Strategic Communications Lead- Narrative and Brand

UKRI

Salary: £58,589 per annum.

Band: UKRI Band F.

Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months) (Parental leave cover).

Hours: Full-time / Part-time (Minimum 0.8 FTE).

Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid working available (Minimum 2 days per week in office).

Closing Date: Monday 31st August 2026.

About the role

To build understanding of, engagement with, and trust in UK Research and Innovation and its activities and interests, both externally and with all employees, through brand and narrative development, positioning and implementation.

Your responsibilities

• Key accountabilities Lead on UKRI brand strategy and governance across the organisation.
• Lead on development of UKRI narrative and messaging for implementation across the organisation .
• Support the development of UKRI campaigns, ensuring amplification of UKRI brand, narrative and messaging.
• Corporate responsibilities Responsible for the overall image, growth and development of the UKRI brand, ensuring it remains relevant to and recognised by our audiences and maintaining consistency across all communications channels.
• Responsible for the development and management of UKRI narrative and additional tools for colleagues, including message house, rolling script and comment bank.
• Support the development and implementation of UKRI’s external affairs and communications strategy.
• Role responsibilities Develop and implement brand strategies, positioning and messaging that align with the organisation’s vision and objectives.
• Manage internal and external partner relationships around brand, using evidence and best practice to negotiate, influence and defend decision making in support of building the UKRI brand and sub brands.
• Identify target audiences and tailor the brand strategy and messaging to reach the audience effectively.
• Support the creation and implementation of campaigns to ensure consistency in messaging and alignment with the brand voice, values and goals
• Work with the communications lead, audience and insight to undertake audience insight and research to keep up to date with the latest trends to inform brand strategy.
• Collaborate with other internal teams to ensure brand messaging is consistent and is being communicated effectively across all channels.
• Work with communications lead, evaluation to measure and report on performance of campaigns to assess the effectiveness of overall brand performance and using insights from data to adjust strategies and optimise them for the future.
• Oversee brand and visual identity guidelines, ensuring these are up-to-date and accessible.
• Lead on development of UKRI narrative, rolling script and messaging to reinforce brand positioning.
• Lead on development and management of CEO messaging guide and UKRI comment bank.
• Ownership and governance of communications messaging for UKRI, including review of existing messaging.
• Work with Head of strategic communications and planning to develop and implement UKRI’s external affairs and communications strategy.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.