Communications Manager

About the Role

Whether you’re talking about length, mass, time, temperature, electric current, amount or the brightness of light, the National Physical Laboratory sets the standards by which these things are all measured. It means we’ve got a lot of great news to share. As our Communications Manager, you’ll manage our corporate communications, including all external content and digital channels, so that we engage with different audiences, strengthening our reputation with customers and the general public.

Your communications need to connect with your audience, reflect best-practice, be on brand and be executed to the highest quality, on time and within budget. You will also take on the day-to-day management of the team, carrying out their reviews and helping them fulfil their potential. At NPL, we touch ordinary lives in extraordinary ways, and you could too.

About You

A communications expert, you ideally have experience of working on corporate communications. Highly organised, creative and with an eye for detail, you understand audiences and know how to produce engaging materials. You’re also used to motivating a team, you have good communication skills and you are results-driven. Beyond that, we’re looking for someone who’ll thrive in an environment like ours. At NPL we learn from each other, respect each other and work together to do better. For ourselves and for our customers. And while we’re always looking to stretch beyond what we know, we don’t make things more complicated when there’s no need.

• To act as the Corporate Communications deputy. Supporting the Corporate Communications Leader to maintain the reputation and profile of NPL externally.
• To raise the profile of NPL to external stakeholders, including but not limited to: NMIs, peers, collaborators, students, industry, policymakers and influencers through external content and communications, enhancing NPL’s brand.
• To lead a team responsible for promoting the impact of NPL, raising our profile and ensuring we always put at the forefront of our communications who we are and what we do, and why you need to know.
• Develop a planned content and communications strategy, including thought leadership, to present NPL externally in a thoughtful, clear and engaging way.
• To be a brand guardian and representative internally, becoming the go to person for brand related questions, as well as monitoring and reporting on brand awareness and to show how our brand perception is increasing/decreasing.
• Copy edit content efficiently, to deadline and to a high standard.
• Write engaging content for different audiences, including scientists, different industries and the general public. You know what a good brief and content marketing looks like.
• Be confident working with subject matter experts and senior stakeholders to obtain the information you need for different content types, through a combination of speaking to them and researching the topic.
• Ensure our brand, tone of voice and style guide are understood by our employees, and they know how to use it externally. Lead on ensuring material is in line with existing guidance.
• Work towards a content strategy that raises our profile and showcases our science and services, looking at where and how we engage different audiences using great multi-channel content.
• Be the go-to person for what ‘good’ looks like and how it can be used to position us against our objectives, working with the wider marketing and communications team to get strong content out externally.
• Lead a high performing team of content and communications specialists, setting objectives and managing performance, as well as providing steer and direction on deliverables.
• Providing insight and experience to the wider team across different communications outputs including social media, PR and writing for the web, bringing skills and understanding of audience insight and SEO to make our content stand out from our peers.
• Manage and optimise processes to streamline the delivery of content across channels to different audiences.
• Oversee the communications content calendar and delivery of content against campaign deadlines.
• Manage reporting of content and digital performance across external channels, iterating the strategy to grow audience and increase leads.
• Responsible for taking reasonable duty of care for Health & Safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work and always follow direct instructions given with regards to Health & Safety.

This is a fixed term contract opportunity (up to 12 months) based at NPL in Teddington, with hybrid working you'll be based on-site twice per week.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward . We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition . Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.