Design Jobs Board

FOREST RESEARCH

Internal Communications Manager

Salary: £39,135 – £42,133. A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Contract type: Permanent

Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Compressed hours

Location

The role can be based in Northern Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9SY or in Alice Holt, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH with blended working which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from the workplace. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

About the job

Want to work at the cutting edge of environmental science?  Passionate about making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crisis?  Forest Research (FR) is all about giving top quality evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners to make a positive impact on the ground. Internationally recognised, we need people who have the skills and passion to work on excellent science and provide practical solutions for nature.

We’re small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways.  Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our planet.  You will find us a flexible and inclusive employer, so you can have a work life balance that is tailor-made to your circumstances. So, whether it’s climate or carbon, pests or pathogens, behaviour or biodiversity that interests you, you can be assured of a warm welcome to the team. To find out more, visit www.forestresearch.gov.uk

The Internal Communications Manager role focuses on the delivery of the Corporate Communications strategy to internal audiences. The organisation’s internal communications seek to communicate the senior management team’s vision and priorities, motivate staff to reach their potential, reduce duplication of effort, create opportunities for collaboration, share knowledge and experience and provide staff with the information they need to do their job.

Job description

The Communications team is the trusted voice of Forest Research. The team leads on:
•    Identifying and understanding our internal and external audiences
•    Building trust and loyalty amongst external audiences through consistent and transparent branded communications, creating influence and opportunity
•    Motivating staff through effective delivery of the senior leadership team’s vision and communication priorities via internal communications channels
•    Optimising the effectiveness of the range of analogue and digital communications channels that Forest Research uses to reach its internal and external audiences
•    Delivering a cost-effective publishing programme of corporate documents, reports and research
•    Delivering a corporate presence at key stakeholder and other events each year
•    Acting as first point-of-contact for all print, online and broadcast media enquiries
•    Coordinating responses to national and trade media enquiries via the Defra Newsdesk and supporting senior management engagement with media and stakeholders.

Essential Criteria:

•    Demonstrable knowledge, experience and expertise in internal communications best practice in order to deliver the right internal messages in the right place at the right time
•    Excellent communication and influencing skills, including written and verbal, with the ability to write appropriately for different audiences
•    The ability to persuade and influence senior leaders in terms of internal communications best practice
•    Journalistic instincts for identifying and creating news content that will engage staff and deliver the priorities outlined in the strategic plan, corporate communications and internal communications strategies
•    The ability to gather, analyse and summarise detailed information, including scientific information, and then provide recommendations on the best way to disseminate to staff
•    Technical ability including computer literacy, editing, basic photographic skills
•    Experience of using an intranet content management system to organise, present and update internal messages
•    Analytical and evaluation skills, providing regular reporting on internal communication outputs and outcomes
•    Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues within the Communications team and more widely within Forest Research
•    Ability to prioritise workload and work at pace.

Closing date: 11:55 pm on 25 May 2025.

For more detail and to apply please click the apply link.