Description
We’re seeking a strategic education media-savvy Head of External PR to lead public relations for a high-growth EdTech organisation. This is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping our external narrative, strengthening our brand reputation, and positioning the company as a leading voice at the intersection of technology and education.
You’ll oversee PR and media strategy, thought leadership, corporate reputation, and communications around product innovation, partnerships, research, and impact. This role is ideal for someone with experience in SaaS, technology, or education environments who knows how to build influence, manage reputation at scale, and translate complex innovations into compelling stories for Education market audiences.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic communications leadership
* Develop and execute an external PR strategy aligned with business goals and market expansion plans.
* Partner with executive leadership to position the company as an industry thought leader.
* Act as senior advisor to leadership on reputation, messaging, and media positioning.
Reputation management
* Monitor brand perception, turning insights into proactive plans that strengthen and protect corporate reputation.
* Oversee crisis communications planning and response.
Media relations
* Lead media relations strategy across trade, national, tech, education, and business press.
* Build strong relationships with journalists, analysts, and industry influencers.
Narrative & thought leadership
* Shape the company’s external narrative around innovation, impact, and market leadership.
* Develop executive visibility strategies including speaking opportunities, interviews, and panels.
* Translate complex product, data, and research insights into clear and compelling stories.
Campaigns & launch communications
* Lead communications for major announcements including product launches, funding rounds, partnerships, acquisitions, and market entries
* Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Regional teams on integrated campaigns.
* Ensure consistency of messaging across markets and channels.
Agency leadership
* Manage PR agency relationship.
* Set KPIs, measure performance, and optimise communications impact.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
* Extensive and demonstrable experience in public relations, corporate communications or external communications
* Experience in SaaS, technology, or education/EdTech sectors strongly preferred.
* Proven track record managing media strategies and high-stakes communications.
* Outstanding storytelling and message development skills.
* Strong executive presence and stakeholder management ability.
* Analytical mindset with experience measuring PR performance and impact.
* Ability to simplify complex technical or data-driven concepts for external audiences.
Leadership profile
* Strategic, credible, and commercially-minded communicator.
* Calm under pressure and confident managing sensitive issues.
* Collaborative leader who thrives in fast-paced, scaling organisations.
* Curious, innovative, and proactive in identifying media opportunities.
* Passionate about education, technology, and global impact.
At ParentPay Group, we believe that when schools run well, students thrive. That’s why we’ve spent decades building the operating system that supports well‑run schools – a seamless layer of tools, insights, and support that makes school life simpler for teachers, leaders, caterers, parents, and students alike.
From cashless payments and parent engagement to catering management, library systems, and MIS platforms, we connect the everyday parts of education through simple, secure, and connected tools. What began as a way to make school payments easier has grown into Europe’s leading EdTech group – trusted by over 20,000 schools and 9 million users across the UK and Europe.
Every day, our platforms process millions of payments, messages, and data points, quietly working in the background so schools can shine out front. Together, we’re helping schools save time, cut costs, and create more time for learning.
ParentPay Group is more than a collection of brands. We are a group of people dedicated to supporting well‑run schools and giving time back to teachers, parents, caterers, admin staff – and most importantly, to students.