Senior External Communications Manager

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Role purpose

This role focuses upon advice, preparation and planning, and communicating Vodafone's financial news and business and operational developments, as well as handling and managing a wide range of corporate issues. The role involves providing communications input on matters such as strategic updates, financial performance, products and services, corporate changes and other potentially share price affecting events. This role must be able to communicate effectively with various stakeholder groups, including the media - both reactively and proactively - as well as with senior internal colleagues.

Recognised as a technical expert, the Senior External Communications Manager demonstrates strong commercial awareness and is able to influence the strategic plans and commercial imperatives of External Communications.

Reports to the Group Head of External Communications.

What you'll do

• Influences and inputs into the functional strategy to deliver strong and compelling communications to enhance the external perception of Vodafone;
• Produces relevant external communications content to support the external reputation of Vodafone;
• Effectively assists and advises key stakeholders across the business on all external communications aspects of announcements and business issues to enhance the strategic objectives of Vodafone;
• Demonstrates strong communication and influencing skills in order to engage effectively with senior stakeholders beyond the function, internally and externally, to promote and protect the perception of Vodafone within our wider markets;
• Applies strong evaluative judgement to determine how to best position Vodafone when assessing communications programmes surrounding corporate developments new external opportunities to positively engage with third parties communicating the external image of Vodafone;
• Responsibility for the preparation of important external communications content to support news announcements, various sensitive issues and any other strategic changes that require engagement with external media and other stakeholder audiences;
• Responsibility for liaising with colleagues from our operating companies and to work effectively with them on various corporate developments;
• May mentor/coach junior members of the team.

Who you are

• Deep understanding of business, political and external environment. Ability to analyse, design, develop, and deliver of pro-active external strategy, communications announcements and narratives (including social media), and stakeholder mapping to engage and influence external stakeholders to secure correct outcomes for company.
• To assist with pro-active external communications strategy and media relations. Good understanding of the media landscape and strong communications contacts and expertise.
• Good knowledge of M&A processes and significant experience in financial and business communications.
• Understand fundamentals of telecoms, how our products and services work (e.g. IoT) to facilitate EA input to news and strategic developments.
• Ideally, working knowledge of wider communications elements of financial and corporate activities, such as policy, regulatory and legal viewpoints.

Not a perfect fit?

Worried that you don't meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about Inclusion for All and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another role, and our recruitment team can help you see how your skills fit in.

What's in it for you

We want you to feel happy and fulfilled at work, without compromising the other things in life that matter to you. There are lots of ways we support this, including hybrid working and generous parental leave. You'll also get four Spirit Days a year to focus on your personal development and wellbeing, plus a host of other great benefits too.

• Yearly bonus: 20%
• Company car: company funded car of £580 per month + private fuel or cash alternative of £630
• per month.
• Annual leave: 28 days + bank holidays + the opportunity to buy/sell/carry over 5 days/year
• Charity days: 5 days/year
• Maternity leave:52 weeks: the first 13 weeks are fully paid, followed by 26 weeks of half pay
• Private pension: You can contribute up to 5% of your basic pay with 2:1 matching from Vodafone up to 10%.
• Access to: private medical, private dental, free health assessments, share save scheme
• Additional discounts: Vodafone retail, gym, cinema, cycle to work, season ticket loan

Who we are

You may have already heard of Vodafone - We're a leading Telecommunications company in Europe and Africa. But what you might not know is that we are continuously investing in new technologies to improve the lives of millions of customers, businesses and people around the world, creating a better future for everyone.

As part of our global family, whether that's Vodafone, Vodacom or _VOIS, you'll feel a sense of pride and purpose as you contribute to our culture of innovation. We pursue equality of opportunity and inclusion for all candidates through our employment policies and practices. We recognise and celebrate the importance of diversity and inclusivity in our workspace and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination especially related to but not limited to race, colour, age, veteran status, gender identification, sexual orientation, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, religion, political affiliation, trade union membership, nationality, indigenous status, medical condition, HIV status, social origin, cultural background, social, or marital status.

Together we can.

#TalentAcquisition

Vodafone is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people by offering a motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognised and rewarded. We are committed to promoting Inclusion for All with the belief that diversity plays an important role in the success of our business. We actively encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of our journey.