Senior PR and Communications Manager

Welcome to KFC

Take one man with a big idea, add 11 herbs and spices, grit, ambition, and buckets of heart – you’ve got KFC.

Since 1939, we’ve been bringing finger lickin’ good chicken to the world, and today we’re proud to be in over 1000 communities across the UK & Ireland. But without our people, none of it would be possible. Just like our recipe, they’re all original.

Join us. Bring it. And together, we can be part of something truly extraordinary.

Bringing it to the role.

When you think of KFC, you probably think of our
chicken. And as you should, it’s delicious. But how does that chicken get to
you? Through the hard work of 27,000 people that make up our team in the UK
& Ireland. And we’re looking to add a seasoned, strategic communications
leader to this incredible team.

If you love a meaty issue, have innate media
prowess, can craft compelling narratives and deliver impactful campaign
strategies, this is the job for you. We want you to help shape and drive our external
communications strategy for the business, building our reputation as a modern,
responsible brand that is delivering good growth which benefits people and
communities everywhere.

This is where you’ll enjoy a broad range of
projects, from driving proactive and impactful campaigns to cement our youth advocacy
and wider ESG agenda with media and stakeholders, through to advising the
leadership team on speaking/media opportunities and collaborating with
cross-functional teams to deliver business change. As such, you will be an
experienced and skilled communicator, adept at working in a fast-paced
organisation and in a sector that’s at the heart of stakeholder, media and
policy debate.

You’ll also be the Colonel in charge of effortlessly
managing our busy press office, which is run via our PR agency. From the
Guardian through to the Daily Mail, you’ll be ready to turn on a dime in
managing all sorts of issues – from HFSS and the obesity debate, through to
supply chain and opening new restaurants. You’ll also have the expertise and strategic
nous to steadily
and calmly handle a crisis, with your solid media intuition, creative spark and
political judgement to respond effectively.

What you’ll do

• Work
  with the wider Corporate Affairs & Sustainability team to execute an
  impactful communications strategy that builds
  and strengthens our reputation as a modern, responsible brand, ensuring
  that it’s integrated with and supports the wider Brand and business plan
• Work
  with our agency partner Headland on delivery of the Corporate Reputation
  strategy, alongside our Senior Policy & Reputation Manager, Public Affairs
  Manager, and Community Engagement Partner
• Lead
  our visible leadership programme, working with our senior leadership /
  management team on profile raising opportunities to make KFC’s good growth
  story visible through effective storytelling
• Provide
  strategic counsel and briefings for senior leadership / management team on key
  issues and engagement with a range of media, through a structured engagement
  programme  
• Harness
  the power of storytelling through creating compelling and creative narratives
  and key messages
• Story
  mine the business for good news and updates to share with our key stakeholders
  and media
• Coordinate
  multiple stakeholders and advise senior leadership on significant reputational
  issues to the businessProject manage brilliant, reputation-building communications
  campaigns, centred around bringing to life our ESG agenda and commitments to
  being a responsible business in an engaging way, with full strategic campaign
  oversight, using media relations and other tactics
• Act
  as the first point of contact for the press office team (run via our PR agency
  freuds) – helping to develop, craft and approve media statements in our
  distinctive voice
• Be
  a representative for KFC with the media, including owning and fostering key
  relationships with media
• Have
  the know-how and experience to expertly manage media crises and manage and
  monitor issues, alongside full business co-ordination

What we’d love from you

EXPERIENCE:

• 7 years+ experience in a
  PR agency or in-house role – great prior media relations experience and working
  as part of a busy press office
• Experience of the food
  & drink sector would be helpful, alongside an understanding of franchise
  business models
• Strong crisis and issues
  expertise essential
• Strong media handling
  skills and relevant media relationships
• Proven track record of
  advising senior leadership on business and reputation critical issues
• Experience navigating
  and coordinating complex business structures and managing a range of
  stakeholders at a local and global level
• Experience developing comms and copy for multiple
  comms channels, including social media
• Strategic thinker who can build a network and can collaborate across different teams, departments and at all levels,
  quickly and easily
• Outstanding storyteller with strong copywriting
  skills
• Detailed project manager who can lead campaigns and
  complex workstreams with cross-functional teams and meets tight deadlines with
  natural agility  

ABOUT YOU:

• We’re looking for
  someone who is really enthusiastic and passionate about what they do.  Fire us up with the potential for what we
  could achieve in this space
• This is a role that
  requires the ability to make an impact and influence at the most senior
  level.  With our management team, senior
  leaders and franchisees.  You will need
  gravitas and credibility.  You’ll also
  need to be super bright, a naturally strategic thinker, and be a confident and
  accomplished presenter and communicator.  
• You’ll need to be able
  to develop relationships across all functions of the business, and at all
  levels, to find the right answers or to get the help you need to deliver a
  project.
• You’ll have an
  understanding of the balance between the external pressures and demands of
  stakeholders – and the internal pressures of a commercial business.
• Last,
  but not least, you won’t be a dry, corporate ‘suit’. KFC is a fun place to work
  with a unique culture. Yes, you’ll be super smart and fully plugged into current
  affairs and macroeconomic environment to deliver top strategic counsel, but
  you’ll also not take yourself too seriously (we sell fried chicken, after all).

Be Original.

At KFC, everyone gets a seat at our table. Since we landed in the UK in 1965, we’ve fed our people’s potential – to be their best selves, make a difference and have fun.

Because it’s not just what you do at KFC. It’s the way you do it. Unapologetically you, undeniably original.

You’ll work with colleagues who all bring their originality to the table: their energy, spirit and sizzle and make every day high flyin’ and high fryin’.

As a multi-billion-pound business with over 1000 restaurants, we take ambition seriously. You’ll be treated with respect and supported in everything you do as you roll up your sleeves and play your part in bringing finger lickin’ good chicken to our customers. And whatever your journey looks like, we’ll help you get there. From flexible working to the chance to earn qualifications, we got you. There are all kinds of opportunities at KFC.

Buckets of Benefits

A career with KFC offers much more than just fantastic earning potential. We reward achievement with amazing incentives and benefits, including:

• Flexible, hybrid working with our Restaurant Support Centre located in Woking, Surrey – a 24-minute train ride from London Waterloo. Depending on job requirement, travel across the UK & Ireland may be required.
• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution.
• ‘Fri-Yay’ time – finish up at 1pm every Friday, all year round.
• Live Well Days - 5 days per year to disconnect from our day-to-day (in addition to 25 days annual leave and bank holidays).
• You can buy or sell up to 5 extra days of your core annual leave allowance each year.
• After 5 years’ service, annual holiday allowance increases to 30 days.
• Bonus – We work hard and do our best work to succeed together. When the company and individual goals are reached, you’ll be rewarded through our bonus scheme.
• Wellness– We want you to be your best self, so you’ll have access to lots of wellbeing initiatives and programmes, including Telus Health, and 1:1 Mental Health coaching sessions with our partner Sanctus.
• Private healthcare, including access to Digital GP, with the option to increase to include family cover.

Flexible and Voluntary benefits including Dental Insurance, Health Screening and Gym Discounts.

• Insurances – All colleagues are covered by our life and income protection insurance which provides protection and peace of mind.
• Study Support may be available for job-related qualifications.
• Parental Leave – We offer enhanced paid leave and flexible return to work options for those important times.
• Colleague Discount – If you love KFC as much as we do, you’ll received a 25% discount.

Our Commitment to You

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our teams. We value, support, and celebrate the things that make Team KFC authentic and original and all candidates – regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion, or sexual orientation.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups in our industry such as women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

To make your journey with us accessible and tailored to your needs, we encourage you to let us know if you'd like any additional support with your application, have a disability or condition that may affect your performance during your recruitment process, or any other requirements.

Neurodiverse? Our accessibility toolbar can support you when you apply.

Ready to apply?

If you are ready to bring your passion, skills, and dedication to KFC, we encourage you to apply now. We look forward to welcoming you to our team and embarking on this extraordinary journey together. Bring it.

Don’t tick all the boxes? Don’t worry. If you don’t match all the criteria for the role and still think you’d be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you.