Head of Communications | British & Irish Lions

Sporting Jobs are exclusively partnering with the British & Irish Lions to appoint a Head of Communications ahead of the inaugural Lions Women's Tour to New Zealand in 2027. This is one of the most compelling communications appointments in world sport, with the Lions being one of the most iconic brands in international rugby and bringing together the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to take on the southern hemisphere's finest. With the inaugural Women's Tour to New Zealand on the horizon, the organisation is entering a genuinely historic moment and they need an exceptional communicator to help shape and tell that story on a global stage. The successful candidate will form part of the tour party travelling to New Zealand in 2027.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Head of Communications will lead all communications activity for the British & Irish Lions, with primary responsibility for the build‑up to and delivery of the inaugural Lions Women's Tour. This is a senior leadership role that combines strategic direction with hands‑on delivery. One week you will be shaping the Lions' communications strategy and advising the executive team on reputation and messaging. The next you will be delivering press events, managing international media operations or briefing players and coaches ahead of a major announcement. No two days will look the same and that is part of what makes this opportunity so rare.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Lions' communications strategy, ensuring it supports both the sporting objectives and commercial ambitions of the organisation.
• Build and leverage a high‑impact global sports media network to maximise reach, coverage and influence.
• Lead and deliver the communications strategy for the inaugural Lions Women's Tour, including all tour‑related media activity.
• Define and execute corporate communications, PR strategy and crisis communications.
• Direct media operations and the delivery of all major press events ahead of and during the tour.
• Manage and strengthen relationships with rights‑holder broadcasters and key media partners across the UK, Ireland and internationally.
• Advise and brief the Chief Marketing Officer and senior leadership on all communications matters, risks and opportunities.
• Lead media training programmes for players, coaches and senior staff.
• Represent the Lions at high‑profile events, stakeholder engagements and across the global media landscape.
• Oversee alignment between communications, digital and social channels to ensure a consistent narrative across all owned and earned media.
• Lead internal communications to ensure alignment across the organisation.
• Establish clear KPIs and evaluate the impact of communications activity, reporting to the CMO.

About You

You will already be operating at a senior level within sports communications or another high‑profile, fast‑moving environment. You will be comfortable advising executive leadership, managing complex stakeholder relationships and delivering under pressure, without losing sight of the bigger picture. You will ideally bring:

• A proven track record of leading media relations and corporate communications at a high‑profile level.
• Experience as an organisational spokesperson and trusted adviser to senior leadership.
• A strong and established media network across the UK, Ireland and ideally internationally.
• Experience delivering communications around major events, tours or high‑profile campaigns.
• A genuine passion for women's sport and an understanding of the cultural significance of this moment for rugby.
• The ability to operate with calm authority in a high‑pressure, high‑profile environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong attention to detail.

Experience working directly with a women's sports team in a communications capacity would be a significant advantage, as would familiarity with the rugby media landscape and the Lions organisation specifically.