Senior External Communications Manager

Based in St Albans, with hybrid working options

13 month FTC for maternity cover, full time role

Senior External Communications Manager role in Corporate Affairs

Responsibilities include financial results communications and proactive corporate PR

Reporting to the Director of Corporate Affairs

Competitive salary, benefits including pension, medical insurance, and learning opportunities

Based - St Albans, AL1 2RE
(Hybrid)

13 month FTC, Full Time

Join Premier Foods — where people, brands and purpose come together.

Are you an experienced external communications professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-profile environment?

We’re looking for a Senior External Communications Manager to join our Corporate Affairs team on a fixed-term basis, providing maternity cover. This is a varied and influential role with responsibility for strengthening and protecting Premier Foods’ corporate reputation among our key external stakeholders.

As a major UK food manufacturer and listed company, Premier Foods is home to some of the nation’s most loved and iconic food brands. The role offers an opportunity to communicate our business strategy, performance and growth story while working closely with senior leaders, media contacts, agencies and teams across the organisation.

Reporting to the Director of Corporate Affairs, you’ll oversee our external corporate communications, from financial results and proactive corporate PR to press office management, digital content and reputational issues.

What you'll be doing?

You’ll play a central role in shaping how Premier Foods communicates with external audiences. Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the full-year, half-year and quarterly financial results communications process, including drafting media materials and working closely with Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations.
• Developing and delivering an engaging proactive corporate PR plan that brings our strategy, investment case and ESG activity to life.
• Managing a busy press office and acting as the first point of contact for reactive corporate media enquiries.
• Providing strategic communications counsel to senior leaders and members of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Supporting proactive and reactive media opportunities by preparing written content, briefing documents and messaging.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with key media contacts, supported by our corporate PR agency.
• Managing corporate website and social media content, ensuring our channels remain current, engaging and relevant.
• Supporting external stakeholder communications relating to mergers and acquisitions, where applicable.
• Working closely with Marketing to provide communications oversight and advice across trade, consumer PR and digital activity.
• Supporting reputational, issues and crisis communications.
• Overseeing media monitoring and helping the business remain informed about relevant industry trends and emerging issues.
• Collaborating with colleagues across communications and public affairs to ensure an aligned and coordinated approach.

What we need from you?

You’ll be an experienced and confident communications professional who combines strategic thinking with the ability to deliver at pace.

Ideally, you’ll bring:

• Demonstrable professional experience in corporate or external communications.
• A proven track record of managing a busy press office and responding effectively to media and external stakeholder enquiries.
• Experience of, or a strong interest in, working within a listed business and managing financial results communications.
• Experience of delivering successful proactive corporate PR campaigns.
• Strong writing and editing skills across a variety of audiences, channels and formats.
• The confidence and credibility to advise and influence senior…