January 2017
Dear Applicant,
Director of Communications
Thank you very much for your enquiry about the above post.
Please find attached a recruitment pack. The application form and recruitment analysis form are available at http://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/join-our-team where you can also find the closing date and intended interview date.
Please email your application to Alternatively you can post it to Recruitment, Stonewall, 13th floor, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Please mark it ‘Strictly Private’.
Thank you for your interest in Stonewall. We look forward to receiving your completed application.
Yours sincerely,
Cathryn Wright
Managing Director
Stonewall Background Information
Stonewall was founded in 1989 by people whose aim was to create a highly professional lobbying organisation to put the case for equality on the mainstream political agenda. The organisation has become widely recognised for its work in transforming the legislative landscape for Britain’s 3.7m lesbian, gay and bisexual people including securing equal marriage in 2013. Our strategy is now to work to ensure equality in every part of the lived experience of LGBT people at home, at school and at work.
We work with a comprehensive range of stakeholders and are one of the most effective campaigning charities in Great Britain. Stonewall is at a crucial stage. The challenges that we face are complex as we attempt to ensure that every single lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans person achieves full equality. We have an ambition to reach further into our communities, sharing our knowledge, interventions and campaigns with the widest possible audience. We no longer have to just convince politicians; we have to convince the owner of the small business, the dad who doesn’t want a gay son, the priest who doesn’t know he has lesbian parishioners.
The Communications team
As strategic and effective communicators, it’s the job of the Communications team to show Stonewall at its best, and build and protect the organisation’s reputation. This cuts across everything Stonewall does, from the brand it presents to the stories it tells. The Communications team covers several key elements:
· Press office and media engagement
· Internal communications
· Digital platforms and communications, including social media and email marketing
· Design and brand
· Stonewall’s Information Service
Stonewall staff
At Stonewall we believe our people to be our most precious resource. We aim to recruit the very best staff – with a mix of private, public and third sector backgrounds – and have an ambition to make Stonewall an ‘employer of choice’. We’ve reviewed our benefits package in recent years to reflect this. In our most recent (April 2015) staff survey:
· 92% of staff said they were proud to work for Stonewall
· 79% of staff said that working for Stonewall is fun
· 90% of staff said that they enjoy the work they do
In line with best practice we annually review our diversity statistics and take action to address any underrepresentation. At May 2015:
· 57% of our staff were female
· 10% of our staff were from black and minority ethnic communities
· 10% of our staff considered themselves to be disabled
· 33% of our staff were heterosexual
· 16% of our staff were bisexual
Director of Communications Role Description
Reporting to the Executive Director of Campaigns and Strategy, you will take full responsibility for definingand strengthening an internal and external Communications strategy. You’ll have a finely tuned ear for communicating complex messages to the widest possible audience and a passion for making our campaigns reach as far as possible.
You will be an excellent communicator, with proven experience across marketing and communications disciplines, and you will develop and deliver communications strategies across many different outputs. This includes media and public relations, social media, internal communications, digital media, marketing and production of materials.
As a member of the Senior Management Team you will contribute to the overall strategic direction and management of Stonewall. You will lead and develop a talented team of nine people, with four direct reports: Head of Media Engagement, Digital Manager, Design Manager and Information Manager.
Key responsibilities and duties
· Counsel and support internal teams to meet their communications goals, including the creation and roll-out of strategies and campaigns for events, fundraising, volunteer and community mobilisation, etc.
· Increase the organisation’s profile and protect its reputation across media, and with all influencers and organisation. Act as a spokesperson for Stonewall when required.
· Be accountable for media comment from Stonewall, aligning responses with agreed positioning and ensuring all spokespeople are thoroughly briefed.
· Oversee online and website presence, and lead on the development of the overall supporter journey and communications engagement.
· Work closely with SMT to ensure fundraising, campaigning and marketing opportunities are maximised through both digital and traditional media channels and across all campaign activity.
· Develop and implement a strategy for social and digital channels, across free and paid for activity.
· Respond swiftly to new issues and stories and brief the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team to maximise coverage and profile and, conversely, to protect Stonewall’s reputation, if necessary out of working hours.
· Oversee the development, scheduling, distribution, and governance of all print and online content, including but not limited to, e-bulletins, publications, guides and resources.
· Ensure that all published content adheres to brand guidelines, engages audience segments, and leads to measurable action.
· Act as brand guardian and work with all internal stakeholders to ensure a strong and consistent brand through our materials and wider communications, including through the implementation of a new brand campaign.
· Line manage key staff within the Communications team, and play a full part in the Senior Management Team.
· Manage the communications budget, including annual budget preparation and ongoing monitoring of expenditure.
General responsibilities and duties
· Conduct the duties of the job description in accordance with the operational policies of Stonewall, including but not limited to the diversity policy and code of conduct
· Maintain good working relations with Trustees, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders
· Contribute to the general administration, well running and development of the organisation
· Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required
This is an outline role description and may be subject to change in consultation with the post holder. All people working for Stonewall are expected to commit to the aims and objectives of Stonewall and have an interest in Stonewall’s campaigning activities.
Director of Communications Person Specification
· Successful record of managing and implementing PR, communications, marketing and promotional campaigns with tangible, demonstrable outcomes.
· Significant experience and knowledge of a range of communication channels, and evidence of measuring reach and impact.
· Clear understanding of how communications can have a positive impact on social attitudes and how best to influence this.
· Experience and evidence of communicating with a wide range of audiences across all platforms, in particular digital, and of implementing marketing opportunities through digital channels.
· Ability to engage and influence key stakeholders, both internally and externally.
· Experience of working through and with a senior management team to develop and implement a strategy, and experience of managing stakeholders at a senior level.
· Experience of managing and strengthening internal communications and brand consistency.
· Experience of managing, developing and motivating a high performing team to deliver a strategy on time, on budget and above specification.
· Crisis and issues management experience.
· Ability to act as a media spokesperson.
Director of Communications Key Terms and Conditions
Place of Work 13th Floor, Tower Building, York Road, Waterloo, London, SE1 7NX. Please note that the Stonewall London office is moving to Clerkenwell in the first half of 2017.
Working Week This is a full-time permanent position, comprising a total working week of 35 hours. Stonewall’s normal office hours are Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm, however the demands of this post require a flexible approach to both timing and duration of the working day.
Salary Scale The salary will be £47,700 to £56,500, depending on exeperience, and is paid retrospectively on the 24th day of each month. This is a Stonewall salary band 1 position.
Annual Leave 25 days annual leave (rising by 1 additional day for each year of service completed by 1st October, up to a maximum of 30 days), three additional ‘Stonewall Days’ over Christmas and eight statutory holidays.
Pension Stonewall will contribute up to 9% of salary to the Stonewall Friends Life pension scheme.
Other benefits After successful completion of the probationary period you will qualify for: free health insurance, death in service benefit of two times your salary, interest free loan on travelcard, tax-free cycle scheme, childcare vouchers, enhanced family policies and 24 hour employee support line.
Sick Pay Prior to completion of the probationary period sick pay is at the Chief Executive’s discretion. Thereafter an employee who is absent from work due to sickness will be paid up to four weeks at full pay and four weeks at half pay in any 12 month period. After two years continuous service an employee absent from work due to sickness will be paid up to 12 weeks full pay and 12 weeks half pay in any 12 month period.
Probation & notice The post is subject to a six month probationary period. During this period you will be entitled to receive, and are required to give, at least two weeks notice of termination, which must be in writing. After successful completion of your probationary period you are entitled to receive, and are required to give, at least three months’ notice of termination, which must be in writing.
Director of Communications Application Guidance Notes
Please contact for any questions or clarification on the information here.
We shortlist applicants for interview by matching the details given on the completed application form against both the role description and the person specification. We’ll be looking for clear evidence to show that your experience, skills and knowledge match those set out in the person specification and role description. We’re interested in all relevant experience, wherever you have gained it, as well as beyond paid employment, that may contribute to your ability to meet the requirements of the job. All parts of the role description and person specification should be addressed, as information not given or not made explicit on the application form cannot be taken into account in the shortlisting process. Please note that CVs are not accepted and any information given on a CV will not be considered.
Due to the high quality and number of applications we receive, we only contact shortlisted candidates. If you would like confirmation that you have not been successful please contact us.
If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to attend interview please contact Our offices are accessible.
Please ensure your application reaches us by the closing date stated on our website.
www.stonewall.org.uk