At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead marketing and communications to enhance HSPG's reputation in affordable housing.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking organisation making a real impact in the housing sector.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 holiday days, wellness allowance, private healthcare, and team social events.
- Other info: Be the first marketing hire and drive impactful change from day one.
- Why this job: Shape narratives and engage with key stakeholders in a meaningful way.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in marketing or communications, with strong writing and strategic skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Essentials
- Platform: HSPG
- Status: Full time, permanent.
- Salary: £x
- Bonus: TBD
- Working arrangement: We typically work 4 days in the office, 1 day from home.
- Hours: 37.5 hours per week.
- Start: ASAP
- Reports to: MD (Group)
Benefits
- 25 holiday days per year
- 4 ‘Me Days’ per year (take a Me Day – focus on you)
- Team social events and trips
- Wellness allowance of £70 per month to be used for gym, classes, physio or other wellness costs
- Private healthcare with Vitality
- Mintago financial platform
- Drive Electric salary sacrifice
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and parental leave
- Employee referral scheme: £2,000 towards a getaway of your choice
Core Behaviours
Your core mission is to build and protect the reputation, credibility and narrative of HSPG across the housing sector. You will own how the business presents itself externally, ensuring our mission, expertise and partnerships are communicated clearly and consistently. You position HSPG as a credible, thoughtful and trusted voice in affordable housing and social impact real estate, contributing thoughtfully to industry conversations around delivery, partnerships and impact. You translate complex activity across the Group, acquisitions, partnerships, housing delivery and investment, into clear communications that strengthen relationships with investors, developers, Local Authorities and sector stakeholders. You operate as a strategic communications partner to the SLT (Senior Leadership Team) while remaining hands‑on in execution. Your focus is positioning, credibility and engagement across the wider sector on behalf of the group. This role is focused on reputation, narrative and sector credibility, rather than consumer marketing or digital acquisition campaigns.
Accountability
You Are Accountable For:
- Group marketing and communications strategy.
- External messaging and narrative.
- PR and media relationships.
- Thought leadership and sector positioning.
- Marketing materials across the Group.
- Marketing budget and allocation.
You Are Not Accountable For:
- Shared ownership sales channels.
- Property listing portals or lead generation platforms.
- Sales conversion or transactional marketing.
Obsess
These points get you out of bed in the morning and keep you up at night! If you’re not obsessed with these, the role isn’t for you.
- Narrative clarity: ensuring HSPG’s mission and impact (why), strategy (what), and behaviours (how) are communicated simply and consistently.
- Sector credibility: ensuring HSPG is known and respected by developers, Local Authorities, institutional investors and housing partners.
- Meaningful engagement: connecting with stakeholders in the right forums, to get (and measure) the right results.
- Quality over distractions: focusing on communication that genuinely strengthens the platform’s reputation and commercial performance.
If you measure success purely in clicks or impressions, this role is not for you.
Excel
You are excellent at these areas: an expert.
- Strategic communications: translating complex housing and investment activity into simple, entertaining narratives.
- Content creation and ownership: producing high-quality written and visual materials across multiple channels.
- PR and media: securing and managing press opportunities that enhance credibility (working with our external agency, Faust).
- Hands‑on execution: delivering work yourself rather than relying immediately on agencies or large teams (you are the first marketing hire – no team, no agency).
Specific Experience
- 10+ years’ experience in marketing, communications or public affairs.
- Evidenced track record of building a marketing or communications function.
- Excellent writing and communication capability, and strong ability to use AI for efficiencies.
- Experience operating within regulated or policy‑influenced sectors such as housing, real estate, infrastructure or the public sector.
90‑day wins
- Early traction and strategic control.
- Full audit of existing marketing assets, communications channels and data.
- Clear marketing and communications roadmap agreed with MD.
- Consistent LinkedIn and comms cadence established across the Group.
- Streamline HSPG front‑facing image on Linkedin, including team profiles.
- Improved quality, clarity and consistency of investor materials and external messaging.
- Initial PR opportunities secured to support current transactions and announcements.
12‑month impact outcomes
- Material impact and results within first 12 months.
- HSPG recognised as a credible and thoughtful voice within the affordable housing and institutional real estate sectors.
- Clear improvement in institutional and developer perception of the platform.
- Regular inbound conversations with developers, Local Authorities and sector partners.
- Consistent pipeline of thought leadership, articles, white papers (an exciting HSPG version of the ‘norm’!), commentary and sector participation.
- High‑quality marketing infrastructure in place across website, content and communications.
- A clear communications function established that supports growth across PPHA, Seahorse and future platforms.
Head of Marketing & Communications in London employer: HSPG
HSPG is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a supportive work culture with 25 holiday days, wellness allowances, and unique 'Me Days' to focus on personal health. Located in a vibrant sector, the Head of Marketing & Communications role provides the opportunity to shape the narrative of affordable housing while engaging with key stakeholders, ensuring your contributions are both meaningful and impactful.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Marketing & Communications in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company inside out, especially their mission and values. We want to see you shine by showing how your experience aligns with their goals, particularly in the housing sector.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your expertise! Bring examples of your past work to the table, especially any strategic communications or PR successes. We love seeing how you’ve made an impact in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! A quick thank-you email after your interview can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm and keeps you fresh in their minds. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Marketing & Communications in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Authentic:When you're writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to see the real you, so don’t be afraid to show your passion for marketing and communications.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to reflect how your experience aligns with our mission at HSPG. Highlight your strategic communications skills and any relevant experience in the housing or public sector.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:Since excellent writing is key for this role, use your application as a chance to demonstrate your communication prowess. Keep it clear, concise, and engaging – just like we would expect in the role!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at HSPG
✨Know Your Narrative
Before the interview, make sure you can clearly articulate HSPG's mission and impact. Think about how you would translate complex housing and investment activities into simple narratives that resonate with stakeholders. This will show your understanding of the role and its importance.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare examples from your past experience where you've successfully built a marketing or communications function. Highlight your strategic approach to external messaging and how you've engaged with media and PR opportunities. This will demonstrate your capability to operate as a strategic partner to the Senior Leadership Team.
✨Be Hands-On
Since this role requires a hands-on execution style, come ready to discuss how you've managed projects independently in the past. Share specific instances where you took the lead on content creation or PR initiatives without relying heavily on teams or agencies.
✨Engage with Sector Credibility
Research current trends and challenges in the affordable housing and social impact real estate sectors. Be prepared to discuss how you would position HSPG as a credible voice in these conversations. This shows your passion for the industry and your commitment to meaningful engagement.