Strategic Communications Lead, Northern Ireland

As we build a new, integrated approach to communications across the UK, this position offers an exceptional opportunity to shape how we tell our story. Playing a strategic leadership role, you will be the vital bridge between our grant makers and communicators, working in a matrix manner with the senior leadership team in your country and our wider communications team to solve problems and generate successful communications and engagement campaigns.

You will provide strategic leadership on communications and external affairs, working across two areas of responsibility: a specific country within the UK and one of our four missions. Your ability to create powerful alignment between these areas will be essential to success.

Your deep understanding of the devolved context and stakeholder landscape will help build the Fund's influence with regional decision-makers and opinion formers while advancing UK-wide objectives. You will also be an ambassador for the Fund's work, maintaining a strong network in your country.

We are looking for an experienced communications strategist with extensive knowledge of the local political, media and stakeholder landscape. You should bring a sophisticated understanding of how communications can drive organizational objectives and a proven track record of leading integrated campaigns. Your background might include senior communications roles in government, the VCSE sector, or complex organizations operating across devolved administrations, where you've demonstrated ability to navigate diverse stakeholder environments and translate strategic goals into impactful communications activity.

Key responsibilities

• Lead strategic communications for one Funding portfolio and one mission area, ensuring integration with business planning
• Build and lead matrix teams to deliver integrated communications campaigns
• Develop and implement communications plans that drive engagement with key stakeholders
• Provide senior counsel on reputation management and crisis response
• Act as senior regional point of contact for communications and external affairs
• Ensure consistent messaging across all customer journey touchpoints
• Represent the Fund with key external stakeholders and opinion formers

Location: You will be expected to be based in the country you will be supporting. We have a hybrid approach to working with work pattern and exact location agreed with the successful candidate. Our offices are in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Newtown.

Interview date: Friday 18th July and Monday 21st July (Morning only on both dates)

If you would like to find out more about the role specifically or recruitment process, please contact: [email protected]

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential criteria

• Extensive experience in developing and delivering strategic communications and engagement in support of organisational priorities, including planning and executing media, marketing and external affairs
• Strong influencing skills with both internal colleagues and external partners
• Significant experience in building and leading high-performing teams in a matrix-management setting
• Demonstrable understanding of public affairs in devolved governments
• Experience providing strategic communications counsel to senior leaders including at times of reputational risk
• Experience in leading crisis communications
• Excellent project management skills in a complex organisation with competing deadlines
• Demonstrable experience in using data and insight to inform and deliver communications campaigns.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working across multiple regions or countries
• Track record of developing innovative communications approaches
• Experience in one or more of our mission areas

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)

What benefits are available?

We recognise that keeping our people happy and healthy enables us to be a more effective organisation and makes The National Lottery Community Fund a better place to work. Benefits include:

• Generous Civil Service Pension scheme
• Flexible working
• Enhanced paid maternity/paternity leave
• Paid volunteering leave
• Season ticket loan

Watch this video to see a full list of benefits available.

Job contact :

• Name : [email protected]
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]