Head of Communications - University

Position: Head of Communications - The University
# Head of Communications - The University of Sheffield**£63,000 - £82,100
• The University of Sheffield
• Sheffield
** The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

**** Overview
* *** An experienced and strategic communications leader, the Head of Communications oversees all aspects of the University's internal communications, ensuring meaningful and impactful engagement with staff and student audiences.
They provide inspiration and direction to a high-performing team of communications professionals, leading them to meet and exceed objectives.
A confident and influential communicator, the role builds and maintains strong and positive working relationships with colleagues across the university and provides strategic advice, guidance and support to the Vice-Chancellor, the University Executive Board and senior leadership on communications and engagement.
A strategic thinker with sound judgement, they lead communications and engagement for large, complex cross-university projects, strategic change programmes, integrated campaigns, and in times of crisis and incidents. They are able to formulate plans and proposals and implement them with speed and pace and effectively use evaluation, evidence and insight to identify and implement improvements to service delivery.

**** Main Duties And Responsibilities
***** Develop the strategic approach and have accountability for internal and student communications - defining objectives, priorities and measurable outcomes, ensuring meaningful and impactful engagement with staff and student audiences.
* Provide strategic leadership to the Internal Communications and Student Communications teams, building a high performing team culture, motivating and supporting them to thrive and successfully deliver against agreed objectives, and helping resolve complex issues and acting as a point of escalation
* Lead communications and engagement for large, complex cross-university projects, strategic change programmes, and initiatives which may have potential or actual negative and/or sensitive impacts
* Oversee the development and implementation of strategic communications and engagement projects, campaigns and initiatives that achieve impact, targets and objectives to drive high levels of staff and student engagement, pride and advocacy
* Lead the approach to crisis and incident communications, ensuring plans, processes and protocols are in place and staff have the relevant training and support, and lead communications response during incidents
* Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders at all levels, including providing strategic advice, guidance and support to the Vice-Chancellor, the University Executive Board and senior leadership on communications and engagement
* Collaborate, network and use effective professional relationships with peers and sector bodies in order to establish a leading role in staff and student engagement across the sector
* Ensure robust reporting mechanisms, evaluation and continual improvement plans are in place and use evidence, insight and feedback to identify and implement new opportunities for communications and improve service delivery
* Represent the University and Communications and External…