Interim Head of Communications

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The Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) are looking for an Interim Head of Communications to join our Communications team for a 4-month fixed term contract. The role will be reporting to the Executive Director.

Fixed-term contract: March to July 2025 (parental leave cover).

Location: E2, near Bethnal Green (London). Hybrid, minimum 3 days in the office.

Salary: £60,000 to £62,000 per annum (pro-rata), depending on experience + company benefits

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full-time), Monday to Friday.

The role

In this role, you'll oversee and deliver integrated communications campaigns across fundraising, corporate partnerships, media, internal communications, and events. Collaborating with diverse internal and external stakeholders, you'll ensure all communications align with ETP's strategic goals and maintain the highest standards. From managing creative projects to leading a talented Communications Manager, this role offers variety, creativity, and purpose.

Your work will directly support ETP's mission to address critical challenges in tea including poverty, human rights violations, gender-based violence, deforestation, and access to essential services. You'll also play a key role in strengthening ETP's position as a thought leader in the sector while innovatively showcasing the impact of our work.

Responsibilities

Strategy and planning

• Develop, maintain and implement the annual operating plan for ETP's communication activity.
• Raise the profile of ETP and its work and ensure that it is viewed as a leading voice. Ensure ETP is conveying clear and excellent messaging about the issues and the impact of its work.
• Manage ETP's reputation by ensuring that the organisation is well-prepared for any potential crisis situations and able to respond quickly and effectively.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the tea sector to ensure that ETP's communications reflect the priorities and needs of its members and the sector.
• Ensure that ETP's communications support and enhance ETP corporate members' brands and reputations
• Leverage the distinctive network of ETP's international members, staff and stakeholders.
• Ensure that data and understanding of best practice in communications inform ETP's strategic approach to communications.
• Identify, develop and maintain appropriate external relationships and represent ETP at sector events as required.
• Develop and manage relationships with corporate partners, funders and implementing partners, ensuring strategic alignment and maximising opportunities for collaboration.

Internal and external communications

• Oversee the implementation of the communications strategy, ensuring that the team deliver accessible and impactful messaging about the organisation and our work.
• Oversee the implementation, strategic direction and follow-ups for our regular event series and ensure progress with planning for our flagship international Forums and member events (such as Members' Strategy Day).
• Manage and develop relationships with media outlets and journalists, ensuring effective communication and timely responses. Maintain up-to-date insight of international and local media interest in the issues ETP deals with; cultivate relevant media contacts, identify and secure opportunities for proactive and reactive media coverage and ensure effective execution; and ensure effective issues management.
• Ensure that all press releases, articles and statements reflect ETP's brand values and core messages.
• Direct ETP's crisis communications planning and implementation.
• Work with the Leadership Team to represent ETP publicly and to the media.
• Oversee the writing, editing, design, production and distribution of all internal and external communications, including ETP's member and stakeholder newsletters.
• Lead on the development and delivery of compelling thought leadership content campaigns, directly tied to the causes ETP champions.
• Oversee the work of the Communications Manager in expanding ETP's social media presence by sourcing and sharing newsworthy information from across ETP and the industry.
• Oversee website management, including maximising functionality, monitoring performance and ensuring that all content is up to date, engaging and accessible.
• Oversee our internal communications, ensuring staff and the Board of Directors are well briefed on key issues, branding, and any communications policies and procedures.
• Manage relationships with external contractors and suppliers, as required.
• Work with the Interim Executive Director to ensure that opportunities for fundraising and member recruitment are integral to our communications activity.

Review and evaluation

• Oversee the monitoring, quality assurance and evaluation of our communications activities and challenge/improve standards where required.
• Ensure that ETP's Communications KPI tacker is populated with current data and that outcomes are regularly reviewed.

Managing people

• Line manage one direct report - our Communications Manager, who oversees content planning and development as well as social media for the organisation.
• Provide the Communications Manager with support and ensure appropriate training and development opportunities are offered.

Other responsibilities

• In collaboration with Finance, oversee the Communication budget, including validation and control of related expenses, and reviewing and approving spend as per the approved Scheme of Delegation.
• Undertake travel as required to represent ETP at external meetings and events.
• Continuously develop professional knowledge and skills by on-the-job learning and attending relevant network groups, meetings and conferences.
• Undertake other duties as may reasonably be required, in liaison with the Executive Director.

Required skills

Essential:

• Have the right to work in the UK and reside within a commutable distance to our London office in Bethnal Green.
• Substantial, proven experience in a senior communications role, preferably within an agricultural supply chain, with strong experience in strategy implementation.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including proofreading and editing.
• Experience across all areas of communications, including media engagement, crisis communications, digital and social media planning.
• Experience of communicating social and environmental impact stories to a wide range of audiences.
• Experience of successfully developing and managing effective working relationships with internal and external senior stakeholders, including senior journalists.
• Excellent line management and/or project management skills, able to inspire and motivate staff to deliver through a supportive and collaborative approach.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to quickly and effectively establish good working relationship with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent organisation skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience and understanding of media relations and social media management.
• Experience of developing compelling thought leadership content (ideally within the sustainability or agricultural supply chain field), accurately conveying information and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work on own initiative and manage competing priorities.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to gather information from a range of sources, evaluate and develop action plans in a timely manner.
• Understanding of methods used to evaluate the impact of communications activity.
• Competent in Microsoft Office software.

Desirable:

• Demonstrable media relations expertise; experience of developing and delivering comprehensive media strategies across a range of platforms for a range of audiences.
• Competent in Adobe Suite design software.
• Knowledge of tea sector and/or global agricultural supply chains.
• Ability to process numerical data and undertake detailed analysis.

Only candidates with the right to work in the UK will be considered for this position. Please consider this before applying.

What we offer

• Pro-rata 28 days of paid holiday, excluding bank holidays
• Generous employer's pension contribution
• Flexible working schedule, hybrid work and compressed working Fridays.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please submit your online application form through this website and ensure you include your CV and a cover letter (maximum of 1 page) outlining your motivation for applying and relevant experience.

Closing date for applications: 23rd of February

Interviews: week commencing 26 February (online)

Interviews will initially take place online, with shortlisted candidates invited for an in-person second-stage interview at our London office in Bethnal Green.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is valued and respected, regardless of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or any other non-merit factor.

If you have any questions about this recruitment or the position, please don't hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team at [email protected].