Job Description
The Premier League Foundation is seeking to appoint an experienced Communications Manager to support the Head of Communications in delivering strategic, impactful communications that advance the charity’s work, ensure recognition for our funding partners, and raise awareness of the work of both the Foundation and the wider football club charity network.
The Communications Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the communications action plan. This is an exciting, fast-paced and varied role within a small, committed team and will involve regular collaboration with communications leads across football club charities, as well as Policy, Communications, Editorial and Marketing colleagues from the Premier League.
We are looking for an individual with excellent interpersonal skills who can build effective relationships and work confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders. The preferred candidate will be able to adapt seamlessly between shaping and executing strategy, drafting compelling copy, and developing engaging success stories. Outstanding written, oral and digital communication skills, alongside strong attention to detail, are essential.
Who we are
The Premier League Foundation was established in 2010 to distribute funding provided by the Premier League and its partners to professional football club charities across England and Wales, supporting them in their delivery in thousands of community venues and schools across the country. A total of 106 club charities are supported across the Premier League, English Football League, and National League.
More than 2.5 million individuals have benefitted from the charity, which aims to foster positive sporting, health, personal and education opportunities for children, young people, and the wider community.
The Premier League Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and strives to create an inclusive culture where talent can flourish. We believe in the potential of everyone and open our doors to those who share those values. All appointments will be made based on merit; however, we particularly encourage applications from women, people from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people.
Our hybrid-working model also allows you some variety on your place of work, offering you the chance to work from home on some days each week. You will attend the office or site visits in line with our company policy. All staff liaise closely with their line manager to manage their time appropriately and according to their work and team requirements.
The role
- Proactively work with football club charities and Premier League Foundation programme teams to identify potential stories and content ideas for use by the Premier League and other funders, using programme data and insights, with particular focus on content that supports the League’s year-round More Than A Game activity.
- Apply journalistic skills to draft and edit accurate, engaging, community-focused content for premierleague.com, written publications, research documents and media use, including first-person features, success stories, news articles, profile interviews, infographics and thought-leadership pieces.
- Manage the end-to-end production of official Premier League Foundation publications, ensuring high-quality, on-brand, and accurate content.
- Lead on the upkeep and evolution of the Premier League Foundation Communications Toolkit, supporting and monitoring funded club charities output to ensure they deliver compelling content that meets the Premier League Foundation’s minimum operating standards.
- Use communications tools to strengthen the Premier League Foundation’s presence, ensuring alignment with Premier League and Premier League Foundation strategic priorities and wider marketing and communication’s activity.
- Work with Premier League and Premier League Foundation programme teams to deliver and evaluate a refreshed email strategy for Premier League-funded and partner-funded community programmes (including the Professional Footballers’ Association), ensuring GDPR compliance. Manage the newsletter schedule, quality checks and on-time delivery in line with best practice.
- Work with the Head of Communications to set the strategic direction for how the Foundation uses LinkedIn to build reputation and influence across the charity and sport for development sector, and supports Premier League Foundation and More Than A Game content on Premier League social channels.
- Work with Premier League colleagues to track and report to the Premier League Board on the Premier League Foundation’s digital performance, providing monthly insight and recommendations to senior stakeholders, funders and the wider network where required.
- Actively contribute to effective internal communications elements, developing processes for information sharing within the Premier League Foundation and with others across the Premier League, other funders and external stakeholders.
- Commission and brief external communications partners and suppliers (e.g., photographers, filmmakers, resource providers, influencers) working with Premier League Foundation Safeguarding colleagues to conduct appropriate due diligence and ensuring alignment with organisational standards.
- Lead communications for the Premier League Primary Stars education media agency contract, promoting the Premier League’s year-round commitment to primary education and coordinating delivery across relevant departments (including Talent Management, Policy, Marketing, Digital and Communications).
- Build strong relationships and networks with key external stakeholders, colleagues, partners and media outlets.
- Stay up to date with developments in relevant areas of expertise and adapt to the evolving needs of the team and organisation through participation in performance reviews, 360 feedback and ongoing learning opportunities.
- Champion innovation across the organisation by identifying, evaluating and where appropriate adopting new techniques, including use of artificial intelligence systems and tools.
- Represent the Premier League Foundation in a professional and positive manner when engaging with internal and external stakeholders, reflecting the organisation’s values at all times.
- Provide advice and guidance on communications best-practice support to colleagues across the Foundation and the wider club charity network. enhancing capability and contributing to a culture of shared learning.
- Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be required, and are commensurate with the job role, in furtherance of the objectives of the Premier League Foundation.
Requirements for the role
- Proven communications experience in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.
- Demonstrable experience in one or more of the following areas: strategic communications, public relations, digital communications, or internal communications.
- Experience working with multiple partners and managing competing priorities across a varied workload.
- Proven writing, editing, proofreading, publishing and report development skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and relationship management skills.
- Proven ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement and demonstrating strategic leadership without close supervision.
- A collaborative team player with excellent communication and organisation skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with different audiences, including children and young people, across different formats, with written communication to an excellent standard.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage complex stakeholder networks.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure, make informed decisions and solve problems proactively.
- A strong understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion, including best practice in inclusive communications.
- A commitment to safeguarding and an understanding of its importance within communications activity.
- High level of computer proficiency, particularly in Microsoft Office. Experience with Pulse CMS (or a similar system) is desirable but not required.
- Willingness to travel within England and Wales as required.
- Satisfactory enhanced DBS check.
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