Head of Communications and Engagement in London

Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU)

The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) is a nonprofit organisation providing independent, evidence-based insight on the UK’s energy and climate landscape.

We help inform public debate and support better decision-making at a critical moment for the UK’s net zero transition.

This is an exciting senior leadership opportunity for an experienced communications professional who can shape and deliver organisation-wide communications and engagement strategies, lead a talented team, and ensure impactful engagement across media, digital and stakeholder channels.

Reporting to the Director, you will lead the organisation’s external communications and engagement function, ensuring all communications activity is strategically aligned, well-coordinated and delivered with pace, accuracy and impact.

You will oversee media relations, digital communications, parliamentary and stakeholder engagement, and lead on rapid response activity, acting as the central point of coordination for organisational messaging and editorial decision-making.

Key responsibilities include

• Developing and delivering the organisation’s communications and engagement strategy.
• Leading, motivating and managing a multidisciplinary communications team.
• Coordinating communications activity across multiple programmes and projects.
• Leading rapid-response communications and identifying opportunities to inform public debate.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with journalists, producers and key stakeholders.
• Providing strategic communications advice to colleagues and senior leaders.
• Managing organisational reputation and communications risk.
• Maintaining high standards across all communication and engagement channels.
• Using data, analytics and audience insight to evaluate impact and improve performance.

Experience and skills expected of the post holder

We are looking for a confident and proactive communications leader with the credibility and expertise to operate at a senior level.

• Proven experience leading a communications, public affairs or engagement function.
• Experience of line managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing strategic communications and media plans.
• Strong editorial judgement, including handling politically sensitive and high-profile issues with experience of maintaining high quality standards.
• Experience identifying, assessing and managing reputational risk.
• Strong understanding of the UK political and policy environment.
• Experience integrating digital communications into wider strategic communications activity and adapting content and messaging across platforms.
• Excellent project management skills with experience of coordinating multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Experience building senior-level relationships across media, policy or related sectors.
• Experience using analytics, audience insight and data to evaluate and improve communications effectiveness.
• A highly proactive, self-motivated approach with the ability to take initiative and drive delivery.
• Experience leading rapid-response communications in a fast-moving news environment.
• Experience in climate, energy, environmental policy or related sectors.

We know that diverse teams make stronger, more creative and more effective organisations.

We are actively working to increase the diversity of our team and we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the climate and environment sector.

We particularly welcome applications from marginalised groups, especially people of colour and other ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Disabled people and those who identify as working class.

If you’re excited about this role but unsure whether you meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply.

We value different perspectives and experiences alongside specific skills.

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