Job description

King’s Culture is recruiting a Head of Communications & Marketing. As the university’s specialist culture team King’s Culture brokers, develops and supports a portfolio of distinctive partnerships that support the university’s education, research and service strategies, while working with artists, communities, cultural organisations and cultural policy makers, in London and beyond.

The Head of Communications & Marketing develops & delivers effective communications & marketing that connect and showcase these activities both within and beyond the university, driving participation and audiences, and reinforcing King's role at the forefront of higher education engagement with the cultural sector.

This role requires a balance of skills across internal and external communications & engagement, marketing and digital. The post holder will be adept at identifying, researching and developing campaigns and stories. They will work with colleagues in the Culture team, central and faculty-based communications and marketing teams and external collaborators to tell those stories through digital and social media, impactful events, compelling internal and external campaigns, launches and other activities to inspire and engage stakeholders.     

At King's, our definition of diversity encompasses and goes beyond the characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010 to include everything that makes us unique, from our backgrounds and experiences to our personalities and ways of thinking. King’s Culture welcomes applicants from communities underrepresented in the higher education and/or cultural sector and expects all applicants to demonstrate clear commitment to diversity and inclusion.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

This is a full-time  post

Key responsibilities

• Provide hands-on strategic communications & marketing expertise for King’s Culture’s varied programme, including in 2022/23 the phased relaunch of Science Gallery London from Summer 2022, cultural programming for the newly pedestrianised Strand/Aldwych and a range of projects formed around student and/or academic collaborations with the cultural sector.

• Oversee the development of a clear communications & marketing strategy and framework for effective PR, media, government, and stakeholder relations, for King’s Culture.

• Develop and deliver an internal communications plan across King’s Culture, wider university, and with associated academic partners, artists, contractors, suppliers and freelance staff. Design, build and manage the delivery of all campaigns, as part of an overall communications, marketing and engagement strategy that builds profile and shows year on year progress both through traditional and online/digital environments. Oversee the development of an integrated digital strategy and manage the maintenance of the Culture web pages, social media and other digital channels, ensuring they are kept up to date. Build and manage media relations for Culture, promoting the programme - including international, national, regional and local media in print, on air and digital – to deliver extensive and good quality coverage of King’s cultural activity. Use and support development of CRM to build and expand the contacts database for all audiences. Develop digital skills competency within the Culture team to enhance engagement approaches for maximum impact across King’s and the cultural sector. Regularly monitor and evaluate the value and effectiveness of marketing, communications, and digital activity. Be an active member of King’s External & Internal Engagement Network. Develop and manage King’s Culture’s communications & marketing budget. Manage external suppliers such as PR agencies, copywriters and graphic designers and work within King’s brand and copy style guidelines.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

• First degree & professional communications/marketing qualification, or demonstrable equivalent experience Significant experience of communications & marketing at a responsible level Ability to understand and translate complex themes and messages for internal and external audiences and expertise in how to create and communicate those messages in credible & impactful ways Excellent creative writing, ability to adapt to multiple styles and uses, editing and proofing skills with an eye for detail Experience of working cross-organisationally in a complex environment with competing priorities Demonstrates strong leadership, facilitation and coaching skills and uses these at own initiative to positively influence and drive the right outcomes Strong interpersonal skills and professional credibility to build relationships across organisational boundaries whilst not afraid to push back/challenge when necessary Advanced digital skills including experience in managing social media channels and working with website/newsletter/contact databases, CMS and CRM systems, video & podcasting technology Experience of measuring reach/impact of communications & marketing and of using the data to inform activities Experience of working in higher education and/or the cultural/creative industries sector (preferably both)