Job Description

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Deputy Head of Internal Communications

Location: London, UK
Contract Type: One-Year Fixed Term Contract

Pay Grade: SMPS

Remuneration: Annual Gross Salary - £55,699 plus £3,300 London Market Allowance

Closing date 20 August 2026 at 21:59 UK Time

Requirements: You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. We are unable to support with visa sponsorship and relocation.

Role Purpose - The Job:

To be the strategic lead for all change communication planning, in support of a range of complex business needs, including global change programmes, divisional plans and cross-organisation initiatives, ensuring all plans directly support the British Council’s strategic priorities.

To offer professional, strategic advice and coaching in leadership communication to senior managers and thought leadership in strategic change communications.

To deputise in the absence of the Head of Internal Communications to lead the wider internal communications team, support senior leadership communications and senior stakeholder engagement, and crisis communications.

Role Context - About The Team:

Corporate Communications leads the global strategy, policies and professional guidance for internal and change communications, media and PR, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement, events, and digital communications. They sit within the Deputy Chief Executive Officer’s area, together with teams that develop and communicate the British Council’s strategy, policies, and international operations.

Main Accountabilities:

Strategy

• Lead the development and delivery of a range of strategic communication plans in support of complex business strategies, change programmes and global initiatives.
• Ensure all communication plans and engagement campaigns align to the British Council’s strategy, directly supporting the organisation’s strategic priorities, as well as divisional strategies and business area objectives.
• Measure the effectiveness of communication strategies and engagement campaigns; provide clear evidence of successful engagement, behaviour change, return on investment, and how business objectives were achieved, as well as setting and meeting KPIs for change communications.
• Identify, assess and mitigate risks in change communication and engagement, and influence changes to strategic and tactical approaches where required.
• To contribute to the creation and delivery of the global internal Communications Strategy and Corporate Communications Strategy, with specific accountability for strategic change communication planning processes and models, devising and implementing changes to ensure best practice and maximum impact.

Project Management

• Manage commissions for strategic communications support, ensure clear and comprehensive briefs are in place, and plan resourcing to ensure projects are assigned appropriately, considering organisational priorities and team members’ individual strategic or technical skills, strengths and workloads. This will also include making decisions on procurement and managing the performance of communication agencies and contractors.
• Negotiate and manage budgets, ensuring and measuring value for money.
• Lead the creation (or commissioning) of campaign content and materials, devising creative approaches to increase engagement and impact on business needs
• Quality assure production and editorial approaches
• Align campaign activities across the organisation, ensuring consistency, eliminating duplication and resolving conflicts in messaging, timing or workload.
• Support organisation-level crisis response by providing strategic advice and identifying communication risks, then leading implementation.

Relationship and Stakeholder Management

• Influence senior leaders and managers and build support for a more strategic internal comms and engagement approach.
• Gain buy-in to our commissioning and campaign processes and encourage leader and manager ownership of communications.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of business area strategies and activities and the wider organisational context to understand the issues facing customers
• Build a network of internal sponsors and supporters to influence decision-making, and external networks to increase professional knowledge and skills.

Leadership and Management

Raise the quality and effectiveness of internal communications and engagement by:

• Developing a high-performing team through performance enablement
• Building the capability, professionalism, and strategic knowledge of communicators across the organisation through coaching and professional development opportunities.

Requirements Of The Role:

Minimum/essential

• Advanced knowledge and significant experience in developing internal and change communication strategies within a complex global organisation
• Knowledge and experience in identifying, analysing and mitigating risks as a part of strategic communication planning
• Advanced experience in communication measurement and producing insights to inform and develop strategies
• Highly effective stakeholder management and influencing skills, including coaching senior leaders in leadership comms and engagement
• Capability to manage multiple projects across a matrixed global organisation
• Knowledge and experience of managing a range of communication channels and methods, using creativity to increase engagement and impact
• Managing and developing a high-performing team
• Writing and editing skills to a senior professional standard, plus storytelling
• Crisis communications experience and an understanding of organisational and reputation risk

Desirable:

• A higher qualification or equivalent experience in strategic change management and/or behavioural science
• An understanding of communications in a government / public sector environment

Professional Qualification and Certification

• Essential: a degree in communications or a closely related discipline.
• Desirable: a postgraduate diploma or equivalent qualification specifically in internal communications, employee engagement or employee experience.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email askhr@britishcouncil.org