Head of Internal Communications in Bristol

We are looking for a strategic and visionary Head of Internal Communications to lead and evolve our internal communications function. Sitting at the heart of our employee experience and culture, this high-impact role will shape and deliver a forward-thinking strategy that connects our people to our purpose, simplifies complex messages and drives meaningful engagement across the business. As a trusted advisor to the Exec team and senior leaders, you will help ensure their voice and vision are clearly communicated - building trust, visibility and alignment. You will advise on change communications for major projects and take the lead on acquisitions and disposals. You will also play a pivotal role in elevating our employer brand - partnering across teams to tell powerful stories that attract and retain top talent and build our reputation among key external stakeholders.

What You Will Be Doing

• Develop and own the internal communications strategy aligned with business priorities, culture and values.
• Lead strategic planning cycles, ensuring internal communications are proactive, insight-led and measurable.
• Leadership Engagement: Support and advise the Exec team and senior leaders on internal engagement, crafting tailored comms plans and coaching them to be visible, authentic ambassadors for our culture and goals.
• Employee Engagement: Partner with People leadership team to develop creative communications plans that enhance the employee journey (including culture, values, benefits and L&D). With support from the Internal Communications Manager, develop engaging, multi-channel campaigns that simplify complex messages and drive employee engagement, while ensuring consistency, impact and alignment with our values and business goals.
• Change and Transformation: Work alongside the Change & Transformation team to shape clear, consistent messaging for key projects. While they lead on in-project comms, you will make sure the bigger picture - benefits, timing and impact - lands well across the wider business. Lead change communications for acquisitions and disposals to ensure employees feel well-informed and supported.
• Employer Brand & Talent Attraction: Develop a clear content strategy to champion employee storytelling showcasing our culture, values and employee experience - strengthening our employer brand and supporting talent attraction.
• External Alignment: Partner with the wider Communications team to identify newsworthy company and employee stories that build the company’s reputation among key external stakeholders to promote the employer brand. Support the amplification of internal stories across owned, earned and shared external channels (in collaboration with the Head of Corporate Comms) to reinforce our employer brand positioning.
• Measurement & Improvement: Track and report on key communications activities, including learnings and improvements for future projects and campaigns. Lead and develop a small internal communications team, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.

What We Are Looking for in You

• Proven internal comms leadership in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Trusted advisor to Exec teams and senior leaders, with strong influencing skills.
• Exceptional planner and communicator who can bring clarity and cohesion to projects - making sure messages are understood, supported and aligned with the bigger picture.
• Skilled in leading change comms, including acquisitions and disposals.
• Strategic thinker with a track record of leading creative comms campaigns that drive measurable engagement and cultural impact.
• Data-driven, with experience setting, tracking and reporting comms metrics.
• Experienced in building and leading high-performing teams.
• Highly collaborative and adaptable, with a passion for culture, employee experience and employer brand.

If you are up for the challenge and ready to help shape how we communicate, we want to hear from you!

What You Will Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company’s success.
• 25 days’ paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service.
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save.
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends.
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents.
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK’s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling us home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas. Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn’t just what we do but who we are. People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone: We are proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we are passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what’s right, keeping us safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.