Job Description

Communications Manager
Application Deadline: 20 June 2025
Department: Marketing
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Southampton
Reporting To: Marketing Director
Description
This is a pivotal role within Zenergi, responsible for owning, shaping, delivering and protecting the organisation's voice - both internally and externally. As the Communications Manager, you will be the strategic custodian of how Zenergi communicates: crafting compelling narratives, adapting stories to suit a range of channels, and ensuring our voice is consistent, credible and impactful. You will lead communications that connect people to our purpose - whether that's employees, clients, prospects, or partners - and ensure every interaction reflects who we are and what we stand for. Acting as the central point of contact for communications, you will work closely with leaders and key stakeholders across the business to bring ideas, products, initiatives and successes to life and market. To be successful in this role, you must bring a strong blend of commercial acumen and creative storytelling. You'll be adept at translating complex business and technical information into clear, engaging messaging tailored to different audiences. Whether delivering communications in person, on screen or in print, you will understand the nuances of each medium and use them to amplify Zenergi's brand and mission. You'll thrive in a fast-paced environment, balancing strategic thinking with the ability to respond quickly and effectively to changing needs. With excellent judgement, confidence and curiosity, you'll be a trusted advisor to the leadership and marketing team, and a key contributor to driving our brand, culture and engagement forward internally and externally.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop, lead and continuously refine a comprehensive communications strategy that aligns with Zenergi's business objectives, culture, and brand ambitions
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable communications plans, ensuring alignment with campaigns, initiatives, and wider business goals
• Ensure messaging across all touchpoints is consistent, compelling, and tailored to the intended audience and channel
• Act as a proactive partner to senior stakeholders, anticipating communications needs and advising on approach and tone

Internal Communications & Culture Engagement

• Lead internal communications that inform, engage and motivate employees, building a sense of belonging and shared purpose
• Collaborate closely with the Executive and People teams to embed brand, culture, values and behaviour through storytelling and transparent dialogue
• Create and manage internal campaigns that drive participation, feedback, and advocacy - using a variety of formats including written content, video, events, and live sessions
• Develop and manage key internal communication channels such as newsletters, intranet updates, and leadership messaging

Brand Voice, Messaging & Governance

• Serve as Zenergi's brand voice champion, owning tone of voice guidelines and ensuring consistent application across all communications
• Guide and support teams across the business to use the brand voice confidently and effectively
• Continuously review and evolve our messaging to reflect shifts in market context, business direction and customer expectations

Executive Support & Thought Leadership

• Provide communications counsel and hands-on support to senior leaders, crafting high-impact messaging for internal and external platforms
• Develop speeches, scripts, and presentation content for events, town halls, videos, and key stakeholder engagements
• Partner with marketing and content teams to grow executive visibility through authored pieces, commentary, and participation in industry forums

External Communications & Media Relations

• Lead and manage all external communication activity, including PR, media relations and reputation management
• Develop strong media relationships to secure quality earned coverage across relevant channels
• Identify opportunities for brand storytelling, expert commentary, and media engagement to raise Zenergi's profile and reinforce our credibility
• Manage press releases, media materials and responses, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and alignment to brand messaging
• Lead crisis and issues management communications where required

Commercial Alignment & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with Commercial and Product teams to plan, develop and deliver timely communications for product launches, market campaigns, promotions, and strategic wins
• Ensure messaging is audience-focused, benefit-led and reflects a strong understanding of Zenergi's offer and impact
• Coordinate communication support for go-to-market strategies, working with speed, accuracy, and agility to meet deadlines
• Attend product, partner and cross-functional meetings to stay informed and proactively identify storytelling opportunities

Engagement & Client Advocacy

• Develop and deliver communications that elevate client voices, highlight outcomes and support the creation of advocates
• Work with client-facing teams to uncover success stories and brief in case studies, testimonials, and narratives that demonstrate Zenergi's value
• Integrate client achievements into wider comms strategy to reinforce trust, credibility and long- term partnerships
• Support client-focused campaigns and events, ensuring communications created are clear, tailored and outcome-oriented

Awards, Recognition & Campaigns

• Identify and manage award submissions that reflect Zenergi's impact, innovation and leadership
• Lead the development of compelling nominations and campaigns, collaborating across teams to gather insight and evidence
• Ensure submissions align with brand messaging and enhance external recognition

Measurement, Insights & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor the performance and impact of communications through data, feedback and analytics.
• Report on reach, engagement, message clarity and sentiment across internal and external channels
• Use insights to refine communications strategy, enhance effectiveness and respond to emerging needs
• Remain up to date with communications trends, technology, and best practice - ensuring Zenergi remains relevant and forward-thinking

Success Measures

• Increased employee engagement and positive sentiment, as measured through surveys, participation and feedback
• Brand voice consistency across internal and external communications
• Growth in quality earned media coverage and improved reputation visibility
• Timely and strategic support for commercial and product initiatives
• Increased client advocacy through testimonials, case studies and shared successes
• Recognition through successful award submissions and external endorsements
• Leadership satisfaction and confidence in communication outputs and support
• Demonstrated agility and responsiveness in a fast-paced business environment

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Essential Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling, audience- focused messaging across multiple formats (print, digital, in-person, video)
• Strategic thinking - able to connect communications activity with broader business goals and shape narratives that support commercial objectives
• Strong editorial judgement - able to adapt tone, voice and content depending on audience, channel and context
• Commercial awareness - understands business priorities and can translate complex or technical information into clear, engaging stories that drive action
• Stakeholder engagement - confident working with and presenting to / or influencing senior leaders, cross-functional teams, and subject matter experts
• Media relations expertise - experience building relationships with journalists, managing press enquiries, and securing positive earned media
• Crisis communication capabilities - able to respond calmly and effectively under pressure with clear, considered messaging and activation suggestions
• Campaign and project management - highly organised, deadline-driven, and capable of managing multiple priorities at pace
• Digital fluency - comfortable working across digital platforms including internal comms tools, social media, CMS systems and email platforms
• Creative and innovative mindset - brings new ideas, challenges the status quo and continuously looks to improve how and what we communicate
• Emotional intelligence and diplomacy - tactful, trustworthy, and empathetic in handling sensitive information or topics

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a B2B communications, PR or content leadership role, ideally within a fast-paced or mission-led organisation (Enterprise or PE-backed would be advantageous)
• Proven experience developing and delivering successful internal and external communication strategies
• Experience working closely with commercial, product or sales teams to support launches, client engagement and business growth
• Track record of managing media relations, award entries and thought-leadership programmes
• Comfortable advising senior stakeholders and crafting executive-level messaging
• Experience handling change and transformation communications (desirable but not essential)
• Background in energy, construction, education, sustainability or a related sector (advantageous but not required)

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of brand voice, tone and identity principles
• Awareness of communication trends, employee engagement practices and evolving media landscapes
• Knowledge of measurement approaches and tools to evaluate communication effectiveness
• Familiarity with crisis and reputation management principles

Qualification(s)

• A degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or a related field is preferred
• Equivalent professional qualifications or industry certifications (e.g. CIPR, CIM, internal communications diplomas) with relevant professional experience will be considered

Personal Attributes

• Audience-focused - always considers how communications will be received, interpreted and acted upon by the end reader, listener or viewer
• Collaborative by nature - enjoys working cross-functionally and thrives in a team environment, bringing people together around shared messages and goals
• Resilient and adaptable - stays calm under pressure, embraces change and ambiguity, and can pivot messaging and priorities as needed
• Proactive and solutions-focused - takes initiative, spots opportunities, and seeks out ways to improve communication approaches and outcomes
• Credible and confident - able to engage senior stakeholders and challenge constructively, while building trust and influence across all levels of the organisation
• Curious and growth-minded - stays informed about commercial best practice, trends and emerging channels; always looking to innovate and evolve communication
• Detail-oriented - balances high standards for quality and accuracy with the ability to deliver quickly and effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Creative storyteller - able to bring messages to life in fresh, inspiring ways that resonate with different audience types

Benefits
Permanent Position
Hours: 37.5 hours / week
Working hours: 9am - 5pm (30 minutes lunch)