Head of Media and Communications (10 Months Contract)

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About The Role

Head of Media and Communications (10 Months Contract)

Motability Operations is looking for an experienced head of media and communications to join its developing Corporate Affairs Team. The post holder will develop and lead the implementation of PR, media and digital communication strategies in support of the overall corporate comms strategy and business objectives.

The newly formed comms and engagement team supports the delivery of MO's strategy in line with our values. The head of comms role will be part of the comms and engagement leadership team, working closely with the wider marketing and brand team.

Responsibilities:

• Devise and implement insight-led PR and media relations strategy


• Devise and lead implementation of digital communication strategy, including strategy and purpose for individual digital channels working closely with customer teams


• Owner of corporate narrative


• Owner of corporate website with overall accountability for tone of voice and content


• Advising on media engagement and PR opportunities to support business strategy and support for scheme initiatives and events


• Head up press office/lead for media engagement


• Support crisis comms plans and advise on comms risk handling


• Support development and communication of ESG strategy


• Liaise with Motability Foundation around proactive communications planning and opportunities


• Coordinate all external comms opportunities across the business


• Work closely with internal comms on developing culture and embedding the delivery of our new strategy


• Manage relationship with retained PR/comms/digital agency


• Provide media/comms briefings to senior leaders


• Budget management

About You

The successful candidate will play a key role in building trust in MO and helping the organisation to develop confidence in how it presents itself externally. You will be part of a developing team in the wider Marketing, Comms and Customer Experience department, with a scope to shape a whole new approach to MO's external comms. This role will suit you if:

• You are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, making decisions and acting on your own initiative


• You enjoy building and developing teams


• You are comfortable with change and managing multiple priorities


• You are a critical thinker and problem-solver


• You are a strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills


• You enjoy writing and influencing content creation


• You have a low ego and good judgement


• You have a customer service mindset

Minimum criteria:

• Educated to degree level or a professional communications qualification (eg IoIC, CIPR, PRCA)


• Experience working in Corporate Communications at leadership level


• Demonstrable successful experience of developing and delivering comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, integrated communications strategies


• Proven successful experience of media management, including digital channels with a good understanding of the developing media landscape


• Proven successful experience of management roles, developing and motivating teams in a developing communications environment


• Experience of working productively in partnership with senior leaders, coaching and influencing them to deliver effective messaging


• Demonstrable experience in achieving targets/results, focused on organising and bringing people and resources together to achieve objectives


• Experience of directing and managing agency support


• Excellent written and spoken communications skills


• Proven experience of communications for major incidents or crisis situations


• Experience of managing communications around financial results


• Experience of preparing and managing budgets


• Down to earth collaborative style and the ability to build trust based relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organisation

About The Company

Motability Operations provides worry-free mobility solutions to over 700,000 customers and their families across the UK. Customers exchange their higher rate mobility allowance to lease a range of affordable vehicles (cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs) with insurance, maintenance and breakdown assistance included. We are the largest car fleet operator in the UK (purchasing around 13% of all the new cars sold in the UK) and work with a network of around 5,000 car dealers and all the major manufacturers. We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding customer service, achieving an independently verified customer satisfaction rating of 9.6 out of 10.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do, and our people demonstrate these values:

• Empowerment


• Empathy


• Inclusion


• Forward thinking


• Excellence

As a Motability Operations team member, the benefits you can expect are:

• Competitive reward package including an annual discretionary bonus


• 15% non-contributory pension (9% non-contributory pension during probation period)


• 28 days annual leave with option to purchase and sell days


• 1 day for volunteering


• Funded Private Medical Insurance cover


• Electric/Hybrid Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme and Cycle to Work Scheme


• Life assurance at 4 times your basic salary to give you a peace of mind that your loved ones will receive some financial help


• Funded health screening for over 50s


• Voluntary benefits: charitable giving, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, health and cancer screenings for you and your partner, discounted gym memberships and season ticket loans


• Employee Discount Scheme with an app to save on the go


• Free access to healthcare apps such as Peppy, Unmind, Aviva Digital GP and volunteering app on Hand for all employees


• Generous family leave policies

At Motability Operations, we believe in building a diverse workforce, where our people are empowered to attend work as their true selves, and we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We want to sustain a culture that nurtures, where employees are free to flourish and where they're rewarded equally, regardless of race, nationality or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or gender.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive employer and as such, all our offices provide first rate disability access. With our hybrid working environment, we do our best to accommodate part-time and flexible working requests where possible, building on our culture of trust, empowerment, and flexibility.