At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and deliver impactful media strategies to enhance Nationwide's reputation.
- Company: Join the UK's largest building society with a purpose-driven mission.
- Benefits: Enjoy private medical insurance, competitive pension, and performance bonuses.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for career development and volunteering.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in corporate communications and influence public perception.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in corporate communications and strong financial literacy.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
As Senior Corporate Media Relations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in protecting and enhancing the reputation of the world’s largest building society. You will shape and deliver a high‑impact corporate media strategy that positions Nationwide as a leading, purpose‑driven financial institution with a distinctive mutual difference.
Operating at a senior level, you will advise executives, lead major media moments, and ensure our voice is clear, authoritative, and aligned with our long‑term strategic ambitions. You will lead proactive and reactive corporate media activity across UK business and financial media, developing compelling narratives, anticipating issues and risks, identifying opportunities to strengthen Nationwide’s profile, and guiding senior leaders through complex or high‑pressure situations.
You will champion editorial excellence, ensure communications are insight‑driven, and maintain a calm, solutions‑focused approach when the external environment moves quickly. Working closely with colleagues across Corporate Affairs, Customer & Communications and the wider leadership team, you will ensure our media engagement is rigorous, well‑governed and reflective of Nationwide’s role in society.
You will help shape how the organisation explains its purpose, its performance, and its commitment to members, and support the development of Nationwide’s reputation as a Modern Mutual delivering a fairer, more rewarding banking experience. This role sits within Customer & Communications, the team responsible for strengthening Nationwide’s brand and reputation with customers, colleagues and society.
Its purpose is to ensure Nationwide’s voice is trusted and firmly anchored in member interests, directly enhancing public trust and bolstering Nationwide’s standing as a major UK financial institution with a unique mutual mission. Nationwide offers hybrid working wherever possible. You will spend at least two days per week in our London office, with the remainder of your time working remotely. We value time in the office for collaboration, learning and connection.
Nationwide is committed to the redeployment of employees impacted by change, prioritising applications from redeployment candidates in this recruitment process.
Benefits- Access to private medical insurance
- A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement
- Access to an annual performance‑related bonus
- Training and development to help you progress your career
- A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death
- Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness
- Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year
- Work with senior leaders to agree communications strategies, stories and messages for the financial and business media, providing clear and confident advice.
- Use your existing media network to reach out to new contacts in financial and business media, creating storytelling opportunities for Nationwide.
- Plan and deliver communications activity for key moments in the corporate calendar such as financial results, helping opinion formers and the public understand the business’s purpose, value and future direction as a Modern Mutual.
- Stay close to news agenda and member‑impacting issues, ensuring Nationwide’s perspective is heard and understood.
- Respond quickly to new developments, helping teams stay focused while removing obstacles so work can progress effectively.
- Proven experience leading large‑scale corporate communications programmes with measurable impact.
- Financially literate, with strong familiarity and confidence in interpreting and communicating financial and results reporting information.
- News‑savvy, with a strong instinct for what resonates with business and financial journalists and the ability to shape stories that will land effectively.
- Strong ability to interpret data, identify trends and turn insights into clear actions.
- Exceptional influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and secure senior‑leader alignment.
- Strong network across business and finance editors and journalists.
- Outstanding editorial judgement and writing skills for senior audiences.
- Experience managing complex, cross‑functional work at pace and balancing competing priorities.
- The ability to partner effectively with Finance, Strategy, Investor Relations, Secretariat, Legal, HR, Colleague Engagement, CEO Office and other key functions.
- Demonstrated commitment to customer‑first behaviours: empathy for customers, direct and honest communication, continuous improvement, and prioritising impactful outcomes.
Senior Corporate Media Relations Manager employer: Nationwide
Nationwide is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of London where collaboration and innovation thrive. With a strong commitment to employee development, competitive benefits including private medical insurance and a robust pension scheme, and a culture that prioritises member interests, Nationwide empowers its employees to make a meaningful impact in the financial sector. The hybrid working model further enhances work-life balance, making it an attractive place for professionals seeking rewarding careers in corporate media relations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Corporate Media Relations Manager
✨Get Involved in PR Events
Dive into local PR meetups and workshops. Events like these are perfect for getting your face out there, chatting with industry pros, and spotting potential job openings at companies like Nationwide. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to learn about trends and make lasting connections.
✨Showcase Your PR Skills
Start building your personal brand as a PR ace. Use platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to share your thoughts on current events or PR campaigns you admire. Tagging companies you want to work for, like Nationwide, can catch their eye—especially if your insights resonate!
✨Leverage Your Network
Reach out to friends, family, or connections in the PR field. Even a casual chat can lead to opportunities. If you've got mutual contacts, ask for introductions when applying. Personal recommendations can give your application a nice little boost!
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Corporate Media Relations Manager
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 Nationwide. 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 Nationwide.
How to prepare for a job interview at Nationwide
✨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.