Faculty/Administrative/Service Department:



Post DetailsLast Updated: Faculty/Administrative/Service DepartmentComms and PRJob TitleInternal Communications ManagerJob Family Professional ServicesJob Level 5Responsible toDirector of Communications & Public AffairsResponsible for (Staff)Student Engagement Officer, Internal Communications Coordinator and Internal Communications AssistantJob Purpose Statement The purpose of this role is to lead a small communications team in the planning, coordination and delivery of strategic-level, best practice communications that informs, engages and inspires staff and students. The communications will support the delivery of the University’s strategy and facilitate a sense of community and pride. It includes the routine communication of relevant and timely communications on a number of different and often complex and/or sensitive subjects, as well as communication campaigns. Key Responsibilities Lead a confident, competent and trusted communication function for University-level internal communications for our academic and professional services staff and our students. Line manage two communication officers. Build a deep understanding of our audiences’ communication preferences and needs, including tone of voice, content and channel delivery. Develop an internal communications plan for the team that sets out clear priorities and a framework of activity for the year ahead, informed by the Communications Strategy. Primarily, internal communication activities will support the development of a sense of community at Surrey and a first-class student experience, as well as facilitate the cultural shift to be more inclusive and collaborative that the University is seeking to achieve.Create communication campaigns and engaging content, as well as manage the routine, timely and coherent communication of university-level information to colleagues using the most appropriate content styles and channels, using engagement analysis to inform approaches and review effectiveness. Build a network of effective relationships across the University, including senior colleagues and the Students’ Union, in order to inform planning, messaging and storytelling, as well as the delivery of messaging across a complex communication landscape. Be a leading point of contact for the provision of timely and trusted advice to colleagues on issues requiring communication within our community.Working with the Social Media Coordinator, they will also play an active role in monitoring the University’s corporate social media accounts (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, YikYak, The Student Room). Using these tools they will identify opportunities to promote relevant University activities and to protect its reputation against potential threats. Work collaboratively with colleagues in the Communications and PR team on the planning and delivery of strategic communications, campaigns and content, crisis management and wider-team management. Be a role model for best practice internal communications and develop a network of internal communicators at the University: sharing best practice and building collaborative ways of working.The above list is not exhaustive.All staff are expected to:Positively support equality of opportunity and equity of treatment to colleagues and students in accordance with the University of Surrey Equal Opportunities Policy.Work to achieve the aims of our Environmental Policy and promote awareness to colleagues and students. Follow University/departmental policies and working practices in ensuring that no breaches of information security result from their actions.Ensure they are aware of and abide by all relevant University Regulations and Policies relevant to the role.Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your Manager.Work supportively and collaboratively with colleagues, operating in a collegiate manner at all times.Help maintain a safe working environment by:Attending training in Health and Safety requirements as necessary, both on appointment and as changes in duties and techniques demand.Following local codes of safe working practices and the University of Surrey Health and Safety Policy.Elements of the RolePlanning and Organising Creating an internal communications plan that sets out the key framework for communications over the coming year set within the context of the Communication Strategy and other strategies critical to the internal community.Maintaining shared planning tools (diaries). Co-planning communications with colleagues within the team, marketing and the wider university.Taking an audience first approach to communications planning.Using data and analysis to inform decisions and approaches, as well as to measure effectiveness. Meeting routine communication deadlines, and overseeing the compilation and editing of communication assets.Taking a creative approach to planning communication campaigns being willing to test and try new approaches.Being adaptable to shifting priorities and fast-turnaround tasks.Managing the priorities, workloads, professional development and wellbeing of two staff members.Problem Solving and Decision Making Providing specialist internal communications advice and recommended solutions to colleagues on day-to-day issues.Trying new / innovative / creative ways of communicating to engage ‘hard to reach’ audiences, being brave but risk conscious, and learning from experiences.Providing communications consultancy to senior members of the University’s leadership team to address more contentious and challenging issues such as national pay disputes and major change programmes. They will advise on the best way to engage internal audiences with a variety of messages, recommending tone of voice, channels, content and timings of announcements.Building a strong relationship with the independent Students’ Union to ensure student-related issues (e.g. complaints, concerns) are identified and addressed as early as possible.Being the key source of advice on internal communications for the University, using their initiative and judgement to address and resolve more complicated issues and to take a proactive and investigative approach, referring only the most complex or those issues outside of the remit of their role to their line manager. Solving problems that ‘fall between the cracks’, without necessarily having defined procedures to use as a guide. They will be able to assess a range of potential solutions and pick the best one to solve problems as they arise.Managing crisis communications, working closely with the Director of Communications and PR and colleagues in order to minimise reputational damage through quick and coordinated communications.Continuous Improvement Being a role model for best practice internal communications, adapted to the higher education setting and challenges, is key for this role. Reviewing ways of working within their team, revising policies/developing procedures as necessary.Introducing a methodical use of data and analysis to inform improvements / better engagement.Ensuring the most effective channels for communication are used – formal and/or informal, direct and/or indirect, digital and/or in-person etc. Creating a suite of best practice tools and guides for the wider university.Establishing an internal communications network of practitioners across the university as part of a wider Communications Network. Staying abreast of the latest trends in their specialist area/HE more widely and investigate and apply any tools/techniques that could drive improved engagement with key stakeholders.Accountability Responsible and accountable for day-to-day internal communications tasks, providing advice and team management. Responsible for setting and maintaining standards in the teamResponsible for providing development opportunities and coaching, giving constructive feedback on their work, setting individual/collective team targets and mentoring/training staff to support their occupational development. Responsible for ensuring communications materials are proof read by a ‘second pair of eyes’, and messaging is factually correct, before being approved/signed off by the Director of Communications and Public Affairs (or Executive Board member, issue dependent) for distribution/publication. Responsible for managing work loads and the professional wellbeing of the team.The Director of Communications and Public Affairs is ultimately accountable for the work and professional wellbeing of the teams that make up the communications department.Dimensions of the role The post holder has supervisory responsibility for two staff and may from time to time supervise any student intern or temporary staff as required. The post holder will be responsible for a small non-staff budget and will be expected to use this effectively, delivering activity within budget and keeping track of all financial outgoings made. The success of this role will depend on the post holder’s ability to build successful and strong relationships across the University and delivering high quality, engaging communications.Person Specification Qualifications and Professional MembershipsProfessionally qualified with a relevant degree/postgraduate qualification and/or a certificate in journalism DETechnical Competencies (Experience and Knowledge) This section contains the level of competency required to carry out the role (please refer to the competency framework for clarification where needed and the Job Families Booklet).Essential/DesirableLevel1-3Significant experience of working in the communications field essential with demonstrable experience of designing and delivering communications campaigns and/or plans.E3Experience of managing a communications team in a fast-paced and complex environment, setting priorities, managing workloads and nurturing their professional developmentE3Experience of forging and managing good working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders (which includes up to Executive Board-level)E3Excellent writing and story-telling skills, matching content and tone to the audience and channel used, with the ability to demonstrate creativity in communications problem solvingE3Demonstrates strong leadership skills, as well as being an effective collaborator and a trusted advisor to stakeholders E2Experience of managing internal communications for a large, complex organisationDn/aOperational knowledge of managing social media platforms for an organisationDn/aManaging change management communicationsDn/aDemonstrable interest in using data and insights to inform communication approachesDn/aExperience of Higher Education SectorDn/aSpecial Requirements: Essential/DesirableAbility to work outside of regular office hours as required, and taking part in the out of hours rota (for which an additional annual allowance is payable)ECore Competencies This section contains the level of competency required to carry out this role. (Please refer to the competency framework for clarification where needed). n/a (not applicable) should be placed, where the competency is not a requirement of the grade.Level1-3CommunicationAdaptability / FlexibilityCustomer/Client service and supportPlanning and OrganisingContinuous ImprovementProblem Solving and Decision Making SkillsLeadership / ManagementCreative and Analytical ThinkingInfluencing, Persuasion and Negotiation SkillsStrategic Thinking3333233332This Job Purpose reflects the core activities of the post. As the Department/Faculty and the post holder develop, there will inevitably be some changes to the duties for which the post is responsible, and possibly to the emphasis of the post itself. The University expects that the post holder will recognise this and will adopt a flexible approach to work. This could include undertaking relevant training where necessary. Should significant changes to the Job Purpose become necessary, the post holder will be consulted and the changes reflected in a revised Job anisational/Departmental Information & Key RelationshipsBackground Information The Communications and PR team works centrally across the University to raise the profile of the institution, support and protect its reputation, handle media and press coverage about the university and its work/research and to manage crises and issues as they arise. They also develop and implement internal and external communication strategies around a very wide range of subjects. The post holder will work closely with other members of the teams, and will need to build and maintain close working relationships across the Institution. This is underpinned by the need for the exercise of judgement and discretion at all levels. The post holder will also develop and maintain close working relationships with colleagues, staff and students.The post holder is expected to liaise with other members of the Communications and PR team to ensure leave and other absence is covered.They will be expected to provide support as required by their line manager for Departmental initiatives/events, some of which may fall outside of core working hours (e.g. Open Days, which normally take place on a Friday and Saturday twice a year). Very occasional overseas travel may also be required, and participation in an on-call rota which is evenly spread amongst team members for which an annual allowance is payable.Department Structure Chart Relationships InternalVP External EngagementDirector of Communications & Public AffairsDirectors of Human Resources External Communications TeamEvents Team Public Engagements TeamInternal Communications Team Other Marketing & Communications colleagues including Digital and Campaigns, Creative and Content and Data & Insight Human Resources TeamExternal Engagement Team, including alumni communications colleaguesIT Services TeamCentre for WellbeingVice Chancellor’s OfficeUniversity of Surrey students Student ServicesStudents’ UnionAcademic Heads of Department from across three facultiesThe Library & Learning Centre and the Archives Department Members of the Public Engagement Forum across the University e.g. Widening Participation and ResearchFaculty colleagues including academics and marketing managersSurrey Sports ParkSurrey Research ParkExternalPartner organisations Higher education bodies, trade unions and research councilsSurrey PoliceGuildford Borough Council ................
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