Communications Manager

Job Description: Communications Manager

Salary range: £35,000 – 45,000 pa

Role Type: Permanent – Full Time

Location: Trafalgar Square, London

The Company

Rail Partners exists to make the railway better, by harnessing the expertise and commercial drive of the private sector. It does this for the benefit of those who use it, our customers, and those who pay for it, including taxpayers, strengthening the economy, and supporting net zero ambitions.

Rail Partners plays a key role in representing its members interests (Owning Groups, Train Operating Companies and Freight Operating Companies) in the national debate about the future of the rail industry and its role in supporting the wider economy, environment, and prosperity of the nation as it transitions to the end state as imagined in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

Key accountabilities of the role:

Developing and delivering communications that position Rail Partners as a centre of expertise and maximise Rail Partners influence:

• Supporting the Director of External Affairs and Head of Communications with the tactical delivery of the External Affairs Strategy.
• Working with colleagues across the External Affairs team and wider. organisation to identify appropriate audiences for Rail Partners outputs.
• Delivering accurate, well written and compelling communications, taking into consideration the outcome the communication is in support of, the message bearer, audience and most appropriate channel.
• Identifying opportunities for communications/ engagement in wider media and stakeholder environment through media, stakeholder and events monitoring.
• Supporting the Head of Communications in the drafting of proactive and reactive lines and communications and participating in relevant media rotas as required etc.
• Supporting the delivery of events as required.

Engaging members, the wider industry and third parties:

• Maintaining a personal network of colleagues across the members, industry and third parties.
• Delivering effective member communications and newsletters which add value by updating on key events, Rail Partners activity and policy developments.
• Ensuring and taking responsibility for the accuracy and relevance of information stored on the CRM and other External Affairs systems such as PRGloo.
• Developing a community of contacts in member organisations that can amplify Rail Partners’ key messages across their own channels.

Building and monitoring the effectiveness of Rail Partners on social and digital channels:

• Developing an understanding of the rail commentariat’s sentiment on key issues and provide timely monitoring and visibility to Head of Communications and senior management team as issues arise.
• Workings with the Head of Communications to develop and enact strategies which seek to build relationships, inform or rebut commentators.
• Undertaking responsibility for External Affairs activity on Rail Partners website – posting of press notices etc.
• Working with the Head of Communications to develop targeted interventions on relevant channels aligned with the overarching External Affairs strategy.
• Generating reports of standard analytics results and data on engagement, user experience and feedback.
• Identifying material within the organisation, which can be used in multiple ways and tailored to multiple channels, to have maximum impact in support of the outcomes Rail Partners seek.

Rewards:

• 26 days holiday + bank holidays
• Defined Contribution Pension – Employee chooses between 3% and 8% of salary, and employer contributions are twice that amount.
• Private medical insurance.
• 75% discount on national rail travel.
• Rail Partners embraces hybrid working.
• Bonus up to 5% – subject to business and individual performance.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 20th May 2022

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of: Communications Executive, Press and PR Officer, Marketing Supervisor, Public Relations Officer, Media Strategies, Communications Controller, Marketing Executive, Web Design, PR Social Media Strategies, PR Account Executive, Communications Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, PR Account Coordinator, Marketing Officer, Media Relations Executive, SEO, PR Development, Client Communications, Digital Communications, Social Media Executive may also be considered for this role.