Communications Manager (To Executive)

Harrogate, North Yorkshire – with some travel across the Yorkshire region

We offer hybrid working.

About Us

Yorkshire is one of the regions hardest hit by cancer. Together, we can change this.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a charity dedicated to funding research so that you and those you love live longer healthier lives, free of cancer.

Thanks to supporters, the charity funds vital cancer research and pioneers innovative new services for people with cancer. These life-giving medical breakthroughs are helping more people survive cancer – in Yorkshire, and beyond.

As an inclusive employer, our aim is to ensure our workforce reflects the rich diversity of our region. We believe a diverse workforce is vital to us taking action to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire. We offer equal opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnerships.

The Benefits

We offer all employees a wide range of benefits including an enhanced contributory pension scheme, 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service), flexible working arrangements, private medical insurance, enhanced maternity leave, career progression, learning and development, wellbeing initiatives, offices within walking distance of Hornbeam Park train station, and a whole lot more.

We’ve got a strong set of values that inform everything we do and we’re looking for people who are aligned with these. As our Communications Manager (to Executive) you will put people in Yorkshire at the heart of everything you do, unite with colleagues and other organisations in this cause, and dare to think big and bold to make positive solutions happen.

The Role

The Communications Manager (to Executive) is responsible for what, where and how the Chief Executive, Directors (collective referred to as ‘Directors’ from this point forward) and members of the Board of Trustees communicate about the charity to employees, volunteers and supporters.

You will enable charity leaders to convey and reinforce consistent messages to build reputation and trust in both the charity and the leadership of the charity.

As Communications Manager (to Executive), you will be responsible for Directors’ communication about the charity and its:

-       purpose

-       brand

-       public affairs

-       reputation (including crisis management and responses to complaints)

The role holder will help to identify communication gaps and opportunity, working with Directors to address these through a communication plan.

You will plan, agree, draft and support Directors to deliver proactive thought-leadership.

Specifically, you will:

·         Develop and agree a bespoke internal/external communication plan for Directors, reflecting both their shared, collective role in leading the charity.

·         Optimise existing, and develop new, communication channels to enable Directors to reach new audiences and reinforce messages to existing audiences.

·         Identify corporate developments, projects and initiatives that will benefit from Director communication and work with project/initiative leader(s) to ensure a planned, aligned and integrated approach to key messages and their delivery.

Brand

·         Ensure the charity’s brand, strategy and purpose is accurately and proactively reflected in all messaging and content which quotes or is on behalf of Directors.

·         Reflect the charity’s tone-of-voice, taking a plain-English approach to communication by avoiding technical terms, jargon and acronyms.

Process and Governance

·         Ensure Directors are advised about potential PR and communication opportunities and can consider and input before they are committed to.

·         For proactive communication, diarise approval time in Directors’ diaries and provide Executive briefings and content well in advance (giving weeks’ rather than days’ notice) so that there is plenty of time for Directors to review, adapt and approve before the deadline or event.

·         Where reactive opportunities (e.g. tv and radio interviews) are available, ensure the relevant Director has adequate notice and time to prepare, negotiating longer timeframes on their behalf where this is possible and necessary.

About You

To be considered for this role, you will need:

·         To be educated to degree level or equivalent.

·         To have achieved a recognised professional qualification which demonstrates an ongoing commitment to learning and development.

·         To have demonstrable experience of effective PR management, preferably with a not-for-profit organisation.

·         To be experienced and confident working with and advising an organisation’s most senior leaders.

·         To have clear experience of having embraced organisational change and transformation, and of helping colleagues and team members to do likewise.

·         To have extensive experience of successfully prioritising projects, activities and work so that those activities that will have greatest strategic impact are delivered first and foremost.

·         To have proven communications acumen with the ability to manage a budget.

·         To have excellent collaboration, prioritisation and communication skills.

·         To have Integrity and discretion when handling privileged information.

·         To have the ability to plan own workload and manage that of others, on time.

·         To have excellent written and verbal communication and influencing skills, with a strong background presenting complex information, simply and effectively to a range of audiences.

·         To have excellent networking, influencing and relationship management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others, as well as the confidence and personal authority to work with external organisations.

·         To be a dedicated and respected team player creating effective working relationships with others.

·         To be highly comfortable working with challenging and changing environments.

Application

Before applying, please visit our Careers Page to view the full role profile and find out more about working for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

To apply please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to Claire Wooldridge, Head of People, before 30 April 2026. Please read our privacy notice before applying.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a responsible and flexible employer.  We welcome any discussion for flexible working at the interview/offer stage where we will consider an individual’s circumstances against the needs of the charity.

We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. If we can make any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contact us.