Group Director, Communications

Group Director, Communications

Location

London, GB

Department Name

Communications

About Network Rail

Are you a strategic leader ready to take on your next challenge as a Group Communications Director, leading communications for Network Rail - a business of over 40,000 people?

We're seeking an exceptional individual who will lead our communications and customer service teams and steer our strategy during a transformative period in the rail industry. If you thrive in a complex environment with diverse stakeholders, and have a passion for driving change, we want to hear from you.

Brief Description

The national communications function’s purpose is to build trust and confidence in rail by influencing views and changing behaviours in a way that helps the business achieve its goals. Network Rail has an exciting story to tell, and it is the communication team’s responsibility to bring that to life for a range of audiences and stakeholders, internally and externally.In Network Rail, leadership of customer service sits within Group Communications. The team is also working in partnership with other rail organisations as we develop plans for the future of our industry under Great British Railways. Our vision is to provide a best-in-class national communications service to help drive forward Network Rail's reputation.

About the role (External)

As a key member of the Network Rail Executive Team, you will lead the strategic direction of Communications for Network Rail. You will be responsible for developing, adjusting, and articulating Network Rail’s narrative, considering our vision and purpose and the challenging context in which it operates.

You will deepen and enhance relationships with all our key stakeholders, such as our employees, our Board, government bodies across the UK, passengers, regulators and communities through our customer service programme. Your strategic leadership will be crucial in promoting advocacy, ensuring the message of the positive impact Network Rail has in building a better railway for a better Britain is understood and embedded both internally and externally.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead and direct the long-term, strategic direction of Corporate Communications in Network Rail
• Work with industry partners to contribute to the future strategic direction for communications across the rail industry
• Actively contribute to the Network Rail Executive Committee to support the broader Network Rail strategic objectives and act as Head of profession for the Communications community
• Develop and manage strategic relationships with external stakeholders, to create collaborative partnerships and ensure key messages are delivered in a timely and effective way
• Provide strategic communications advice to the Network Rail Board and Executive Committee
• Provide leadership to support the Network Rail people strategy as aligned to the Strategic Business Plan, including talent management and diversity & inclusion initiatives
•  Develop and deliver a communications and engagement strategy that supports our devolved business model, improving the advocacy of our key stakeholders
• Lead and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with key individuals and organisations across the media
• Sponsor the development of strategies to facilitate the delivery of Network Rail's corporate communications objectives, managing a leadership team covering the full range of communications disciplines

Essential Criteria:

• Extensive communications leadership experience at a senior level in a high profile, complex organisation, or organisations
• Significant expertise in media management
• Highly developed skills and experience in stakeholder strategy and management
• Experience of leading internal communications in a complex organisation
• Able to demonstrate significant experience within management roles, directing, developing and motivating teams in a complex communications environment
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills
• Strong results orientation, focused on organising and bringing people and resources together to achieve objectives
• Proven experience of preparing and managing complex budgets
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working with government and regulators and the media
• Experience of working in a regulated business.
• Experience of delivering communications in support of community consultations or major planning submissions

How to apply (External)

Duration: Permanent

Closing date: 23/09/2024. Late applications will not be accepted.

Location: This role is based in London Waterloo offices.

We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone!

We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

We're also a Disability Confident Leader employer and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

For tips to help you  for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available.

Network Rail Benefits - To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information.  Please be aware this role holds a mandatory requirement for the incumbent to hold valid security vetting clearance. Any offer will be conditional on the successful candidate obtaining clearance prior to a start date being agreed.

If you have lived outside of the UK in the last 3 years and have been invited to interview for this role, please notify us. For further information including residency eligibility, please contact the Executive Resourcing Team on [email protected] or more details.

If you have any questions about this role, or require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please contact the Executive Resourcing Team at [email protected]