Interim Internal Communications & Engagement Consultant

Innovative Service Group
Daily rate to attract the best

This is an outstanding opportunity to join one of the country’s most innovative business and consumer services groups in a highly influential position.

20 years after inception, they continue to lead their unique B2B/B2C market place, delivering an invaluable service whilst working with their clients on a path of continuous improvement.

Differentiating themselves by remaining totally independent and providing bespoke solutions through numerous highly qualified and focussed teams to provide swift solutions and resolutions, whilst creating maximum value for their client & consumer bases underpinned by highly principled humility and passion for what they do.

Replicating that human-focus internally, they have created an upbeat, friendly, innovative, and fast-paced environment with, crucially, market-leading opportunity for advancement. But they seek to continue the development of that culture and environment for the personal and professional benefit of all employees.

This is an energised and innovative culture, which every employee works diligently to foster and continually improve. They are an opportunistic growth company that seeks to deliver long-term prosperity to all employees. 

Their innovative service has won them significant recognition and an enviable client list within highly regulated environments as well as huge respect amongst the consumer base but all with an underlying reputation for objectivity.  Two decades of achievements and award wins set this innovative business apart from their competitors, and with continued demand for their services, an increased capability in their product and service portfolio and their quest to continually strive to innovate and keep both them, and their clients ahead of the curve, their future is as impressive as their history and even more exciting.

Communication sits at the core of this innovative business. With a rapidly evolving strategy and high levels of innovation, a lithe approach to their message distribution is essential. 

Recent growth and the creation of a new group structure has led to the need to recruit an Interim Internal Communications Consultant for a medium-term period to support the business over the next few months to assist with the direction and planning of the function.

This appointee will be responsible for the direction and delivery plan for the internal communications strategy, including the full colleague journey, crisis management and all aspects of employee engagement as well as provide input into the wider business. 

….but this is more than just comms, it will encompass full organisational engagement, group wide wellbeing and talent acquisition/retention.

You will be working across the business and will be responsible for creating and managing communication & engagement plans designed towards engaging all internal stakeholders, ensuring a common and consistent message and tone, promoting key activities, new initiatives and generally promoting the business and its brand. 

The role covers all aspects of internal communications, focusing on internal stakeholders, from the board, through supporting the regulatory experts and ultimately ensuring the engagement of all employees. This is a business with a broad cross-section of colleagues; this role reflects that breadth. The full engagement of Operations team, Regulatory teams, Commercial and Strategic teams as well as the SLT is vital. An ongoing communications strategy is supplemented by periodic events to internal stakeholders to ensure maximum engagement.

A key target for this tenure will be to understand the ‘DNA’ of the business, ensuring a consistent communication style, message and tonality, but fitting in with a culture of ‘Listen, then react/respond’. 

The role performs a strategic leadership function and requires a creative and strategic thinker with a track record of supporting businesses in all aspects of their communication, but someone who is also a ‘do-er’, who can think of the bigger picture and bigger message who is not only prepared to roll up their sleeves to get the job done, but will actively enjoy doing so.

The successful candidate will demonstrably be a team player with a can-do attitude and the ability to work across all aspects of the business, delivering effective communications strategies on deadline in a fast-paced environment. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Corporate Communications

• Direct, refine and oversee the execution of the internal communications strategies that support the business’s objectives, including creating a corporate voice, tone and messaging pillars that are successfully utilised across internal communications
• Provide strategic counsel to the senior leadership team regarding reputational threats and opportunities. Proactively develop communication strategies and crisis management plans; establish a process to rapidly take action as needed
• Develop communication materials for CEO and executives, including messaging and talking points, Q&As, briefings, employee communications, social and digital content, and other written materials
• Collaborate cross-functionally across the business to communicate key business updates, milestones and events.

External Comms interface 

• Work with the external comms function on the communications strategy to enhance the business’s image and position the company as an industry leader in key sectors
• Train internal business leaders and market-facing staff on methods to advance company reputation where relevant
• Provide input into existing executive social media strategies and content planning

Internal Communication

• Develop, execute and lead overall internal communications strategy to effectively inform and engage colleagues in advancing the business’s purpose, including managing all internal communication channels, tactics and tools (e.g. intranet, e-newsletters, visible messaging tools, etc.)
• Provide communications counsel and support to executive leadership and department leaders and managers in fostering internal understanding of the business’s purpose and values, and to advance understanding and support of Company goals, priorities and strategies
• Fostering a culture of openness, accountability and collaboration

Measurement

• Responsible for data analysis and reporting on communication in order to determine overall success of campaigns/initiatives, determine actionable insights.

As with all appointment in this highly people-centric business, candidate profile and chemistry fit is critical, but never more so than for this for this pivotal communications role. Working within a fast-paced, innovative, entrepreneurial environment, attitude is as important as experience. The person is everything. This appointee is instrumental in adding to the tone, energy and culture for the business. The gravity of success is all about having the right attitude, underpinned with demonstrable experience.

Suitable candidates will already be high achieving, internal communication specialists. They will likely have held a number of leadership roles in Communications, HR, Employee Affairs or similar, and possess a track record of personal success. 

The appointee will possess a strong ethos in delivery through engagement, strategic planning, an innovative approach, informed collaborative insight, ideation and a ‘do’ not ‘think’ mindset.

They will be people, results and delivery oriented; hands-on and possess the ability to create a sense of mission and attentiveness to current and future requirements and challenges.

They should embrace, and be able to demonstrate the organisation’s Core Values:

• Courage
• Balance
• Empathy
• Openness

Skills & Experience Required:

• Previous experience within an Internal Communications Lead position responsible preferably across a large and diverse workforce 
• Degree level qualification in a Communication related subject
• Previously worked in a leadership capacity creating communications plans and strategies
• Experience of internal events, including virtual
• Experience of PR and promotional activities
• Able to design engaging communications for key activities 
• Highly creative and able to deliver engaging content
• Confident communication style
• Collaborative, adaptive and engaging

The appointee will constantly strive for excellence and demonstrate personal drive and resilience, with a mature and experienced approach to both growth, and set-backs. They will be self-motivated & able to work on their own initiative whilst putting team and company needs before own and possess the ability to think flexibly and laterally.

The successful candidate will have creative and innovative ability and desire, and be hugely excited by a very high paced environment, thick with USPs – their operational leadership strength will be underpinned by a real “Just Do It” attitude, and a sense of humour.

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