Are you an experienced communications professional ready to step up and make a real impact?

We’re offering a 12-month secondment or fixed term contract opportunity to cover maternity leave within our communications team as Corporate Communications Team Manager. This is a great opportunity to lead a high-performing team, shape service delivery, and play a key role in wider organisational priorities, including exposure to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) activity.

It’s a busy, varied, and hands-on role, ideal for someone who enjoys working at pace, getting involved in all sorts of communications activity, and working closely with colleagues across the organisation.

You’ll be leading a talented comms team, but this isn’t just about management, you will be right in the middle of things, helping shape messages, jumping on reactive issues, supporting senior leaders and making sure we’re communicating clearly and confidently with our residents.

About the role

Reporting to the Service Manager, you will take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and management of the Corporate Communications function, ensuring delivery of high-quality outcomes for our residents.

You’ll be part of the wider management team, working collaboratively across the Council to drive continuous improvement, innovation, and transformation.

Alongside leading the team, you’ll also be actively involved in delivering communications, helping to shape messages, support services, and respond to emerging issues.

No two days are the same, and you’ll need to be comfortable balancing planned work with reactive communications.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll be working in a fast-paced Communications team, where service delivery and clear, effective communication are at the heart of what we do.

You’ll work with a great team who are supportive, proactive and happy to get stuck in.

It’s the kind of role where you can genuinely make a difference, both in how the Council communicates and how people experience our services.

No two days are the same, but you can expect to be:

Lead and support the comms team day-to-day, get stuck into the detail as well as the bigger picture, work closely with services across the Council, manage a mix of planned and reactive communications. Support senior leaders and Councillors, oversee our digital channels, play a key role in wider organisational work, keep an eye on what’s working (and what isn’t).

About you

We’re looking for a confident, organised and forward-thinking communications leader who can motivate and support a team to deliver excellent services for our communities. You’ll set clear expectations, create a positive and accountable culture, recognise success and address performance issues constructively.

With strong organisational skills and sound judgement, you’ll be comfortable deputising for the Service Manager, balancing strategic priorities with hands-on communications activity, and making effective decisions in a fast-paced environment.

You’ll bring experience of customer-focused, multi-channel communications, including websites, digital platforms, social media and internal channels, and use insight, technology and continuous improvement to strengthen how we communicate and deliver services.

An excellent communicator, you’ll build strong relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, partners, senior leaders and elected Members, representing the Council professionally while maintaining high standards of governance, risk management, safeguarding and compliance.

Previous experience in communications and team leadership is important, but your attitude is just as important. We are looking for someone who’s proactive, levelheaded, and enjoys working as part of a team.

Why this role?

This is a fantstic opportunity to:

Lead a high-performing Communications team, gain valuable experience in strategic and organisational change work, work across a wide range of communications activity in a

genuinely varied role, play a key part in how the Council communicates with and supports its resident, get exposure to strategic and change work, including Local Government Reorganisation, build experience across a wide range of communications activity, make a real impact in a short space of time.

If you’re looking for a role where you can get involved in all sorts of things, work with great people, and genuinely make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Epping Forest District Council is a place of opportunity and it is a great time to join us - we're changing how we deliver our services ensuring we are a place that people are proud and which delivers its priorities to high standards.

Please submit your application by (deadline at 23:59) using the 'Apply Online' button.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sarah Kits 01992564000

Epping Forest District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.