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Head of Communications & Public Affairs
Salary: Up to £62k depending on experience
Location: Remote, with regular planned travel nationwide, particularly to London and the South, plus attendance at monthly and quarterly team meetings
Hours: Full Time, 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
We're looking for an exceptional communications leader to join Help for Heroes as our Head of Communications & Public Affairs. This is a rare opportunity to shape how one of the UK's most recognised charities engages with the media, policymakers, supporters and the wider public, ensuring the voices of veterans and their families are heard where it matters most.
Leading our integrated communications, public affairs, policy and PR activity, you'll develop influential campaigns that continue to strengthen our reputation, support fundraising and drive meaningful change for the Armed Forces community. Working closely with senior leaders across the charity, you'll act as a trusted adviser, bringing insight into the political, media and stakeholder landscape while helping to navigate the opportunities and risks that affect our mission.
This is a high-profile leadership role for someone who combines strategic thinking with outstanding delivery, thrives on building influential relationships and wants to use their expertise to create lasting impact for those who have served our country.
Please see below for more information on what just might be your future role.
About the Role
As Head of Communications & Public Affairs, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how the charity is seen, heard and understood by the public, media, policymakers and supporters. Ensuring the experiences of veterans and their families remain at the heart of national conversations and decision-making.
- Developing and delivering an integrated communications, public affairs and policy strategy that advances the charity's mission and influence.
- Leading high-profile campaigns that raise awareness, support fundraising objectives and drive systemic change for the Armed Forces community.
- Building influential relationships with media, government, political stakeholders, partner organisations and sector leaders.
- Acting as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, providing strategic counsel on reputation, stakeholder engagement, public policy and emerging issues
- Leading the charity's press office, crisis communications activity, ambassador programme and external reputation management
- Developing, inspiring and coaching a high-performing team, fostering innovation, collaboration and measurable impact.
About You
Are you a strategic communications leader who knows how to turn insight into action and ambition into results?
Do you have a strong track record of leading integrated communications, public affairs, policy or campaigning activity that has built reputation, influenced decision-makers and delivered measurable impact?
Can you confidently navigate complex issues, build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and provide clear, credible counsel?
Are you equally comfortable shaping long-term strategy, responding to fast-moving external events and spotting opportunities to raise the profile and influence of an organisation?
If you're passionate about telling powerful stories, understand the UK media and political landscape, and enjoy leading talented teams to achieve ambitious goals, we'd love to hear from you.
You'll bring significant senior-level experience across communications, public affairs or policy, alongside expertise in media relations, stakeholder engagement and reputation management.
Most importantly, you'll be motivated by the opportunity to use your skills, networks and leadership to improve outcomes for veterans and their families.
About the Team
You’ll join our ambitious Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs directorate, a team dedicated to amplifying the voices of veterans and their families and ensuring their experiences influence public understanding and decision-making.
We are a collaborative, creative, and purpose-driven team that works across the charity to tell powerful stories, build meaningful relationships and create lasting impact. Together, we’re passionate about helping the Armed Forces community get the support they deserve.
In return we can offer you:
- Belonging to a team who make a difference to our community and value equality, diversity and inclusion.
- 29 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, regardless of service — plus your birthday off to celebrate!
- Opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave per year.
- Added to our free health scheme from day one, including discounts on dental, opticians, massages, and more - with the option to upgrade.
- 3 volunteer days per year to support the Help for Heroes community.
- A generous salary sacrifice pension scheme with an 8% employer contribution and a minimum 3% employee contribution, plus life insurance up to 4× salary as an active member.
Closing date: 23rd August 2026
Interview Process: Two stage process with an initial competency based interview and second round stage involving a task.
First round interviews to be held in person or via Teams 4th/7th/8th or 9th September.
Second Round in person 16th or 22nd September.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of strong applications.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds.
Registered Charity 
101 - 500
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Hybrid – within commuting distance of one of our campuses in Beckenham, Blackburn, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Doncaster or Redcar
Lead communications and engagement for a nationally influential organisation transforming teacher and leader development.
About us
The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education and is on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system.
About the role
The National Institute of Teaching is looking for an exceptional Head of Communications and Engagement to lead how we tell our story, build our reputation and deepen our relationships across the education sector. Guided by our belief that teaching is a fundamental societal good, a privilege and a responsibility, this is a senior, strategic role at the heart of an ambitious organisation working to improve the quality of teacher and leader development at system level. You will shape a clear and compelling organisational narrative, lead integrated communications and engagement activity, and act as the NIoT’s main link with the press, ensuring our voice is credible, consistent and influential with schools, trusts, policymakers, partners, funders, journalists, the media and the wider public.
You will bring outstanding judgement, creativity and communication expertise, with the ability to translate complex ideas into messages that move people to understand, trust and act. Working closely with the Executive Director of Partnerships, the CEO and senior colleagues across research, programmes, recruitment marketing, impact and policy, you will help position the NIoT as a distinctive, evidence-informed and school-led organisation with growing national reach and influence.
This is a hybrid role, with an expectation that the postholder will work from the office at least once a fortnight, and more frequently where required to meet business needs. The role also involves national travel, which may include overnight stays.
What we’re looking for:
- A senior communications and engagement professional with significant experience of strategic leadership, ideally in education, public policy, charity, higher education or another mission-led environment.
- Exceptional written, verbal and editorial skills, with a talent for conveying complex, evidence-informed ideas clearly, accurately and compellingly for different audiences.
- Proven ability to develop organisational narratives, lead brand and reputation activity, and maintain clear, consistent messaging across channels and teams.
- Strong PR and press experience, including media relations, journalist engagement, press office processes, handling enquiries, drafting press statements and identifying proactive opportunities to build profile and influence.
- The confidence and credibility to advise senior leaders, influence colleagues, manage sensitive issues and represent the organisation externally.
- A collaborative, values-led leader who can build a high-performing team, strengthen ways of working and support colleagues to communicate with clarity and confidence.
- A commitment to inclusive, accessible and audience-centred communications that help the NIoT reach diverse school communities and national audiences.
Key benefits
- Generous annual leave – 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays), rising to 33 days after five years’ service.
- Flexible working – we offer flexible start and end working times, with hybrid working in place for all roles.
- Pension – entry to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Salary sacrifice schemes – we offer salary sacrifice schemes for bikes, cars and tech!
- Lifestyle benefits – we offer discounts on gyms, cinema, retail and much more!
- Parenthood leave – we offer above the statutory minimum for maternity, adoption and paternity leave.
- Working environment – we have a stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of like-minded professionals.
- Support – our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides confidential support for employees on personal or work-related matters.
- Development – we fully support the development of our staff and ensure that you have a high level of continuous professional development.
We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.
For more information and to apply, please visit our vacancies page.
Closing date: 31 August 2026.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.
As a condition of employment, this post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check and an Occupational Health Check.
