UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Salary - £48,414 - £57,858

Hybrid working (50/50)

Based from either: Wallingford, Bangor, Lancaster or Edinburgh

Permanent

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Do you believe great internal communications can strengthen culture, build trust and help people do their best work? And would you like to use those skills in an organisation whose purpose is to protect our planet and the communities that depend on it? At UKCEH, we’re looking for a senior internal communications specialist who lives and breathes the craft - someone energised by purpose, confident in their judgement, and committed to making strategic communication count.

This is an exciting moment for UKCEH. With a refreshed brand and an ambitious new strategy, we need a Senior Internal Communications Manager who can bring clarity, direction and confidence to how we communicate. Working closely with our Head of Communications & Engagement, you’ll shape and deliver communications that unite colleagues behind our Strategy to 2030, guide people through change and embed our new brand across our four UK sites and our team in Ghana. You’ll help build a connected, transparent and engaged culture where colleagues feel informed, involved and inspired.

We’re looking for someone who can take control when needed — discerning, calm and clear. Someone who knows when a message needs a structured comms approach and when a conversation is enough. You’ll streamline channels, eliminate noise and ensure our internal and external narratives align. Confident partnering with senior leaders, you’ll help them communicate with consistency and coherence, reinforcing our values and organisational identity at every touchpoint.

Above all, you’ll champion genuine two‑way communication. From CEO communications and all stall talks, to digital screens, newsletters and our intranet, you’ll lead and measure purposeful, well‑governed internal communication with listening loops that help colleagues feel heard and valued.

This is a rare opportunity to shape how UKCEH communicates, collaborates and evolves during a defining chapter in our story. If you’d like to see the impact this role helps amplify, we invite you to watch our new brand video: Introducing UKCEH. Our planet. Decoded. To get a feel for the impact this role can have, we encourage you to watch our new brand video - Introducing UKCEH. Our planet. Decoded. As Senior Internal Communications Manager, you’ll play a central role in bringing this story to life for our people - helping colleagues connect with our purpose, amplifying our message internally, and embedding it across our organisation at an exciting point in our journey. https://youtu.be/s9fBwN5-kxM

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Lead, support and develop a small team of internal communications professionals, nurturing their wellbeing and enabling a high‑performing, collaborative team culture.
• Lead the development and delivery of an internal communications strategy that brings our One UKCEH community to life across our four UK sites and our team in Ghana.
• Act as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, shaping clear, consistent leadership messages, reducing noise and duplication, and strengthening our organisational narrative across all channels.
• Champion a culture of transparency, psychological safety and shared purpose, ensuring our internal communications support an engaged and inclusive workplace.
• Embed and protect our brand, aligning internal and external communications and working closely with the People team to reinforce our values, behaviours and organisational identity.
• Lead and deliver our internal content and channel strategy, providing clear guidance on what to use when, and ensuring that all content - from town halls to CEO Q&As and cascade materials are engaging, accessible and easy to understand.
• Ensure communication is genuinely two‑way by creating meaningful listening opportunities and feedback loops that help colleagues feel heard and involved.
• Establish and maintain metrics that demonstrate the impact of internal communications and support continuous improvement in employee engagement.
• Drive innovation within internal communications, keeping up to date with new tools, technologies and best practice to continually enhance how we connect with our people.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across the organisation, working with partners to understand communication needs and co‑design effective, timely solutions.

For the role of Senior Internal Communications Manager, we’re looking for somebody who has:

• Relevant qualification in communications, PR, journalism or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong track record leading and delivering internal communications in a complex, multi-site organisation, including through periods of change.
• Able to think strategically while delivering at pace - turning organisational priorities into clear, consistent and measurable communications.
• Exceptional relationship building and influencing skills at all levels - confident influencing and advising senior leaders, building trusted relationships across teams and functions.
• Experience shaping content and channel approaches, using insight and feedback to strengthen engagement, and leading and developing a high-performing team.
• Excellent planning, prioritisation and organisational skills with a focus on quality and impact.

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding

We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)
• Peer reward and recognition scheme
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more...

Apply Today – Supporting Statement Questions

If this role excites you and fits with your career goals, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV along with responses to the questions below. Your answers should highlight the qualifications, skills, and experience most relevant to this role.

Provide up to 150 words per question, using specific examples to demonstrate your personal contribution and impact. Please do not submit a separate cover letter.

1 – Strategic Impact Across a Complex Organisation

• Please describe a time when you shaped or led an internal communications approach that influenced organisational direction or culture across multiple sites or teams. What was your specific contribution, and how did you measure or recognise its impact?

2 – Leadership, Team Development and Role‑Modelling Culture

• Tell us about a moment when you supported or developed a communications team (or individual) through change, growth or challenge. How did you approach leadership at a senior level, and what did this experience teach you about creating a positive, inclusive team culture?

3 – Working with Senior Leaders and Strengthening Narrative

• Share an example of when you partnered closely with senior leaders on an important internal message or organisational priority. How did you influence strategic thinking, ensure clarity, and create meaningful opportunities for colleagues to be heard?

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At UKCEH, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and circumstances. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and people with disabilities, and we’re happy to provide adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process - just let us know. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.