Corporate Communications Manager

The Role

We`re seeking a proactive Corporate Communications Manager to elevate our Corporate Communications team. You`ll develop communications plans to enhance the reputation of Unite Students among our key business-to-business (B2B) audiences, with a focus on investment and property.

Your role will include building B2B, national and local media relations, handling media enquiries and proactively pitching stories and interviews aligned to our editorial framework. You`ll draft interview briefings and speaker presentations, as well as creating engaging content for our website and social channels. You`ll also own and develop our awards calendar and submissions and support in the development of our thought-leadership plans and activities.

You`ll be the main contact for our investment and property teams and will also deputise for the Head of Corporate Communications. So, if you`re a strong communicator with a knack for storytelling, we`d love to hear from you!

What You`ll Be Doing

• Develop and implement communications plans to boost Unite Students reputation with B2B audiences, especially in investment and property.
• Build and manage trade, national and local media relations.
• Proactively pitch stories and interviews aligned with our editorial framework.
• Handle media inquiries and draft interview briefings and speaker presentations.
• Create and maintain engaging content for our website and social channels.
• Lead and manage our awards calendar and submissions.
• Support in the development of our thought-leadership plans and supporting materials.
• Collaborate with investment and property teams to find and share newsworthy content.
• Support crisis communications and work with PR agencies.
• Build and maintain our media database.
• Track media coverage and report on key communications activities, including learnings and improvements for future projects and campaigns.
• Deputise for the Head of Corporate Communications as needed.
• Manage day-to-day press office activities, handling media inquiries and crafting responses.

What We`re Looking for in You

• A strong track record in media relations or press office management.
• Experience with award submissions, speaker briefings and media pitching.
• Strong writing skills and content creation experience.
• Proficiency with social media and content management systems (CMS).
• Ability to handle crisis communications and manage multiple priorities.
• Creative, adaptable, and excellent at time management.

Work Critera:

• Based in either our Bristol or London office for at least three days a week, and travel as required.
• Willingness to join the out-of-hours on-call rota.

If you`re up for the challenge and ready to help shape how we communicate, we want to hear from you!

What You`ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
• 25 days` paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is a FTSE 100 business and the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 25 leading university towns and cities, with 74,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.

We are US.