expectation of you spending 40% of your time in the office.

Why Join us?

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including but not limited to:

  • Generous annual leave starting at 30 days and increasing to 35 after one full working year.
  • Enrolment in the excellent Civil Service pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%.
  • Flexible working options that help you find a balance including enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave, caring leave and alternative working patterns.

What we're looking for

Your excellent written and spoken communications skills enable you to present complex information in a clear, accessible, and engaging way to different audiences. You are committed to upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion at all times. You have experience of working with different communication channels and understand how different channels can reach diverse audiences in different ways. Your creative flair means that you can devise engaging and appealing targeted content. You rely on evaluation to adapt and improve your approach.

You can plan and manage workstreams, projects or programmes of work. You are highly motivated and understand how to prioritise effectively. You deliver on outcomes by taking responsibility for resolving issues and making improvements. Your outstanding stakeholder management skills allow you to engage effectively with customers and colleagues. You have the confidence to negotiate and persuade sensitively. Your political awareness gives you a good understanding of reputational risk, and you are confident in acting impartially.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, we would like you to write about a communications campaign you've taken a lead role on and that you are proud of. In your answer to Criteria 1 (Communications Experience), please tell us:

  • How you designed the content so that it was right for your audience.
  • What did you do to make your content stand out?
  • Which channels did you use and why?
  • Which techniques did you use to evaluate your work?
  • If you could do it again, what would you do differently?

You have 500 words to tell us about your best communications work - we will use your answer to understand whether you meet the first criteria: communications experience. We want to hear about what you did, why and what the results were, so you may want to use the STAR technique to help structure your answer. Please do read the application support pack before writing your application, as it will tell you more about what we are looking for.

When you access the application portal to apply, the criteria question as set out above will not be visible. Instead, you will be presented with a box labelled Criterion 1 - this is where you will insert your answer. Please refer to this job description or the application support pack and ensure you answer the question. Once you have submitted your application, and the recruitment has closed, all candidates will also be asked to take an online verbal reasoning test.

If you are shortlisted for interview, the interview questions will be shared with you in advance.

Information Session

As part of the process, we will be running virtual information sessions on MS Teams for you to find out more about this role. These sessions will be on:

  • Tuesday 4 August, 15:00-16:00
  • Wednesday 12 August, 13:00-14:00

To register to attend, please book your slot via Eventbrite. If you are an internal staff member, please email Georgia Pearse (Recruitment Advisor) to receive the Teams invite.

Additional Information

Please ensure that you anonymise your application by removing any identifiable factors from your CV or Supporting Statement. Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Communications Manager in London employer: HOUSE OF COMMONS

As an Education and Engagement Assistant at the UK Parliament, you will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to inspiring young minds in one of the most iconic settings in the UK. With generous annual leave, a robust pension scheme, and flexible working options, the company fosters a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and growth. This role not only offers meaningful engagement with the community but also provides opportunities for professional development in a historic and influential environment.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Contact Details:

HOUSE OF COMMONS Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Communications Manager in London

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We think you need these skills to ace Communications Manager in London

Written Communication Skills
Spoken Communication Skills
Content Creation
Social Media Management
Campaign Development
Stakeholder Management
Project Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Get Your Story Straight:In public relations, storytelling is everything! Make sure your CV highlights your experience in crafting compelling narratives and managing media relations. Share specific examples of campaigns you've worked on, and don’t forget to include any press coverage you've generated—it's impressive proof of your skills!

Show Off Your Communication Skills:Since PR is all about communication, we want to see your best writing samples. Include pieces like press releases, blog posts, or social media content that you've created. This gives us a taste of your voice and your ability to convey messages clearly and effectively, which is crucial for a role in this field.

Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter should be more than just a recap of your CV; it’s your chance to shine! Emphasise why PR excites you and how your background fits with the mission of HOUSE OF COMMONS. Show us that you’ve done your homework and speak to why you’re passionate about the work we do.

Connect the Dots:When you’re writing your application, think about how your past experiences link to the responsibilities of the role. Mention any internships, volunteer work, or projects that involved public speaking, event planning, or strategic communication. This will help us see how you can seamlessly bring your skills into a full-time position at HOUSE OF COMMONS.

How to prepare for a job interview at HOUSE OF COMMONS

Master the Art of Storytelling

In public relations, storytelling is key. We should prepare compelling narratives about past campaigns or projects we’ve worked on. Think about how we can illustrate our impact and creativity in those stories—be ready to discuss specific examples that showcase our skills in managing media relationships and crafting messages.

Know Your PR Tools Inside Out

Familiarity with PR tools like Cision or Meltwater is crucial. We need to be able to discuss how we’ve used these tools in past roles or projects. If we've worked on media lists, press releases, or analytics reports, let’s have those experiences ready to share along with metrics we’ve achieved to back up our claims.

Stay Current with Industry Trends

We’ve got to stay sharp on the latest trends and events impacting the public relations field. Having a few insights ready about recent campaigns or shifts in media landscapes can show that we’re engaged and knowledgeable. This will also help us make connections between our experiences and the current state of the industry.

Showcase Our Versatility

As full-time PR professionals, we need to demonstrate our adaptability. Be ready to talk about how we've handled challenging situations, managed crises, or adapted strategies on the fly. Employers will appreciate our ability to pivot and find solutions under pressure, so let’s have those scenarios at our fingertips to discuss.