Head of Communications & Engagement


Company:	Durham University
Salary:	£61,165 to £68,817 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Durham, DH1 3LE
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	28 Oct 2026
Closing date:	27 Nov 2026

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Summary

The Role and the Department

Head of Communications and Engagement

This senior level, strategic communications role is suited to professionals with significant leadership experience in large, high profile and complex institutions and used to working across large and varied portfolios, often at pace. You will guide, advise and develop strategies and plans focused on building and managing the University's reputation internationally, nationally and regionally with key audiences and stakeholders.

You will chiefly be working with senior colleagues on a breadth of strategic activity but will also make a significant contribution to leadership and development of the communications team and a pan-University strategic communications community of practice.

A proactive and innovative approach is essential. You will provide professional communications advice and guidance and will identify and propose strategic communications solutions to opportunities and challenges. You will have high professional standards, excellent communications, influencing and leadership skills. You will be equally adept at strategy development as implementing tactical solutions, comfortable working at pace and with complexity.

You will have a breadth of national and international media contacts and will have extensive experience of front-line media relations, advising on media strategy and leading media teams. You will also be digital communications savvy, with extensive knowledge and experience of devising, delivering and supporting teams to deliver digital communications innovations and activity.

We would be particularly interested in speaking with candidates who have senior level strategic communications experience in large, complex organisations such as, but not limited to, Government departments and agencies.

As an essential part of the role, you will also provide significant support for the Director of Communications and the Head of Corporate Marketing in leading the Marketing and Communications team's 24/7 out of hours function. This involves providing senior level strategic communications guidance and support at evenings and weekends to senior stakeholders and the on-call team for major incidents or matters of reputation.

This full-time role is based in Durham City (Palatine Centre). The University supports hybrid working arrangements with the expectation of two days minimum in the office per week but this could be more according to business need, for example where there are in-person meetings or events on campus. As this role requires depth and breadth of contextual knowledge of the University, including its staff, students and stakeholders, for the first 6-12 months it is expected that you will spend more days working in person in Durham. You will be required to work occasionally from the University's administrative base in Boldon House, Pity Me as appropriate and to travel as per the requirements of the role e.g. to attend or deliver strategic / sector events or meet with key stakeholders.

A short summary of the role is available here:

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.

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