Group Head of Marketing and Communications

Job Purpose

The Group Head of Marketing and Communications is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering an excellent quality, high impact approach to integrated marketing, brand and communications across the TLC Group.

The postholder will primarily set direction and enable the team to deliver their work, with some direct input into campaigns, messaging and other outputs. 

This role is directly accountable for:

• Growth in key audiences
• Smooth running of the marketing provision of TLC Group including website, social, internal and external comms, press, PR and brands.
• Delivery of high-quality campaigns, on time and to budget, which deliver agreed outcomes. 

The role will share responsibility with others for: 

• Growth in fundraised income
• Performance of commercial subsidiaries

Wider Support

The postholder will be supported by the Director of Development as their line manager, and beyond that the Development sub-committee of our TLC Group Board alongside the wider Board itself. 

There will be scope to shape and grow the internal team if / when the TLC Group continues to expand. Beyond the direct team, TLC Group uses a network of freelancers and agencies and there is potentially scope to draw in their expertise, budget permitting. 

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership

• Provide outstanding leadership and direction for the TLC Group Marketing and Communications team, bringing energy and drive to our ambition.
• Develop and lead the implementation of a TLC Group-wide Marketing and Communications strategy aligned with organisational goals. 
• Lead on positioning the organisation as a sector leader, enhancing visibility, influence and impact. 
• Advise the Executive Leadership Team on marketing, communications and reputational risk. Plan and mitigate against brand and organisational reputational risk and manage crisis communications effectively. 

Brand and Communications

• Lead the development and ongoing delivery of brand marketing strategies for each of our differentiated brands, supporting the transition to an audience led approach. 
• Lead the implementation and embedding of our new brand portfolio across our organisation including successful application of brand identities, values, key messages and tone of voice. 
• Identify opportunities to increase brand awareness and lead the delivery of these across a national footprint. 
• Set the strategic direction for all internal and external communications, including our Press and PR work.
• Ensure our messaging reflects organisational values, mission and impact. 

Income Generation and Commercial Integration

• Support the growth of our Charity by providing Marketing expertise and developing marketing plans which facilitate our partnerships and charitable income generation work (fundraising, philanthropy and grants). Work closely with our Development and Partnerships teams to deliver this. 
• Support the Group's commercial subsidiaries by providing Marketing expertise and developing marketing plans which assist the subsidiaries to meet their revenue targets. Work closely with our Group Commercial Director to deliver this. 

Influencing 

• Support our Policy team (part of our Development team) developing TLC's government relations work through influencing campaigns, parliamentary events and policy responses. 

Digital and Innovation

• Drive digital changes and innovative solutions to improve customer journeys, supporter retention and AI integrations/automations, helping to futureproof our growing organisation. 

Leadership and Management

• Lead the team to deliver across brands, through effective project management and prioritisation as well as ensuring alignment of stakeholder expectations against agreed objectives. 
• Develop our high-performing marketing and communications team and build connections which embed marketing and communications across the entire Group.
• Establish a network of strategic relationships with key stakeholders across team and subsidiaries to support a one team approach, integrated planning and effective delivery.
• Set the Departmental budget with a focus on value for money. 

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, partners, media and influencers. 
• Represent the organisation externally at events and in the media. 

Organisational

• Support the designated safeguarding lead to ensure all staff, volunteers, trustees and students at TLC Group understand that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Ensure adherence to policies, mandatory training, reporting concerns, and compliance to protect children and adults at risk.
• Perform any other duties within the general scope of this job profile or as reasonably required by the Director of Development.
• Commit to continuous professional development through engagement in specific opportunities agreed with the Director of Development. 

Person Specification

Experience

• Senior leadership experience in marketing and communications. 
• Proven track record of developing and implementing effective brand strategies across:

           - An organisation with a diverse portfolio of services, brands or sub-brands - and/or

           -  A charity or social enterprise with commercial subsidiaries

• Developing and implementing marketing and communications strategies that employ a mixture of marketing channels.
• Producing comprehensive campaigns that increase income and engagement. 
• Building high trust, collaborative relationships and managing stakeholders at every level. 
• Understanding and working with diverse audiences. 

Skills and abilities

• Seeing things both strategically and operationally.
• Managing a multi-brand portfolio in a fast faced environment.
• Creating and managing a departmental budget to ensure a good return on investment.
• Excellent leadership, influencing and relationship management skills, including with freelancers or agencies.

Qualities

• A positive, creative problem solver.

What success looks like

In the first six months, we would expect this role to build a strong understanding of the Group structure and priorities, while starting to bring greater clarity and alignment across the brand portfolio and marketing approach. There is a real opportunity here to shape direction early, deliver some quick wins, and build momentum across the organisation.

By twelve to eighteen months, the expectation would be to see clear, measurable impact in areas such as audience growth, income generation and brand visibility, alongside a more defined and embedded marketing function that is set up to support both the charity and commercial aims of the Group.

This role offers a high degree of ownership, and will suit someone who enjoys building, prioritising and making progress across multiple areas, while helping the organisation focus its efforts over time.