Internal Communications Manager in Milton Keynes

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part‑time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.

About the Role

The Internal Communications Manager is responsible for supporting the delivery of strategic communication campaigns that inform, engage and inspire employees. Working with the Senior Internal Communications Managers, you will help design and deliver insight-driven, multi‑channel communications plans, both at organisational and unit or faculty level. You will work with stakeholders across the University to understand business objectives and translate these into measurable communications plans, leading on the design and delivery of communications initiatives to support operational activity.

You will be responsible for creating messaging and content that supports the delivery of University objectives, building employee engagement, and driving brand advocacy through consistent and compelling storytelling. You will create, edit and distribute high‑quality, engaging content across all internal communications channels and measure how it performs. This insight will help to drive improvements in University‑wide communications services and capability and will improve understanding of key audiences.

You will ensure consistency in messaging and tone of voice across all content and channels, and you will be responsible for ensuring activity is planned into the internal communications calendar and integrated MarCommsDev plan. This will ensure activity is aligned with brand comms and external messaging. You will also support the delivery of our Employee Engagement objectives by ensuring communications initiatives, channels and events facilitate conversation and enable a diversity of voices to be heard.

You will act as a communications champion, providing insight‑led advice, guidance and support to colleagues across the university, and will support the development of our university communications capability by sharing evidence, learning and best practice. You will require excellent all‑round communication and stakeholder management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively. You will need to be personally resilient and comfortable working with a degree of ambiguity.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic communications planning and delivery: Support the development and delivery of internal communications campaigns that are aligned with the University’s objectives, values and brand. Partnering with teams in MarCommsDev, Professional Services units and Faculties as required. Design and deliver operational communications plans and initiatives using OASIS methodology to ensure effective planning, measurement and evaluation. Ensure all proactive internal communications activity is planned into the internal communications calendar and integrated MarCommsDev planner.
• Stakeholder Management: Partner with University‑wide stakeholders to support the delivery of business initiatives, translating objectives into multi‑channel, measurable communications campaigns. Provide evidence‑based communications advice and guidance to stakeholders across the university, to build audience understanding and enhance institutional communications capability and practice. Build effective stakeholder networks to elicit feedback and understand audience sentiment.
• Employee Engagement: Facilitate open conversation and two‑way information exchange across the organisation, fostering connections between leaders and peers.
• Channel Management and Content: Create, edit and distribute high‑quality internal communications materials across all channels, to tell compelling and inspiring stories that enhance employee engagement and brand advocacy. Ensure consistency of quality, brand and tone of voice across all internal communications channels and content. Ensure content is inclusive and accessible to all.
• Insight and Measurement: Monitor and measure the effectiveness of all internal communications activity; outcomes, outtakes and outputs to improve the delivery of in‑flight and future campaigns. Gather feedback to build understanding of audiences, stakeholders, channel and content performance.

About You

Essential skills and experience:

• Ability to think and plan strategically, with experience of having supported multi‑channel internal communications campaigns.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, with proficiency in creating clear, concise and engaging content for use across multiple channels.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience of using a range of communications tools and platforms.
• Experience of using analytics and data to evaluate communications performance and impact.
• Experience of using insight to inform campaign planning and continuous practice improvement.
• Experience of developing engaging and effective campaigns and content, with the ability to propose and test new ideas and solutions.
• Experience in the organisation and delivery of employee engagement events including town halls, focus groups, conferences or workshops.
• Personally resilient with the ability to work effectively under pressure and to manage ambiguity.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Previous experience in an internal communications role in a medium to large organisation.
• Previous experience of having worked on crisis or reputation management activities.
• Undergraduate degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or a related field.
• Previous experience of using AI tools to support productivity, content creation and communications, an understanding of the need for responsible and ethical use of AI, and a willingness to develop skills and knowledge in this area.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement, please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Working location: It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office, it is expected that the role holder will be required to work from our Milton Keynes campus in response to business need.

Next steps in the Recruitment process: If shortlisted, we anticipate interviews taking place either Tuesday 13th or Friday 16th October.

Early closing date notification: While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential.