Assistant Head of Marketing and Communications
Are you a confident storyteller with experience leading communications teams?We’re looking for an Assistant Head of Communications to shape and deliver our communications strategy, to ensure that our life-changing work reaches the people who need us most.
The role is responsible for translating strategic priorities into compelling messaging that strengthens brand reputation, supports organisational objectives, and engages key audiences including stakeholders, partners, and the communities we serve.
Working closely with senior leadership and operational teams, you will lead on the planning and delivery of multi-channel communications campaigns.
You will oversee content creation, media relations, digital platforms, and internal communications, maintaining high standards of quality, accessibility, and impact. The role also contributes to the development of brand guidelines and ensures consistency in tone and messaging across all outputs.
The Assistant Head of Communications will provide leadership to support our small and skilled Marketing and Communications Team, helping to build capacity, improve processes, and embed a proactive, insight-driven approach. You will use data and audience insights to evaluate the effectiveness of communications activity, inform continuous improvement, and demonstrate impact. This includes monitoring media coverage, digital engagement, and stakeholder feedback to refine approaches and maximise reach.
As a trusted advisor, you’ll support colleagues and partners, providing expert guidance on communications best practice and helping us to remain a credible, influential voice within the third sector and beyond.
About the Team
This position sits within our newly launched Development and Innovation Team. Connected by common purpose and dynamic ideas, the team includes a mix of development functions including Marketing and Communications, Bid Writing, Income Generation, Fundraising, Partnerships and Research.
The Development Team is tasked by our Board of Trustees to push People First and The Well Communities to think differently about their services, innovate our approaches, ensure strong and diverse financial security and hold a future-focused view on the organisation’s growth and development.
Structured around a trio of Big Picture Principles:
- Strong Foundation: we’ll ensure financial security and sustainable service design
- Radical Thinking: we’ll look outward to examples of great practice, push beyond the status quo and challenge ourselves and our colleagues to explore new ideas and approaches
- Bold Change: we’ll be change-makers both internally and externally, championing transformation in systems, communities, services and lives
The Team is fast-paced, highly collaborative and made up of workstream leads who own their work, think big and support each other to be the best we can be.
The person
We are looking for a passionate and values-driven communications professional who is committed to making a positive difference in people’s lives. The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of how effective communications can amplify voices, influence change, and support the delivery of meaningful outcomes for communities.
You will have significant experience in a communications role, with a proven ability to plan and deliver impactful campaigns across a range of channels, including digital, media, and internal communications. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, you will be highly organised, adaptable and able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and quality.
Experience within the charity, public, or social impact sector is desirable, along with an understanding of working with diverse communities and stakeholders.
A confident and collaborative leader, you will be able to support and develop others, while also working effectively with senior leaders, partners and external stakeholders. You will be a strong relationship builder, able to influence and advise colleagues on communications approaches.
You will also be insight-driven, using data, feedback and lived experience to shape communications activity and continuously improve impact. Strong writing and storytelling skills are essential, alongside a commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and co-production.
You will be someone who shares our commitment to inclusion, empowerment and social justice, and who understands the importance of putting people’s voices at the heart of everything we do.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in a communications role, including planning and delivering multi-channel campaigns (digital, media, internal)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, engaging and accessible content for diverse audiences
- Experience of developing and maintaining consistent organisational messaging, tone of voice and brand
- Ability to translate complex or sensitive information into meaningful, audience-appropriate communications
- Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams and build effective relationships with stakeholders, partners and senior leaders
- Experience of using data, insight and feedback to shape communications activity and evaluate impact
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
- Commitment to equality, inclusion and amplifying the voices of people with lived experience
- Confidence in providing communications advice and guidance to colleagues at all levels
- Understanding of reputational risk and the ability to handle sensitive issues with professionalism and integrity
Desirable
- Experience working in the charity, voluntary, public or social impact sector
- Experience of line management or supporting and developing staff or volunteers
- Knowledge of co-production approaches and involving people with lived experience in communications
- Experience of supporting income generation activity (e.g. fundraising campaigns, grant communications, partnership bids)
- Familiarity with media relations, including writing press releases and managing media enquiries
- Experience using digital tools and platforms (e.g. CMS, social media analytics, email marketing systems)
- Understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive communication practices
- Experience contributing to or implementing communications strategies at an organisational level
Duties will likely include:
Leadership and Management
- Lead effective operational delivery
- Working with the Assistant Director of Development and Innovation to deliver a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy
- Support the wider team to ensure communications content is produced across all areas in which we work, promoting our services
- Promote the marketing and communications function across the whole organisation
- Manage the day-to-day running of our Communications and Marketingactivities
- Provide line management for the Marketing and Communications Team made up of 3 team members
Delivery and Performance
- Annually review the Marketing and Communications Strategy to inform an annual schedule of work
- Take responsibility for reviewing and producing content for the ogranisation’s websites, digital marketing campaigns and themanagement of social media accounts
Optimise, analyse and report on web and social media activity
- Ensure all correspondence and documents are produced in line with corporate brand guidelines
- Lead external, digital, and internal communications activities for alldepartments
- Analyse opportunities, prioritise approaches and articulate strategies to Department Heads and relevant internal audiences to attain buy-in byall stakeholders and effectively deliver approaches to raise internal and external awareness of the Department’s work
- Proactively identify opportunities and work with teams across our organisations to create efficient, effective ways to capture andpublicise activities and achievements, using a range of media asappropriate
- Create press releases to promote the work both organisations do, building a strong relationship with local media
Reporting and Communication
- Provide quality and performance reports including internal and external targets and key performance indicators as required and appropriate
- Produce communications reports detailing project performance to the Senior Leadership Team, Board of Trustees or contractual Managers/Commissioners
- Lead the team to think about how both organisations publicise the impactof the services we deliver and the impact on our customers and communities
Networking and Relationships
- Identify and nurture effective relationships with external stakeholders and commissioners
- Network with relevant media partners including sub-contracting work to graphic designers when required
- Act as a senior ambassador for the organisation
- Work closely with our CEO and Senior Leadership team to ensureLinkedIn accounts reflect the values of the organisation
Crisis Communications
- Prepare statements, releases, and other communications materials during crisis
- Develop and implement crisis communication plans and strategies –continually review and suggest improvements
- Provide advice and guidance to senior leadership on potential publicrelations risks and opportunities
- Co-ordinate with departments to manage timely dissemination of information
- Monitor media coverage and public reaction, adjusting strategies as needed
- Train your team in crisis communication protocols and procedures
Other duties
Evening and weekend work may be required.
- The duties outlined above are not intended to be exhaustive and may change as the needs of the organisation alter in line with current agendas. Due to the developing nature of our organisation, we require staff to remain highly flexible in their approach, and work to meet the changing needs of the organisations
- Please note that the successful candidate will be required to subscribe tothe DBS update service which requires all People First staff to pay anannual subscription fee.
Driving
A current driving licence and access to own transport is required for this role.
This post requires you to have the appropriate ‘business use’ insurance in placeas occasional business use of your car is required to carry out tasks, such as (butnot limited to) the following:
- Travel to customer or business meetings
- Running business errands during the day
- Travel between different People First business sites
- Transporting colleagues/volunteers/members/customers or business contacts, for example, to business meetings or self-advocacy groups
- Making deliveries or collections
- Carrying extra equipment
For more information
If you’d like any further information about the role or if you have any questions, please contact our Assistant Director of Development and Innovation: [email protected]
To apply
If you’re interested in the role and think you’d be a good fit, we’d like to hear from you.
To apply for this position, please email a copy of your CV (including two references) and a one-page cover letter to [email protected]or alternatively, you can post for the attention of Barry to People First Conference Centre, Milbourne Street, Carlisle, CA2 5XB
All applications should be clearly marked: Confidential – Assistant Head of Marketing and Communications
To arrive no later than 5.00 pm on 3rd July (this date may change depending on the volume of applications).