Principal Communications Manager

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Principal Internal Communications Manager to drive our national internal communication efforts, creating awareness, understanding, and engagement across our diverse organisation. This role is essential to supporting our business objectives by delivering impactful and effective communication that connects our people to our goals and values.

As a leader in our communications function, you will work closely with senior leaders and teams across Willmott Dixon Construction to align and deliver a communication strategy that informs our people and ensures business alignment. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the voice of our organisation, connecting our people to our mission and creating a cohesive internal culture. You will join a supportive and forward-thinking team, committed to driving engagement and building a strong, inspiring narrative across the construction business.

Although the ideal location of office base would be our London (Old Bailey) office we would consider the successful candidate to use any of our main offices with regular visits to our London office for meetings (see website for locations).

Key Responsibilities

- Develop and Execute Strategy: Collaborate with the Head of Marketing and Internal Communication to design and implement a comprehensive communication and engagement strategy. Your work will guide how we share our achievements, initiatives, and projects.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders, coordinating activities and providing timely, relevant communications to drive engagement.
- Content Creation and Innovation: Bring communications to life through creative storytelling, including films, animations, storyboarding, and scriptwriting to reach and inspire a wide audience.
- Channel Management: Oversee and enhance existing communication channels and innovate new ways to connect with our people across the organisation.
- Data-Driven Insights: Analyse engagement data to measure the effectiveness of communications, refining approaches to maximise impact.
- Project Management: Lead and deliver cross-company initiatives and projects that drive engagement, while maintaining alignment with Group strategies.
- Copywriting and Editorial Support: Act as an editorial expert, providing guidance on tone of voice and theme consistency across internal materials. Collaborate with regional teams to craft compelling stories that highlight our work and reinforce our approach.
- Event Management: Plan and support large-scale leadership events, supporting on content creation, to foster connection and engagement.
- Budgeting and Cost Effectiveness: Support budget forecasting, ensuring activities are cost-effective while delivering high-quality outcomes.

Who We’re Looking For

This role is ideal for an experienced and innovative communicator who is passionate about engaging people, building a strong brand narrative, and delivering on strategic goals. You will be able to take complex information and transform it into compelling, accessible communications that resonate with a wide audience.

Skills and Qualifications

- Strategic Internal Communication Expertise: Proven experience in defining and executing internal communication strategies across multiple channels within a large organisation.
- Creative Storytelling Ability: A skilled writer with a visual mindset, you can transform content into various media formats (video, audio, animation) to boost engagement.
- Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration: A natural collaborator with experience working across different organisational levels and regions, especially within complex business structures.
- Analytical Skills: Strong understanding of data analytics and its role in measuring communication impact.
- Background in Communications: A degree in journalism, communications, or related field, or equivalent experience in a communications role. Prior experience in construction or engineering is an advantage but not essential.

If you are a motivated communicator with a passion for storytelling and a commitment to excellence, we’d love to hear from you.
 

Additional Information:

At Willmott Dixon we provide an inclusive and flexible working environment for people to thrive in and we are happy to support agile working wherever possible.
We are a proud member of the Disability Confident Scheme.

About Us:

With over 170 years of rich history, Willmott Dixon’s purpose is beyond profit; delivering brilliant buildings, transforming lives, strengthening communities and enhancing the environment so our world is fit for future generations. Ensuring that we add lasting value to the neighbourhoods we work in; our values, people, innovation, partnerships and focus on sustainability has allowed us to build a successful and solid privately owned business where our people can thrive. Willmott Dixon was awarded No 1 in the Best "big" Companies (2022) to work for and the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2024 and is the first major contractor and developer to win a King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of sustainable development.