JOB DESCRIPTION: Strategic Communications Lead
Job Title: Strategic Communications Lead
Location: Hybrid – Hampshire / Stirling offices / Remote
Salary: £37,500 (pro-rata)
Hours: Full time (flexible)
Contract: Permanent
About us:
Learning through Landscapes is the UK’s leading school grounds charity, dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play for all. Our vision is a society where the benefits of regular time outdoors are valued and appreciated, and outdoor learning, play and connection with nature is recognised as a fundamental part of education, at every stage, for every child and young person.
We have unrivalled expertise based on three decades of experience, practical action and research. With offices in England and Scotland and staff based across the UK, our team and our accredited network of outdoor learning experts have the capacity to work nationally and internationally. Visit our website for more information.
Main Purpose of the Post
To lead the strategic planning, development, and delivery of Learning through Landscapes’ (LtL) communications and marketing activities. This role will ensure effective communication with key audiences, grow engagement, and strengthen the LtL brand, positioning the organisation as the leading voice in outdoor learning and play. The Strategic Communications Lead will oversee all communications activities, manage a growing team including the Digital Marketing & Operations Manager, and ensure alignment with organisational goals and the communications strategy.
Specific Duties
Strategic Leadership
• Lead the development and implementation of the LtL communications strategy in line with organisational objectives.
• Align communication efforts with the key goals of growing audience engagement, generating leads, and enhancing the charity’s visibility and credibility.
• Act as a brand guardian, ensuring all communications adhere to LtL’s brand guidelines and key messaging.
Team Management
• Line-manage the growing Communications team, including the Digital Marketing & Operations Manager, providing guidance, support, and oversight of their responsibilities, including social media, website, and email marketing activities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation within the communications team, and work closely with other departments to align communications with organisational priorities.
• Provide regular performance reviews and professional development opportunities for direct reports.
Campaigns and Content Development
• Plan and oversee the creation of compelling and engaging content for digital and traditional media platforms, ensuring alignment with key messaging.
• Work with the Digital Marketing & Operations Manager to deliver multichannel marketing campaigns, including organic and paid campaigns across platforms such as social media, Google Ads, and email.
• Lead on the development of innovative approaches to audience engagement, including storytelling, case studies, and evidence-led communications.
• Lead the delivery of the Outdoor Classroom Day campaign, including coordinating media interest, collaborating with global NGOs and internal teams on campaign themes, and managing data collection, evaluation, and related communications.
External and Internal Communications
• Serve as the first point of media contact for LtL, building relationships with journalists, influencers, and partners to amplify LtL’s reach.
• Advise and support internal teams on communication best practices, integrating communications planning into the early stages of project development.
• Collaborate with partner organisations to deliver cohesive and impactful communications plans for joint projects.
• Strengthen internal communication processes to ensure organisational cohesion and awareness of communications initiatives.
Monitoring and Evaluation
• Improve systems for measuring and reporting communications impact, including audience engagement, conversion rates, and campaign effectiveness.
• Provide regular reports to senior management, using data to demonstrate progress and inform future strategies.
• Conduct ongoing analysis of audience behaviours and preferences to refine communication efforts.
General Responsibilities
• Stay informed on trends in digital marketing, communications, and education to keep LtL’s approaches current and impactful.
• Support organisational goals by contributing to cross-functional projects and initiatives.
• Ensure all communications comply with GDPR and safeguarding policies.
• Represent LtL at relevant external events and networks as needed.
What you’ll need:
• Experience of leading communications or marketing at a strategic level, preferably in the charitable or education sectors
• Proven ability to develop and implement multi-channel communications strategies that grow engagement and support organisational goals
• Experience of managing staff, fostering collaboration, and supporting professional development within a communications team
• Strong track record in campaign planning and delivery, including digital marketing, content creation, and media engagement
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a keen eye for detail and storytelling
• Computer literate with experience using digital marketing tools and platforms such as email marketing systems, social media scheduling tools, and content management systems
• Strong understanding of branding and the importance of consistent messaging
• Confident using data to evaluate performance and inform strategy
• Proactive, organised, and able to work flexibly across multiple priorities
• Knowledge of GDPR compliance and safeguarding in a communications context
• A commitment to the values and mission of Learning through Landscapes
This is an indication of the scope of the role. If you don’t have all of the above
but feel it could be the role for you, talk to us!
What we offer:
• Flexible working
• Holiday, 28 days + bank holidays + a “birthday gift” day
• Laptop, phone and all travel & subsistence expenses
• Family & carer friendly policies
• Training and CPD by agreement
• Sick pay
• Pension scheme – 5% employer contribution
• Subsidised Christmas meal
• Free office refreshments
• A supportive and welcoming team of colleagues.
We’re an equal opportunities employer. All suitable applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
We are actively seeking to increase diversity within our workforce and are committed to recruiting the best people on the objective basis of their skills, ability and experience. We offer a guaranteed interview to eligible applicants who choose to opt-in to the scheme and can demonstrate that they have at least 50% of the “What You’ll Need” list. To be eligible to apply via the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, you must be from an ethnic minority. Please state clearly in your covering letter if you are applying under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.
We are happy to support with any reasonable adjustments that are needed within the recruitment process.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact the HR Manager, Sarah Knott - see our website for contact details.
To apply: Please send the following to our recruitment email - see our website for details.
• Your CV
• A covering letter explaining in no more than one side of A4, your interest in the role and the skills and knowledge you have that make you an ideal candidate
• Contact details (including email address and phone number) of two referees, one of whom should be your most recent employer.
The recruitment process:
The deadline for applications is 8 am on Monday 2nd June 2025.
If you have not heard from us by 5 pm on Tuesday 3rd June 2025, you have not been shortlisted.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview at our offices in Eastleigh, Hampshire on Tuesday 17th June 2025.
Candidates will be informed of the outcome of the interviews by Wednesday 18th June 2025.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About Beyond Autism
We are experts in delivering autism education services from pre-school to 25. BeyondAutism is a nonprofit organisation, driving change in the world of autism education to ensure autistic children and young
adults access an education which empowers a life full of choice, independence and opportunity. We do
this by creating positive educational experiences, training for the professional team around a child, and
information, resources and support for families and carers.
Our services:
We deliver rapid and sustained outcomes in our Early Years’ service by working with parents and children
together. Empowering parents to feel resilient and confident in meeting the needs of their child leads to
aspirational, informed choices creating a positive and successful step into primary education.
Our two schools and 2 Post-19 services have a specialist curriculum that ensures sustained success beyond the
age of 25, setting children and young adults up with the skills and independence to lead a life of their choosing.
By teaching them the academic and life skills they need and through the promotion of a happy, caring
environment, we nurture the confidence, independence and self-belief to enable them to make the most of the
next stage of their life or education.
We also work more widely, activating networks and building local capacity with our solution focused Outreach
team. Our unique BeyondAutism Fast Responder® service works at the point of crisis to change the national
picture and reduce school placement breakdown
Our Values
At BeyondAutism we are:
Dedicated to delivering excellence
Developing expertise, outstanding services and positive engagement, always seeking to go above and beyond
expectations.
Committed to Behaviour Analysis, underpinned by the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis and Verbal
Behaviour
Contributing to research and ensuring our staff continually develop and share best practice that ensure
aspirational outcomes are achieved for autistic individuals.
Respectful
Embracing diversity, showing integrity, acting with compassion and always treating people with dignity.
Proud to challenge
Listening, changing thinking, shifting attitudes and educating
Overview:
• As COO you will be BeyondAutism’s second-in-command and be responsible for the financial well-being
of the charity, financial and commercial strategy and day-to-day operational excellence.
• The overarching purpose of the COO position is to work with the CEO on defining the financial and
operational strategy of BeyondAutism and then to implement it, thereby enabling the charity to deliver its
charitable objects.
• You will provide strong leadership of the finance function, being proactive, outward facing and an
exceptional manager of stakeholder relationships.
Responsibilities
• Leadership and management of a senior team to deliver business plans in pursuance of the strategic
objectives.
• Developing and leading the finance and operations functions (HR, Facilities, and Projects) so that they
facilitate the growth and reach agenda.
• Provide leadership on Finance and Accounting strategy, to optimise BeyondAutism’s financial performance.
• With the CEO and Heads of Services, ensure that our regulatory services remain outstanding.
• To deputise for the CEO as required.
Strategic leadership
• Delivering results during a period of unpredictability, negotiating with and influencing senior stakeholders from
a variety of disciplines (political, commercial, and Local Authority).
• Leading the operations functions so that they are proactive, outward-facing and viewed as an essential partner
in the decision-making process.
• Increasing the commercial capability throughout the organisation, with a focus on delivering value for money
through effective contract and supplier management.
• With the Heads of Services, review the model for service delivery as part of implementing the reach strategy.
This will include the service models currently operating in London.
• Building and enacting transformational change to the commercial strategic decision making in collaboration
with the CEO.
• With accountability for procurement and contract management, you will demonstrate ongoing improvement to
processes and transparency, working to create a system in which it is faster and easier to satisfy Trustee
scrutiny and meet accountability requirements.
• You will operate collegiately with the Senior Management Team to ensure we build effective customer
relationships and deliver services that meet the needs of the end-user.
• You will be accountable for an Operational Blueprint that delivers growth for the organisation.
• Assess the revenue opportunity versus the risk and cost profile of the pricing/operating models.
• Advise on strategic implications resulting from legal and regulatory changes.
• Define and oversee adherence to policies and procedures.
• Own and apply commercial scrutiny.
• Establish and embed a system to track and monitor all contracts, tracking all changes regardless of risk
attributed to the given clause.
• Localise and translate standard contract templates where applicable and maintain these templates.
• Provide risk advice to the Senior Management Team.
Financial leadership and management
• Ensure that company financial systems are robust, compliant and support current activities and future
reach/growth.
• Ensure that all regulatory requirements are met including the Charity Commission, Ofsted and Company Law.
• Take a lead role along with the CEO in arranging finance in accordance with Trustee strategy.
• Ensure appropriate reporting of the month end is timely and informs decision making.
• Write and share a monthly analysis flagging key risks and, with the CEO, ensure actions are taken to mitigate
risks.
• Provide reporting against budget/forecast, ensuring viability of each service within full cost recovery
parameters.
• Provide executive summary reporting to Trustees.
• Lead the budget setting process, liaising effectively with each member of SMT and the finance team.
• Presentation of Budget to Trustees.
• Reflect and present information in appropriate formats for internal and external use.
• Take the lead as appropriate on specified projects, following our project management processes.
• Ensure your team are supported and skilled in new service development.
About the role
5
Facilities
• Senior leadership oversight of the facilities strategy, including health and safety compliance, appropriate and
robust contracts and a viable maintenance cycle.
• Through your leadership team, ensure quality and compliance systems and processes are embedded,
informative and enabling of a learning organisation.
• Ensure that BeyondAutism has the best affordable IT infrastructure and resources.
• Ensure that our premises are fit for purpose, in the right place, at the right time.
HR
• Senior leadership oversight of the people strategy ensuring swift action and appropriate scrutiny of our
recruitment and retention strategy.
• With the CEO and wider SMT ensure that BeyondAutism is an employer of choice within our sector.
• With the Head of HR, support in the design and implementation of key HR strategic initiatives and drive
performance improvements across the HR team.
Projects
• Senior leadership oversight of the project portfolio, specifically driving sustainability and viability through our
reach agenda.
• With the Projects Manager, ensure deadlines are met and projects are delivered within agreed budgets.
• Ensuring reporting is timely and data rich to underpin decision-making.
General responsibilities
• To understand, adhere to and actively implement all the policies and procedures of BeyondAutism.
• To safeguard children and vulnerable adults at all times.
• To undertake training as required.
• Assist with other work, events and projects as needed.
• Any other duties that the Chief Executive Officer may reasonably require.
If selected for interview you will be required to fill out a full application form for safer recruitment purposes. There will be a 2-stage interview: The first stage will be a remote Teams interview. Successful candidates will then be invited to attend a face-to-face interview
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.