The work

Within the University Change Support Office (UCSO), you will own and shape the portfolio’s communications strategy, standards and delivery approach. You have delegated professional authority within the established strategic direction and operational priorities: making the agreed approach work in practice and advising when it needs to adapt. You will translate change objectives into engagement plans, messages, channels, listening arrangements and measures of impact, and counsel programme boards, senior responsible officers and other leaders on sensitive issues and adoption risks.

As change communications practice lead, you will develop tools, templates and quality criteria and coach contributors. A central challenge is coordinating messages and schedules for Schools, faculties and departments across programmes, including major change programmes outside the Change and Programme Management Board’s remit. You will work with programme teams, Change Partners and the University’s Internal Communications Team.

For Reimagining Professional Service activity, you will lead communications strategy and delivery within the operational coordination framework set by the Lead: Operational Coordination of Change and Change Planning, to whom the role reports.

The work includes producing, commissioning, editing and assuring materials from leadership messages to digital content and engagement resources. You will use feedback, audience insight and channel data to test understanding, identify risks and improve communications, seeking senior or governance input where appropriate. The work contributes to staff confidence and engagement and helps change programmes realise their intended operational benefits.

Qualifications

Requirements

• Significant experience leading or coordinating communications for complex organisational change, transformation, professional services redesign, policy implementation or institutional programmes involving multiple stakeholder groups.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders on sensitive communications, engagement, messaging, timing, reputation and adoption risks.
• Experience setting standards and developing tools, templates or guidance across programmes or contributors.
• Experience developing and evaluating internal communications strategies using insight, and producing, commissioning or assuring communications for specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Experience coaching, training or giving professional feedback to communications contributors or colleagues.
• Advanced understanding of change communications, internal communications strategy and stakeholder engagement in complex organisations, with the ability to influence and provide credible senior counsel on sensitive, contested, high-profile or operationally significant issues.
• Ability to design portfolio-wide strategies, standards, tools and evaluation approaches, and interpret feedback, channel information and stakeholder sentiment to identify risks and improve impact.
• Excellent written, verbal and editorial judgement, and the ability to lead through matrix arrangements, align contributors and build capability.
• Discretion, resilience and sound judgement.
• A collaborative, service-focused approach and commitment to face-to-face engagement, listening and two-way communication where useful, alongside digital and written channels.
• Degree-level education or equivalent practical experience in communications, engagement, change communication, public relations, journalism, marketing, organisational change or a related field.

Preferred qualifications

• A recognised professional communications qualification.