One of the UK’s largest independent companies in the insurance sector is looking for a Communications and Engagement Manager on an initial 12 month contract paying £45,000 - £50,000.

Reporting to the Head of Communications and working in the wider communications function, this role has the responsibility to lead the comms for the wholesale reinsurance area of the business with c.1,000 employees. This is an exciting time to join the business as it recently acquired another firm, doubling its employee numbers and increasing its global presence. With this in mind, any form of communications and engagement experience of M&A or similar largescale business transformation would be extremely useful for this position.  

The hiring manager is looking for an experienced communicator with business partnering and strong stakeholder management expertise. The ability to advise and influence senior leaders in the function is crucial as the successful candidate will be working closely with the leadership team as they look to develop their communications strategy post-acquisition.  

The role would suit a resilient, confident and hard-working individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment. Although sector-agnostic, the hiring manager has indicated that someone with knowledge of, or experience in, the financial services sector would likely be able to hit the ground running fairly quickly.  

Key responsibilities:

• Delivering engaging and purposeful internal and, at times, external communications in support of the business strategy and key engagement activities.
• Business partner with relevant business areas including personally delivering leadership communications
• Developing and delivering communications plans that support business priorities and challenges
• Working with leadership teams and HR counterparts to oversee the engagement survey and action planning process on an annual basis
• Develop and deliver engagement initiatives that address key challenges at a segment level and support the continuous improvement of a positive working culture
• Own and manage the business area’s communications schedule, working with communications contacts across the business to ensure smooth flow of traffic and aligned messages
• Providing ongoing strategic and operational communications and engagement counsel to support individual business areas
• Coaching and supporting junior team members to develop and embed editorial and planning processes
• Championing the Group communications channels including Engage in support of them becoming the focal point for internal communications across the Group

Experience required:

• This role would suit an established communications professional looking for a challenging role who can confidently operate with autonomy and responsibility in a fast-faced, growing, multi-site, multi-disciplined organisation
• Proven track record executing internal and external communications and employee engagement in complex, multi-site, national business with a divsionalised structure, ideally within financial services.
• Exceptional writing and proofing skills – hands-on approach with meticulous attention to detail especially in high pressure situations
• Adaptable and proactive content creator and curator - can confidently write across a range of topics, seek new angles and opportunities for storytelling, while also delivering concise and clear instructional content as required
• Sound understanding of internal communications and employee engagement theory with the ability to creatively turn ideas into compelling and relevant deliverables which deliver business impact and drive desired employee behaviour
• Able to learn and quickly adopt new technical skills pertinent to role
• Knowledge and understanding of channels management and content planning practices and techniques in a multi-disciplined, geographically displaced organisation
• Experience providing advice and counsel to business stakeholders
• Knowledge of the financial services/insurance industry and highly commercial environment preferable but not essential

Person Specification:

• Superb communications skills – written (e.g. news writing, speeches and presentations, press releases) and verbal (e.g. from 1:1 to audience briefings) - effective across diverse audiences
• Sociable and amiable – ability to develop relationships quickly both internally and externally and manage big personalities
• Able to initiate and innovate, formulating ideas for content and engagement activity from scratch on a range of projects on a daily basis
• “Can do” – problem solving, innovative, make it happen
• Attention to detail, yet also with the organisational experience and maturity to see what is achievable within the bigger picture
• Able to manage and seamlessly execute multiple priorities on a daily basis, hardworking, comfortable and flexible with ambiguity and changing priorities
• Results and quality oriented, ability to work quickly with minimal error
• Integrity, with the highest personal standards