Head of Media and Corporate Communications

UCAS is looking for an experienced communications professional to lead our Media and Corporate Communications Team.

About us

Education gives people options and opens doors. Our goal is to inspire and support progression in education. Every year we manage over four million applications from 800,000 students, enabling around 600,000 people secure a place at one of 400 universities or colleges, or 1,200 schools.

Although we’re best known for providing national admissions services, we also aim to inspire and help young people make good choices about their education at 16, 18 and beyond, whether they’re interested in university, an apprenticeship or further study.

Our rich data assets and analytical expertise enable us to offer a unique perspective on progression and admission to higher education, and we make a significant and growing contribution to national debates about education, access and social mobility.

About the role

We’re looking for someone who can bring new and fresh ideas to redesign our PR and media communications strategy, to raise awareness about how we support students, parents, teachers, universities, colleges and employers.

Working closely with our senior team and with marketing and analysis colleagues, you’ll be responsible for developing and delivering content and stories across traditional and digital channels, to achieve positive coverage that promotes the full range of services we offer and positions our analysis effectively to inform the national policy agenda.

We’ll be relying on you to enhance and protect our reputation and you’ll be using your professional expertise to advise the CEO and Executive Team, manage our crisis communications, and act as our media spokesperson. Politically aware and articulate, you’ll already have broad professional experience from a relevant communications role in the secondary, further or higher education sectors.

You’ll be leading our press and PR activities as well as internal communications, so you’ll need strong leadership and management capabilities, and enthusiasm for generating skills and capacity in others.

Supporting the Director for External Relations, this is a senior role with the opportunity to help UCAS realise its goals during an unprecedented period of change in the higher education sector.

Person specification

• A track record of developing, delivering, and evaluating media relations strategies across traditional and digital channels.
• Excellent communication skills, with an ability to develop ideas to promote messages and stories to achieve strategic goals, write and edit content for a range of audiences, and the confidence to deal directly with a wide range of media organisations.
• Political awareness and a proven ability to identify and evaluate opportunities and risks, and provide proactive strategic advice on positioning and messaging to the CEO and Directors.
• Experience of developing or delivering crisis communications.
• An ability and confidence with statistics to be able to communicate UCAS’ analysis to a range of public audiences, in an appropriate and effective way.
• Substantial experience of leading and managing a communications team, including managing projects and budgets.
• A passion for communication and desire to help colleagues become more effective communicators.
• The tact and skill to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal customers, and with the media and other external communications professionals.
• Prior experience of working in a professional communications role in the secondary, further or higher education sector is essential.

Package

A salary of up to £52,000 with £3,000 on call allowance, 30 days annual leave, voluntary flexible benefits, paid volunteering days, and a contributory stakeholder pension. It’s not just about the financial benefits that UCAS offers – on-site you can also benefit from our restaurant, affordable gym membership, free parking, unlimited tea and coffee, and many other perks. You’ll enjoy an exciting, agile working environment, with a vibrant culture and flexible approach to work, all of which reflects our teamwork and innovative spirit.

All information you send to us will be kept in line with the Data Protection Act 1998. UCAS is committed to equality and values diversity in our workforce. We welcome and encourage applications from all candidates in line with the Equality Act 2010.

We reserve the right to close this job vacancy prior to the advertised closing date, if we feel we have found a suitable candidate.