Regional Communications Manager (Resilience) - Temporary (up to 2 years) in Poole

Salary: £35,853 - £42,181 per annum (dependent on experience)

Vehicle: A vehicle will be made available to carry out your duties

Contract type: Temporary: Fixed-Term Contract or Secondment

Hours: Full-Time

Location description: Home-Based

Interview date: 17 - 18 September

Closing Date: 06-09-2026

Reference: 21819

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue. The RNLI’s Communications team plays a key role in helping to prevent drowning, manage the RNLI’s reputation and build support for our charity’s cause. We work closely with volunteers, staff and partners in water safety, fundraising, and operations to amplify advice, build strong constructive relationships and ensure the RNLI can continue to save lives well into the future.

Some of the benefits

• Salary of £35,853 - £42,181 per annum (dependent on experience)
• Flexible working
• 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Competitive pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Health cash plan option

Your role

As Regional Communications Manager (Resilience), you will deliver agile communications support across the six RNLI regional communications teams. You’ll provide resilience and help to ensure our Communications Team can support and respond effectively to the implementation of the 5-Year Plan, with particular focus on the delivery of the Lifeboat Fleet Strategy and other emerging priorities. You will help plan, create and deliver communications to support the Fleet Strategy and other priorities and campaigns across media and digital channels, while building strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders to protect and enhance the RNLI’s reputation.

You will be required to react quickly to changing demands and priorities, and to manage and triage requests for support, information and advice – this could be driven by the news agenda, operational activity, volunteer support or internal resourcing. The role is home-based but with a requirement to travel around the coast, sometimes at short notice. The ability to work independently, flexibly and to prioritise your work is essential. The RNLI is a 24/7 search and rescue organisation, and you should be ready to work outside normal office hours. You will also be part of an out-of-hours duty press officer rota, which will require scheduled weekend and evening work.

To be successful in your application, you will need:

• Substantial experience of a busy media environment and current communications best practice – media relations, communications strategy and planning, press release writing, social media, basic video production, as well as creative flair.
• Substantial experience of finding, developing and pitching stories that include key organisational messages.
• The ability to conduct challenging conversations and manage multiple stakeholders with confidence.
• A professional qualification or equivalent experience in a media or corporate communications environment.
• Some experience of supporting volunteers, or a demonstrable understanding of what that requires.
• An understanding of how to include, and increase access for, people from a broad range of backgrounds and life experiences.

You’ll be able to evidence a strong news sense and have a good understanding of the regional and national news agenda. Your reward will be seeing the RNLI’s reputation go from strength to strength as you help save lives, raise awareness of our lifesaving work and inspire people to support us. This post requires a valid driving licence.

Safeguarding

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role.

Diversity at the RNLI

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable) and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.