Job Description

Location: Hybrid with regular travel to Warrington office for key meetings
The Company
Village Hotels is a dynamic UK-based hotel brand with soon-to-be 34 sites, offering a unique mid-market hotel, a high-quality fitness club, and diverse food and beverage options, including a Starbucks coffee retail unit, all under one roof. Our successful, all-in-one concept often leads the market in revenue, and we are currently in a period of exciting growth with several new hotels and extensions planned for 2025.
The Role
As our Head of Communications and External Affairs, you will hold a pivotal leadership role, responsible for developing and managing the entire internal and external communications strategy for Village Hotel Club. You will be the guardian of our brand, proactively protecting the business's reputation and ensuring all communications align with our strategic goals.
This role is a strategic partner to the leadership team, focused on managing high-level relationships with key stakeholders, including investors, the media, regulatory bodies & Government, our employees, and other relevant business partners. You will be the single point of contact driving our communications agenda across all areas of the business.
Key Responsibilities
Corporate Communications & PR
Develop and execute a robust communications strategy focused on corporate communications and brand reputation.
Create a compelling corporate narrative and messaging for use across all channels, supporting our commercial objectives.
Oversee all core communications activities, supported by our PR agency, including creating and approving external materials (press releases, media briefings, corporate social media, etc.).
Act as the primary point of contact for all media engagement and nurture relationships with key media outlets.
Identify and secure executive thought leadership opportunities and speaking engagements.
Ensure Village spokespeople are fully trained and prepared for proactive and reactive media engagement.
Internal Relations
Develop and implement an internal communications strategy that ensures employees are informed, engaged, and aligned with our brand values.
Partner with the People team to develop and distribute compelling internal communications on performance, new initiatives, policies, rewards, and L&D to raise awareness of "Village Life."
Support change management, employee wellness, and D&I communications initiatives.
Crisis and Issues Management
Protect the reputation of the business through effective crisis and issues communications management, assisting in developing and executing internal plans during sensitive situations.
Identify and track potential reputational risks proactively, working with leadership to shape behaviours that mitigate them at the earliest opportunity.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including investors (Blackstone and Revantage), regulatory bodies, and internal senior leadership (Operations and Legal).
Manage the flow of communications with investors, acting as the main point of contact for key business updates.
Ensure consistency by working with brand marketing teams to align communications tone of voice across all internal and external channels.
Experience & Skills
Extensive experience and a proven track record in strategic communications leadership, high-level stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.
Proven experience delivering high-profile communications, providing expert counsel to senior leaders, and managing complex, sensitive issues.
Strong media handling skills, including running a press office and leading crisis communications.
Resilient and able to exercise sound judgement under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and build trust at all levels.
Strong influencing skills to quickly assess scenarios and shape internal decision-making.
Solid understanding of the UK media and business landscape.
Work, Grow, Play!
Here at Village Hotels, we're all about embracing personality, individualism, and fun. Forget stuffy hotels built on formality; we create lively, modern spaces for our guests and our teams to work, eat, relax, play, and exercise. We have hotels and leisure clubs from Aberdeen to Bournemouth and more opening soon.
Join us and we can offer you amazing benefits*, such as:
Complementary Health and Wellness Membership at your home club for you and a family member/friend, worth 1,500 a year.
Significant discounts on hotel stays and food & drink at all our locations.
Excellent training and development programs.
A fun, supportive, and inclusive work environment with regular team events.
Excellent Reward and Recognition incentive schemes.
Have your birthday off, guaranteed.
Electric car salary sacrifice scheme.
Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits and pay.
Financial wellbeing support, including salary drawdown via Wagestream.
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme and up to 2 mental health days annually.
*T&C's apply based on your contract.
About Company: Work, Grow, Play! Here at Village Hotel Club we are all about embracing personality, individualism and fun. Forget stuffy hotels built around formality, pomp and ceremony. We create lively, modern spaces for our guests to work, eat, relax, play and exercise. With hotels and leisure clubs Aberdeen to Bournemouth and more opening soon, we rely on you to deliver service that puts us head and shoulders above the competition. Join us and we can offer you benefits* such as... - Complimentary Health and Wellness Membership at your home Club for you and a family member/ friend worth 1,500 a year. - Discount on all overnight stays at Village Hotels, meaning you can experience our hospitality from 35 with a friend and even grab an excellent breakfast. - Friends and Family discounted stays from 49 including breakfast - 50% discount on Food and Drink purchased on or off shift at any Village Hotel Pub & Grill - 30% discount on and off shift in our Village Hotel Starbucks stores - Excellent training and development including our Rising Stars and Talent Academy programmes - A much more exciting way to train across several areas in the hotels, utilising our exciting Mobile Gaming training platform. - Discounts and cashback offers on many High Street Brands and Supermarkets. - A range of Well-being and Healthcare benefits and monthly well-being programmes for all employees to support your mental health - Putting your Mental Wellbeing first with Mental Health first aiders and up to 2 mental health days to utilise annually. - Financial wellbeing support and salary drawdown via Wagestream - Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, offering support and counselling - Flexible working hours - A fun, supportive and inclusive work environment with regular team events - Excellent Reward and Recognition Incentive schemes - Anniversary rewards for key milestones of service - Electric car salary sacrifice scheme - Have your birthday off guaranteed - Discounted Health Cash plan and Sick pay Insurance. - A host of BIG People Days to celebrate, reward and recognise our wonderful employees and their local communities. - Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits and pay - Company Pension scheme - Life Insurance *T&C's apply based on your contract

Skills Required