The opportunity
University of the Arts London (UAL) is seeking a motivated and talented External Communications Manager to join our dynamic communications team. Reporting to the Head of External Communications you will play a crucial role in enhancing UAL's reputation through press and our social media channels.
You will use your proactive media skills to create relationships with journalists and influencers, source, develop and sell in stories to raise the profile of our impactful research, innovative practice and thought leadership, and build social purpose partnerships that can deliver on our strategic objectives.
The post sits within the University’s recently formed Social Purpose Group. The group brings together communications, the new Social Purpose Lab, fundraising and UAL’s recently launched Storytelling Institute. Together, the group will enable UAL to change and shape the world for the better.
The communications department is a collaborative, creative and inclusive team who understand the role of communications in championing the transformative power of creative education. We speak on behalf of the creative industries across all platforms and cultivate relationships with some of the country’s leading experts and opinion formers.
The communications team has a vital role to play. We want to bring high quality education to more students than ever before and give our students the education they need to flourish in a changing world.
This role is based at High Holborn, but is part of the wider Communications community at UAL. As a community, we are embarking on a transformation programme to become a single university-wide team which will improve the reach and impact of our communications.
About you
As an experienced communications professional, you will be able to demonstrate:
1. Experience of success in similar management roles, fostering relationships with both internal and external stakeholders while consistently delivering impactful communication materials.
2. A track record leading campaigns, crafting effective communication messages, and collaborating with journalists to secure media coverage.
3. Skill in writing compelling copy, simplifying complex concepts, and nurturing a passion for our organisation's purpose and values.
Additionally, you will have exceptional organisational, planning, and project management skills, adept at forward-thinking, prioritisation, flexible and accurate execution even in high-pressure situations.
Supporting colleagues across the University, you must be able to collaborate effectively with various teams across diverse professional disciplines.