Head of Internal Communications in Newcastle upon Tyne

The Head of Internal Communications will lead our global internal communications strategy. This is a pivotal role for an experienced and visionary leader who can translate complex business strategies into clear, compelling narratives that inspire and align our people across the organisation. This role is the architect of how we communicate at Version 1, ensuring every colleague understands our purpose, vision, strategic priorities and their role in our collective success. Above all, it is part of a passionate group of people with strong ambitions to make the biggest possible impact on the engagement and performance of our people.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and drive the strategy and implementation of a comprehensive internal communication programme that supports the organisation’s strategic priorities and embeds the employee value proposition.
• Through exceptional stakeholder management, ensure all internal communication meets the needs of each area of the business and that the executive leadership team is fully supported with targeted communication around strategic initiatives.
• Lead the communication strategy for organisational change initiatives, helping colleagues to understand the why and thrive through change, with considered and empathetic approaches.
• Build and deliver the right plan for communication touchpoints, including town halls, leadership updates and stand-out moments in the corporate calendar, aligned to the wider external communications strategy.
• Develop and nurture strong collaborative relationships with key stakeholders including senior leaders, the people team, corporate communications, marketing and other critical business partners.
• Continuously assess, evolve and improve our internal communications channels, simplifying the route to critical business information and combatting information overload.
• Be a champion for the adoption of new tools and technologies, leveraging AI into ways of working and stay current with industry best practices and trends related to communications, bringing fresh perspectives into the function.
• Establish metrics and measurement frameworks to assess the progress and impact of the communications strategy on key commercial metrics and refine approaches to ensure continued success.

Essential Experience and Leadership Qualities:

• A brilliant and passionate professional with proven experience in designing business and people-focused internal communication strategies that can show measurable outcomes that drive results.
• A pure internal communications background that demonstrates how exceptional thinking and creative writing skills have driven the highest standards of communication and genuinely made a difference to business outcomes and engagement across an organisation.
• Strong experience operating at a senior stakeholder level that highlights a strategic mindset and gravitas to inspire, lead with new ways of doing things and be comfortable challenging ideas for the greater good.
• The ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and good analytical skills to measure and evaluate the impact of communication programmes.
• A real team player who is willing to get stuck in and work together to make a meaningful and immediate impact.

Qualifications and Background:

• 10+ years of experience in internal communications, with significant experience focused on large, complex organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to move beyond execution to serve as a genuine strategic partner, capable of building, owning and delivering complex communications plans that deliver measurable business value.
• Experience defining, tracking and reporting on communications metrics and cultural indicators to measure success and drive accountability.
• Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities and thrive in an intense, creative and fast-paced work environment.
• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing or a related field and IoIC accreditation or membership a plus.

Additional Information:

At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their wellbeing, professional growth, and financial stability. Share in our success with our Quarterly Performance-Related Profit Share Scheme, where employees collectively benefit from a share of our company's profits. Strong Career Progression & mentorship coaching through our Strength in Balance & Leadership schemes with a dedicated quarterly Pathways Career Development programme. Flexible/remote working, Version 1 is tremendously understanding of life events and people’s individual circumstances and offer flexibility to help achieve a healthy work life balance. Financial Wellbeing initiatives including; Pension, Private Healthcare Cover, Life Assurance, Financial advice and an Employee Discount scheme. Employee Wellbeing schemes including Gym Discounts, Bike to Work, Fitness classes, Mindfulness Workshops, Employee Assistance Programme and much more. Generous holiday allowance, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave and special leave policies. Educational assistance, incentivised certifications, and accreditations, including AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat.