Senior External Relations Manager Ref: 60024

As part of our recruitment approach, internal candidates will receive priority consideration at the shortlisting stage.

About the role

Join the University of Sussex as our Senior External Relations Manager (Head of Media and External Relations) and lead the team responsible for shaping how the University is seen and heard beyond our campus.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide strategic direction for our media relations and external communications, building Sussex's reputation, raising the profile of our research and achievements, and supporting our wider institutional priorities.

Leading a team of External Relations Managers and a Communications Officer, you'll oversee a proactive programme of media engagement, identifying opportunities to tell compelling Sussex stories while ensuring we respond effectively to emerging issues and reputational challenges. You'll build strong relationships with journalists, media organisations and influential stakeholders, helping our research, education and institutional expertise reach wider audiences.

You'll work alongside colleagues to support the University's public affairs activity, helping to identify opportunities to engage with key external stakeholders and ensuring the team's communications work supports wider institutional priorities.

Working closely with senior leaders, academic colleagues and communications teams across the University, you'll provide expert advice on complex and sensitive communications matters, translating specialist information into clear, engaging and influential stories for external audiences.

You'll bring together strategic thinking and practical delivery, setting priorities, developing the team's capabilities and using insight and evidence to continually improve our impact. It's a role for an experienced communications professional who can combine excellent judgement, strong leadership and a passion for telling stories that make a difference.

About you

You'll be an experienced media and external communications professional, with a strong track record of developing and delivering effective media strategies and building relationships with journalists and other key stakeholders. 

You'll have an understanding of public affairs and stakeholder engagement, with an awareness of the political and policy landscape and an ability to identify opportunities to build relationships, contribute to relevant conversations and support efforts to influence decision-makers.

You'll have the confidence and credibility to advise senior leaders on high-profile and sensitive issues, alongside the ability to lead, motivate and develop a talented team.

You:

• have substantial experience of leading proactive and reactive media relations, with a deep understanding of the contemporary UK media landscape
• are an excellent communicator, able to turn complex, technical or sensitive information into clear, compelling stories for different audiences
• bring strong leadership skills, with experience of developing teams, setting priorities and managing performance
• have excellent influencing and relationship-building skills, and the confidence to advise and constructively challenge senior stakeholders
• can exercise sound judgement when dealing with challenging or rapidly changing situations, including reputational issues and crisis communications
• are highly organised, able to manage competing priorities and use evidence and insight to evaluate impact and inform decisions.

Experience of working in higher education or another complex, knowledge-led organisation would be an advantage, as would experience of public affairs, stakeholder engagement and integrating media relations with digital and social media.

You'll be proactive, collaborative and committed to professional development, with the ability to bring people together and make things happen across organisational boundaries.

About our Division

The CEA division is vital in contributing towards the success of Sussex. We work closely in partnership our academic schools and other learning institutions in the UK, and, Internationally to attract the very best students we can. 
 
 Our ideas matter, that is why we work and advise on strategies to support the University in achieving positive outcomes. The life-long relationships with our global alumni and friends enable many of the gifts which allow Sussex’s research to flourish.

Please find further information regarding the division at Communications, Engagement and Advancement: University of Sussex

Why work here

Our university is situated off the A27, next to the beautiful South Downs where you will enjoy everything that our 150-acre campus has to offer. We are accessible by public transport; Falmer train station is a five-minute walk to campus and several bus stops are located within campus. We also have dedicated cycling paths and encourage our staff to use these with our offering of a cycle to work scheme.  

Sussex is a renowned, multi-accredited, research-led International University and this is only possible because of the people that work here. Whether you are a member of Faculty, part of a Professional Services team or a Student, it’s our people that make us great and we want you to be part of that. 

Find out more about our reward and benefits package. 

Find out about our equality, diversity and inclusion 

Further Key Information 

Please contact Angela O’Neill (a.h.oneill@sussex.ac.uk) for informal enquiries.

For full details and how to apply see our vacancies page.

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Eligibility

The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed in the UK. 

Visa Sponsorship Queries: This role may be eligible for sponsorship. Please consult our Skilled Worker Visa information page  for further information about Visa Sponsorship.