Communications Manager

Who We Are

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity to join one of Network Rail's busiest communications teams.

We're looking for a Communications Manager in our North West route, which serves two major cities, epic scenic landscapes in two National Parks and major towns and tourist destinations across five counties.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in communications and someone who loves working with people and wants to tell great stories. They'll always be thinking of new ways we can engage our workforce, through impactful campaigns which have the power to change behaviours and showcase the best in innovation across our industry. They'll also know how best to tell a story for our passengers - especially when things don't quite go to plan.

We'll encourage you to get out and about - finding the stories we should be telling by going behind the scenes on some of our biggest projects - and organising site visits for key stakeholders so they are involved in our progress.

It is not a sit at your desk job, it's a get out and meet people job, it's a grab a camera and make a film job, it's a ring your internal contacts to find a unique story job, it's an everyday is different job, it's a job you'll love in a place where you can develop your career and never stop learning.

The role is based in Manchester and will work within the geography of our North West Route, covering Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire and Cumbria. We offer a hybrid working policy with 3 days in the office or on site, and 2 days from home. With many of our projects taking place overnight when trains aren't running, they may be occasions when out of hours working is required.

You can visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

What does our recruitment process look like? 

1. Once you have applied, our Recruitment Specialist will look at your CV.
2. If your experience matches what we're looking for, you will be asked to submit a short self-filmed and edited video on a topic of your choice to demonstrate filming and editing skills. This will need to be submitted prior to the interview and instructions will be provided on how to do this.
3. Next, you'll be invited to a face to face interview with the hiring manager.  This will include a 15-minute writing exercise, followed by a 45-minute competency-based interview.

Interviews will be held in Manchester w/c 1 June (subject to change).

Please note, this vacancy may close earlier if we receive a high number of suitable applications.

What's in it for you

Band 4B salary range £35,582 - £42,218 Depending on experience

Here are a few of the benefits we have to offer:

• 28 days annual leave - with the opportunity to buy and/or sell up to 5 days
• Access to a range of contributory pension schemes
• The potential to top up your competitive salary with a bonus
• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train
• Privileged staff travel - Discretionary leisure travel discount of 75%
• We can offer you a season ticket loan, annual season tickets are discounted.
• A 35-hour-per-week contract with flexible working options available to help support your work-life balance
• Hybrid working where possible and enhanced family-friendly support
• Take advantage of healthcare offers (including discounted healthcare club membership), discounted cycle hire, and online shopping sites
• 5 days of paid volunteering leave
• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community 

To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

Our aim is to ensure your candidate experience is as positive as possible. If you require reasonable adjustments at any point, simply let us know and we'll do our best to assist you.

Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing.  We will share further details with you as part of your formal offer.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information

Your experience and skills

Every day will be different, but you can expect to be involved in the following activities:

1. Develop and implement communications strategy on projects which present reputational risks or opportunities for the business.

2. Produce and manage detailed communications plans, detailing activities and resources necessary for implementation and providing recommendations for continuous improvement / best practice.

3. Interface with key external audiences (across community relations, media and public affairs) so that these relationships are appropriately managed, in consultation with relevant external communications teams in Government and Corporate Affairs.

4. Build relationships and provide direction / influence to senior project managers and external industry parties / funding organisations where appropriate.

5. Provide guidance on all external communications activity undertaken by project personnel including Project/ Programme Director and Project Managers, delivering consistency with the approved G&CA communications strategy and in accordance with Network Rail's corporate policies.

6. Assist with delivery of Network Rail's corporate internal communications programme and act as a conduit for material/information for corporate comms channels.

7. Check that all branding used on the project complies with Network Rail's corporate policy on branding, visual identity and image.

8. Produce regular reports on all communications activities on the project, including budget.

In order to be successful in this role, we would like you to have/to be:

• Significant experience within corporate communications
• Proven track record in public relations activity in a high-profile organisation
• Excellent writing and the ability to think strategically
• Excellent influencing skills and ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Thorough knowledge of the media and how it operates

We would also like but it isn't crucial to have/to be:

• Video making skills
• Educated to degree level
• Graphic design skills (experience using Adobe Creative Suite)
• Experience of working within an agency environment
• Media relations experience