Head of Communications

**Head of Communications**

**Responsibilities**:

- To develop, manage and deliver an annual communications plan ensuring a strong audience connection across all key internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead a strong internal communications strategy to drive colleague engagement throughout the organisation.
- Liaising with colleagues across all divisions and functions to deliver divisional messaging aligned to market needs.
- Work closely across the Group to create one complementary plan.
- Develop the communications brief for the production, writing and commissioning of content for all relevant channels.
- In line with the brand DNA and values, implement, monitor, and evaluate brand guidelines and company tone of voice.
- Manage and expand the Group and divisional social media presence, sourcing and sharing newsworthy and trustworthy information from across the market sectors in which we operate.
- Monitor and report on the effectiveness of communication activity.
- Manage and evaluate creative and targeted PR and media campaigns.
- Support the Group Marketing Director on crisis communications and reputational risk management.
- Manage and grow an active database of media contacts and stakeholders.
- Commission and co-ordinate photography and videography as appropriate.
- Building creative & engaging communication strategies
- Copywriting or journalist background
- Interpreting & executing a communication plan
- Comprehensive understanding of communication channels
**About you**:

- Previous experience of managing communications across a broad range of platforms and media to deliver a consistent brand and message to internal and external audiences.
- Effective communicator with the ability to communicate across all stakeholders establishing credibility and respect.
- Excellent written and verbal skills, proven journalistic writing style as well as imaginative and creative copy content.
- High standards of accuracy and proof-reading ability.
- Ability to contingency plan to address all possible scenarios.
- Flexible and willing to adapt to changing priorities.
- Able to work on own initiative as well as being a team member.
**What's in it for you?**:

- Develop your skills and capability in a highly supportive and multi-diverse culture
- Outstanding Training & Development
- Excellent benefits package including:

- Early access to your pay through ‘EarlyPay’
- 24/7 access to your payslips and Rotas via HR/Payroll portal
- 10% Staff Discount in our SPAR stores
- Access to our colleague benefits scheme which offers a wide range of high street retail, holiday & leisure discounts
- Company Life Insurance worth 1 x Annual Salary and 6 x Annual Salary with Company Pension Scheme
- Company Pension Scheme
- NEST pension scheme
- Extra Holidays - Purchase Scheme
- Cycle to work - Bicycle purchase scheme
- Long Service Awards (e.g. 25 years service is £500 in vouchers and extra 4 weeks paid leave)
**About us**:
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is the 60th largest privately owned company in the UK. This forward thinking family-owned business began life in 1917 as a counter-service grocery store, and has grown from these humble beginnings into a company that now owns 280 SPARStores and employs more than 7,500 people across the group with a turnover in excess of £1 billion.
**Location**: Willenhall, Walsall
**Job type**: Full time, Permanent
**Hours**: 40 hours per week
**Salary**: £50,000
**You may have experience of the following**: Head of Communications, Financial Journalist, Financial Services, Communication Strategy, Campaign Management, Marcomms, PR, Public Relations, Communications Manager etc.
**Ref**: 107 911