External Communications Lead

6 months ago

London, United Kingdom South Western Railway Full time

**Who are we?**

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England and the Isle of Wight.

**Join our team and help us continue to improve quality of life, by bringing people together to get the most out of life.**

SWR is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

**About the job**:
The Corporate Affairs function within South Western Railway is responsible for protecting and promoting all aspects of SWR's reputation. As well as reacting to the challenges of running the railway, the team has a renewed focus on showcasing SWR as a leading business, telling the stories of its positive contributions and delivering a front foot communications strategy.

Reporting into the Head of Corporate Affairs, this new role will lead the small team of four external communications specialists to drive greater creativity, strategic thinking and ultimately impact in all our communications.

The role holder will bring proven creative storytelling ability, strategic thinking, ability to design and embed change across business functions, media insight and contacts and social media expertise to the team.

They will also assume accountability for coordinating the day to day delivery of the reactive communications function to ensure clear, concise and timely communications to the media and customers service related developments.

**Your main responsibilities will be**:

- Leading, inspiring and developing the external communications team to deliver the front foot communications strategy
- Owning the strategic communications plan to deliver agreed business objectives and bring SWR's purpose, vision and mission to life
- Building relationships and reputation with key journalists and influencers
- Creating engaging content for use across all channels to enhance reputation
- Devising and delivering impactful campaigns to secure coverage and recognition of SWR's positive story, including with consumer audiences
- Creating and owning a social media strategy to deliver proactive and positive communications
- Providing strategic communications counsel to the Head of Corporate Affairs, members of the Senior Leadership Team and Executives
- Owning and regularly updating the corporate narrative and key message framework to embed a distinctive tone and character in SWR's communications
- Identify opportunities and platforms for key Executives to showcase SWR's positive story
- Working closely with colleagues in the wider team to identify stories, plan activity and enable the delivery of engaging media campaigns
- Reporting activity and success to internal and external stakeholders
- Managing the external communications budget

**As a minimum, you will need to have**:

- Extensive experience in corporate or consumer PR in an agency or in-house setting
- Demonstrable track record of leading and developing a team
- Evidence of thinking creatively to drive multi-channel campaigns that deliver reputational change
- Ability to build internal networks and trust to deliver shared objectives
- Evidence if building relationships with key media and influencers
- Strategic communications thinking and planning
- Experience of driving and delivering social media campaigns with creative and engaging content
- Experience of working in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent organisational skills
- Experience of managing budgets and suppliers

**About the location**:
South Western Railways HQ is based on the 4th Floor at South Bank Central, a stone's throw from the River Thames and a 10 minute walk from our busiest station, Waterloo. It is local to many well-known attractions, restaurants and retail facilities and is easily accessible by public transport.

**Working pattern**:
Working an average of 37 hours per week over 5 days

Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:00 with on call rota

**The Reward**:
In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:

- Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employee
- Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependant)
- 75% discount on many other train operating companies
- Full training and support with development
- Large range of exclusive retail offers
- Excellent pension scheme

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towar

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