Communications Manager

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.

The role

This role will be based in the Communications team within the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FASS), working alongside other team members to support delivery of the FASS Communications strategy.

You will develop content, deliver communications projects or manage communications channels in order to support the delivery of professional, timely and trusted communications which motivate, inspire, inform and engage stakeholders across a number of key areas for the Faculty and its wider community. This will include supporting our internal comms, research, curriculum and external engagement activities. The variety of activities undertaken by FASS Comms & Online Services is wide-ranging and includes copywriting for print and online platforms, social media engagement, supporting events and creation of digital assets.

The role is based in Milton Keynes and there will be an expectation that the role holder can attend the MK office as and when required. At the moment, it is very unlikely that this will be for 5 days a week. The OU is currently planning how it will work over the next year and it is anticipated that a blended model (some working from home and some on site working) is likely to be the approach going forward. The OU is very much open to flexible working but at present, there is an expectation that staff are able to attend the MK office when required.

Skills and experience

Do you have a first degree, or equivalent academic qualification, or work experience at a similar level in a subject area relevant to the role?

Do you have excellent writing skills adaptable for a range of outlets to captivate different audiences, with a proven ability to deliver effective and impactful internal and external communications?

Do you have a project management qualification and/or experience of successful project management in a multi-stakeholder environment?

Are you a confident, articulate, self-starter, with the ability to work creatively to develop innovative and workable solutions?

The full summary of duties and person specification can be found within the Job Description below.

If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application, please contact Alison Kirkbright by email at alison.kirkbright@open.ac.uk.

What you get in return

We have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and beyond your current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation and regular reviews of your training and development needs.

We also offer a great range of benefits that support our employees and their families for the long term. Benefits include an attractive pension proposition and 33 days holiday per annum pro rata, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure days.

How to apply

Unless otherwise stated in the advert, all applications are completed online via the OU Job’s page and following the instructions below and clicking the “APPLY NOW” link below.Applications submitted via 3rd party websites will not be considered.

Access details for disabled applicants are available from the Resourcing Hub, telephone: +44 (0)1908 655 544, quoting the vacancy reference above.

To apply for this role please submit the following:

• CV
• Personal statement,up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your statement why you’re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job and person specification.

The above documents will need to be submitted as one attachment during the application process, please include the personal statement followed by the CV in this document.

To ensure your file is uploaded to our system correctly, please make sure your document is saved with the following file name as appropriate to the vacancy you are applying for: 19272, surname, first initial.

You will need to have your documents ready ahead of submitting the electronic application.

APPLY NOW

Closing date:10th January 2022, 12:00pm (midday)

Remember to attach your CV and Personal statement as ONE DOCUMENT.

You will receive updates regarding your application fromresourcing-applications@open.ac.uk. Please ensure this email address is added to your list of trusted senders. Please also keep an eye on your junk folder to ensure you do not miss any important updates regarding this role.

Once you have completed your application via the “APPLY NOW” link above, you can view your application communications on theCandidate portal.

Please note: If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that on this occasion you have not been selected for interview, however we thank you for your interest in The Open University and encourage you to apply for future positions.

Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

Widening Participation

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all our staff can reach their potential and attract diverse candidates. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.

We offer a range of inclusive employment policies which include family and carer friendly flexible working arrangements, and have many supportive staff networks and wellbeing services. We also endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.