Network Rail Jobs 2023 – Communications Manager

About the job

Location

Gravesend, GB

Department Name

Southern Region

About Network Rail

Network Rail High Speed (NR HS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd (NRIL), responsible for the operation and maintenance of the UK’s first European High Speed Railway, High Speed 1 (HS1). The HS1 Infrastructure consists of a diverse range of railway assets from the track, signalling, overhead line, lineside buildings and depots through to viaducts, long tunnels and international stations at St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Stratford along its 109km length. Unlike its parent, NR HS are privately financed under an agreement with their client ‘HS1 Ltd’ and undertake a diverse range of activities from railway infrastructure maintenance and operations through to station facilities management and retail. NR (HS) value their people, fulfilling their contractual commitments through a highly performing professional team of appointed specialists, engineers and managers who consistently deliver safe and reliable infrastructure for train operators and their passengers. Together we work every day to achieve.

Our Vision – to deliver the best High Speed rail customer experience.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We’re an organisation where people matter.

We’re continuing to build a diverse organisation which is representative of the people we serve. We want to harness the skills and expertise of our people and attract the best talent, to enable a safe and accessible railway for everyone. To learn why inclusion is important to us, please click .

About our people and the recruitment process – We’re an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone!

We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don’t always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we’ll do our best to help and invest in your career with us , whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

We’re also a employer and we’ll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

Brief Description

To manage and deliver consistent and effective communications strategies for key projects. To manage stakeholder issues effectively to protect and enhance corporate reputation and co-ordinate a broad range of stakeholder communication activities (across media, public affairs, community relations and internal audiences) in line with Government & Corporate Affairs objectives.

About The Role (External)

Key Accountabilities:

• Develop and implement communications strategy on projects which present reputational risks or opportunities for the business.
• Produce and manage detailed communications plans, detailing activities and resources necessary for implementation and providing recommendations for continuous improvement / best practice.
• Interface with key external audiences (across community relations, media and public affairs) so that these relationships are appropriately managed, in consultation with relevant external communications teams in Government and Corporate Affairs.
• Where required, provide direct management and development of a team including carrying out regular 121’s, appraisals, objective setting and performance monitoring.
• Build relationships and provide direction / influence to senior project managers and external industry parties / funding organisations where appropriate.
• Provide guidance on all external communications activity undertaken by project personnel including Project/ Programme Director / Project Managers/ Scheme Sponsors, delivering consistency with the approved G&CA communications strategy and in accordance with Network Rail’s corporate policies.
• Assist with delivery of Network Rail’s corporate internal communications programme and act as a conduit for material/information for corporate comms channels.
• Check that all branding used on the project complies with Network Rail’s corporate policy on branding, visual identity and image.
• Produce regular reports on all communications activities on the project, including budget.

Job Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

Essential

• Significant experience within corporate communications
• Proven track record in public relations activity in a high profile organisation
• Excellent writing skills and ability to think strategically
• Excellent influencing skills and ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Thorough knowledge of the media and how it operates

Desirable

• Educated to degree level
• Experience of working within an agency environment

How To Apply (External)

: 4B £34,050 -£38,305

Closing date: 26th October 2023. – Late applications will not be accepted.

Click apply now to apply.

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Network Rail Benefits –

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.