Communications and Media Manager

Communications and Media Manager

Location London with remote working in place
Contract Type: Full time, Permanent
Salary: £35,000 to £48,000 PA DOE
Benefits: 28 days holidays plus Bank holidays 3 days closure between Christmas and New Year Enhanced Pension BUPA Cashback Scheme

THE ROLE
As momentum around the climate and ecological crises build, the role of a sustainable built environment in tackling these, as well as improving our health, wellbeing, and quality of life is increasingly understood - and now demanded. And significantly for our team, our organisation is right at the centre of this transformation. The UKGBC’s mission, vision and potential have soared in importance for public and private sector organisations that want to play their part. At this pivotal moment in our industry, we need passionate, bright and creative people to help us make positive change happen.

UKGBC is looking for a Communications and Media Manager to play an impactful role in continuing to build the UKGBC brand. By creating engagement with our mission, impact areas and political asks by developing and delivering high-impact communications and PR plans, you’ll help establish UKGBC as the ‘go-to’ organisation for climate action and de-carbonisation within the built environment and the halo of issues surrounding these.  

The successful candidate will be highly proactive, enthusiastic and accomplished in the planning and delivery of communications and PR activities, in addition to having solid media management experience. We are looking for a savvy UK media operator who enjoys the cut and thrust of the daily news cycle and has some understanding of who holds the power and pulls the strings when it comes to related UK policy.  

This is a great opportunity to join a growing and thriving MarComms team, supporting the growth of the organisation at an exciting time. The opportunity comes with the added benefit of working within a lively, flexible, and human-focused culture in an organisation which values employee wellbeing and development whilst fighting the climate emergency.   

All UKGBC team members are also actively supported in their own ongoing learning and personal development. The whole team is brought together on a regular basis in order to foster a connected, diverse, and highly engaged culture that benefits the individuals and the organisation as a whole.


UKGBC OVERVIEW
UKGBC is growing fast in profile, size, and impact, and our increasingly agile approach to working enables us to be an inclusive, flexible, diverse, and caring employer. We are a purpose-driven, dynamic, and ambitious charity made up of a team who are all passionate about working together for a better-built environment.
An industry-led network with a mission to radically improve the sustainability of the built environment with over 650 member organisations spanning the entire value chain, we represent the voice of the industry’s current and future leaders who are striving for transformational change.

JOB SUMMARY
Job purpose: To plan and deliver innovative communications and media strategies to create broader awareness of our urgent mission, drive understanding and alignment with our agenda & political asks, and influence business & government to drive positive change.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
External Communications including PR 

• We’re looking for a strategic but pragmatic communicator to work with the Head of Marketing and Communications to shape and deliver a Strategic Communications and PR Strategy and Plan aligned to the 2025 Strategy.  
• This will include research through to strategy and implementation, including setting up monitoring and evaluation frameworks and regular reporting. 
• Responsible for keeping messaging up to date; delivering spokespeople training, securing conference/event and speaking opportunities, reputation management, advancing UKGBC’s influencing reach, crisis comms and PR.  
• You’ll own our external communications on our Nature and Resilience Programme, and work with the Climate Action Communications Manager to synergise and amplify our Climate Action portfolio.  
• Create and implement proactive PR plans to deliver high-profile coverage in support of advocacy campaigns and other initiatives across the organisation such as targeting publications & channels that are relevant to the target audience. 
• You’ll lead a lot of content and storytelling; you’ll be great at translating complex problems into simple and engaging narratives, you’ll be a storyteller with the ability to write compelling copy and you’ll have the creative flair to create inspiring ideas and bring them to life to drive momentum.  
• Co-develop and play a lead role in the effective delivery of a crisis communications plan (managing the PR aspect of a potential crisis situation).
• Oversee the delivery of key assets for external communications including, but not limited to, the Impact Report.
• Work with social media team to maximise external communications opportunities, and engage audiences and amplify news across traditional and new media. 
  

Political Communications  

• With a strong focus on advancing our political communications and media engagement in the run-up to the next general election, you’ll work with the Head of Policy and Public Affairs and Head of Marketing and Communications to create and deliver a Political Communications Strategy and Plan. 
• This will include research through to strategy and implementation, including setting up monitoring and evaluation frameworks and regular reporting. 
• You will focus on gaining influential coverage for our advocacy asks and campaigns and identify opportunities for strategic interventions that will support. You’ll help shape our communications strategies and craft the compelling messages we need to win the public argument and influence decision-makers. 

Media Management 

• Develop and deliver a media relations strategy, seeking high-level placements in print, broadcast and online media.
• Leverage existing media relationships and cultivate new contacts within trade and specifically relevant national media .
• Manage media enquiries and interview requests.
• Generate ideas for news coverage, writing media releases, op-eds, blogs and social posts for multiple work streams as well as look for breaking news opportunities to intervene or comment on to increase media coverage and generate social media engagement. 
• Act as a proactive press officer, who doesn’t just wait to be fed a news story but goes out there looking for one. 
• Monitor, analyse and communicate results on a quarterly basis 
• Evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships, and advertising on an on-going basis. 

General Communications 

• Participate in the smooth running and content creation for UKGBC’s social media presence. 
• Participate in the evolution and maintenance of the UKGBC website including ensuring the needs of media and other key, relevant external stakeholders are represented.
• Work with the wider comms team to identify content opportunities and produce the relevant materials; including management of the UKGBC blog pipeline.
• Identify digital and media trends and evaluate emerging technologies wherever possible. 
• Participate in and contribute to departmental brainstorming and ideation sessions. 
• Participate in Marketing & Communications team annual planning.

SKILLS , EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
Native or bilingual proficiency in both spoken and written English, with the ability to tailor content to different audiences.
Exceptional copywriting and editing skills across a range of formats for media and digital.
Strategic thinker – able to ‘translate’ complex issues into clear and compelling narratives to drive action. 
Impact oriented – has a focus on delivering outcomes and impact, and is agile in how to achieve this 
Confident counsel – is a trusted voice in the organisation and provides communications guidance internally.
Proven ability to evaluate and use media monitoring platforms to demonstrate success and performance. 
strong analytical skills and data-driven thinking.
Good stakeholder management and interpersonal skills.
Commitment to UKGBC mission and values. 
Substantial experience of Communications, PR and Media Relations. 
Built environment sector experience.
Proven track-record designing and executing successful PR campaigns at both a local and national level.
Extensive experience pitching and placing impactful stories across mainstream UK broadcast, online and print media. 
In-depth knowledge of the UK media landscape and emerging trends. 
Strong interest in the political/environmental agenda.
Relevant undergraduate degree in marketing, digital communications, media, public relations, English or a related field; or comparable experience.

Desirable
Salesforce knowledge 
An understanding of Wordpress, SEO tactics, Hootsuite an advantage 
Knowledge of website analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics etc) 
Built environment sector experience.
Strong relationships with both local and national industry and mainstream media outlets 
Experience working in business focused climate change communications.
Experience in public affairs
Ability to deliver media training and interview briefings for colleagues at early to mid-career level.  
Some experience managing crisis comms and reputational risk.