Internal Communications Manager

There aren’t too many jobs within internal communications where you’ll go to work surrounded by 27,000 animals and 128 acres of stunning gardens! This exciting role is responsible for managing internal communications across our globally-renowned wildlife charity, from strategy development to delivery across all channels. With the opportunity for hybrid working, and lots of scope to be creative, you’ll shape how up to 1000 colleagues feel about working at our zoo, ensuring everyone is informed, connected, engaged, valued and heard.

The Role

We now have an opening for an outstanding Internal Communications Manager. You’ll look after all elements of internal communications across our charity, ensuring we plan and deliver effective communications via online and offline events, intranet, email, newsletter, video and other channels. By facilitating a two-way conversation to fully immerse and engage all our colleagues in our charitable efforts to help nature to survive and thrive, you’ll help to shape how everyone feels about working at the zoo.

We’re looking for someone who can:

• Lead and develop the zoo’s internal communications strategy
• Create and publish compelling and engaging content
• Build great working relationships and work with multiple stakeholders, including in particular our PR, Marketing and People teams, as well as other members of the Senior Management Team, up to and including CEO level

The Package

• Permanent contract within our communications team
• 40 hours per week, although we’ll gladly explore between 32-40 hours should reduced hours appeal to the right candidate (please note this role also forms part of the zoo’s on call rota, meaning weekend cover is required once a month).
• Salary of £36,525.55 per annum (based on 40 hours per week)
• Flexibility for hybrid working
• 33 days annual leave pro rata (inclusive of bank hols)
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, a number of complimentary tickets for your friends and family, invites to exclusive friends and family evenings and entry to ballots to join overseas field conservation trips
  
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks

What are we looking for?

• Experience in an internal communications role or similar communications discipline for a medium or large organisation
• Experience of strategy development and channel planning
• Knowledge of publishing systems and experienced in content creation, specifically video
• Excellent video shoot and editing skills, ideally using Adobe Creative Suite and packages such as Premiere Pro, Lightroom and Photoshop (or equivalent)
• Copywriting skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with strong stakeholder management skills, and able to influence at all levels
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and prioritise multiple competing priorities

Although not essential, the following would be desirable:

• Experience in media relations
• Photography skills
• Event management experience
• Crisis communications skills
  

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close our vacancies earlier than the listed date if we have received a high level of applications. We would recommend that if you do wish to be considered that you complete the application as promptly as possible as interviews will be taking place whilst the advert is live.

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

Well, where do we start? Here goes…

We’re not just an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction. We’re not just the UK’s most popular zoo. We’re a major wildlife charity that’s committed to helping nature to survive and thrive.

We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal and plant experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers - the list goes on. Each and every one of us is part of a mission to make the world a better place for wildlife.

We have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of nearly 500 permanent and 500 seasonal team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.

Our working environment couldn’t be more different from a typical office – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans from your office window, or stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?