Communications Manager

As Communications Manager, you will play a central role in shaping how London Youth engages with the audiences that matter most. Sitting within the Fundraising and Communications Directorate, you will lead the day-to-day delivery of London Youth's digital communications, ensuring our work, impact and voice reach young people, members, funders, partners and policymakers in compelling and meaningful ways.

You will oversee London Youth's key digital channels, including social media, our website and newsletter marketing, ensuring they are engaging, accessible and aligned with organisational priorities. Through strong editorial judgement, a creative mindset, and a clear understanding of our audiences, you will translate programmes, policy work and youth activities into clear, engaging communications that inspire action and strengthen London Youth's profile and influence.

Working closely with colleagues across programmes, membership, policy, fundraising and our outdoor centres, you will help ensure the outcomes and impact of London Youth's work are effectively communicated throughout the year. You will support colleagues to plan and deliver communications activities that strengthen engagement with our network, build awareness of the youth sector, and support fundraising and partnership objectives.

As a key brand guardian for the organisation, you will help embed London Youth's visual identity and tone of voice across the organisation and our network. Through guidance, training and collaboration, you will equip colleagues with the tools and confidence to communicate consistently and effectively on behalf of London Youth.

You will also play a leading role in developing and improving London Youth's digital presence. By analysing performance and staying abreast of emerging digital trends, you will recommend new approaches to content, campaigns, and audience engagement that enhance the reach and effectiveness of our communications.

Alongside demonstrating the value and impact of youth work in London, your work will help ensure London Youth remains a trusted, visible, and compelling voice for young people and the youth organisations that support them.

What you will be doing

• Manage the planning and delivery of London Youth's day-to-day communications activity across our owned digital channels, including our social media platforms, website and newsletter communications to ensure they remain engaging and aligned with our priorities.
• Support the development and delivery of London Youth's organisational communications strategy, helping to plan and coordinate communications activity across the year - managing the organisation's communications calendar to ensure key programmes, campaigns, policy activity and partnerships are effectively communicated to the right audiences.
• Create and commission engaging digital content across formats, including social media assets, photography, blogs, video and web content. Through thoughtful editorial planning, you will identify opportunities to showcase the voices of young people, showcase our members' work, and demonstrate the impact of London Youth's programmes and partnerships.
• Manage and develop London Youth's website, working with colleagues to ensure content remains accurate, accessible, aligned with our priorities, and inspires action. You will oversee improvements to the website's structure, user experience and performance, working with external agencies to maintain and develop the platform.
• Own our newsletter marketing and audience engagement activity, working collaboratively with colleagues to develop targeted communications that build and maintain strong relationships with members, supporters, partners and other stakeholders.
• Be a brand guardian for London Youth to help ensure consistent, high-quality application of our visual and verbal identity, providing guidance and training to colleagues across the organisation, including our outdoor learning centres, helping our team communicate effectively and confidently while maintaining brand consistency.
• Build and manage productive relationships with creative freelancers, agencies and digital partners to deliver high-quality content and campaigns. You will help identify when external expertise is needed to ensure our partnerships deliver value and impact.
• Monitor and analyse the performance of our communications activity across digital channels, using data and insights to inform ongoing improvements, and identify opportunities to strengthen audience engagement and refine our approach to content and campaigns.
• Support the delivery of communications activity linked to key organisational priorities, events and campaigns. Working collaboratively with colleagues across programmes, membership, fundraising and policy, you will also help identify opportunities for young people and members to contribute to and shape our communications.
• Contribute to key organisational publications and projects, including our annual impact reporting and flagship events such as our AGM and London Youth Awards, ensuring communications activity helps strengthen London Youth's profile and engagement with key audiences.

What you bring to the role

• Proven experience managing digital communications channels, including social media platforms, websites and newsletter marketing.
• Experience developing, designing and delivering engaging digital content and campaigns that reach and resonate with diverse audiences.
• Experience producing high-quality written content across formats, including social media, blogs, newsletters and websites.
• Deep understanding of digital communications trends, audience engagement and best practice across social and web platforms.
• Experience managing website content and structure, ideally using content management systems such as WordPress.
• Experience analysing communications performance and using insights to improve reach, engagement and impact.
• Experience working collaboratively across teams to translate organisational priorities, programmes or policy work into engaging communications.
• Experience working with external agencies, creative freelancers or digital partners to deliver communications projects alongside in-house creative projects.
• Experience supporting or embedding organisational brand guidelines and communications standards.
• Experience producing high-quality digital and print assets and templates using tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and Adobe Express.
• Experience working in the charity, youth or voluntary sector, or an understanding of mission-led organisations.

Attributes and Behaviours

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and engagingly for different audiences.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Confident building collaborative working relationships with colleagues, partners and external stakeholders.
• Sound editorial judgement and attention to detail.
• Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team in a fast-moving environment.
• Curiosity about digital trends and attention to detail.
• Commitment to ensuring young people's voices are reflected authentically.
• Commitment to strengthening London's youth sector and the organisations that support young people.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends when required.
• Understanding and supporting the vision, mission and aims of London Youth.
• Demonstrate living our values of being: Ambitious, Collaborative, Inclusive, Accountable.

Why work at London Youth

• Generous holiday allowance - 39 days paid holiday each year (including bank holidays and closure days). If you work part-time, your holiday allowance will be proportional based on your working hours.
• Employer 4% pension contribution.
• Additional leave granted to support voluntary activity.
• Free Health Care Cash Plan.
• Free access for you and your family to the Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free access to the 'Headspace' app for you and your family.
• Free access to the Charity Mentoring Network, as a mentor or mentee.
• Flexible working opportunities considered.
• You will be working with a fantastic team of passionate colleagues across London Youth.
• You will be making a difference to the lives of young people.