Head of Communications UK, Ireland and Nordics

Head of Communications UK, Ireland and Nordics

Company:

Boeing United Kingdom Limited

As the Head of Communications for UK, Ireland & the Nordics at Boeing, you’ll lead the development and execution of the regional strategic communications plan for one of the world's leading aerospace companies.

• Protect and enhance the Boeing Company’s reputation in the UK, Ireland and the Nordics in support of business and policy objectives, working across all stakeholder constituencies: traditional and digital media, customers, supplier-partners, government and industry leaders, academia, analysts, employees, shareholders, and unions.
• Motivate and lead a team of communications professionals to support the objectives of the company’s three business units and corporate functions.
• Work as a true business partner in support of and as part of the Boeing UK, Ireland and Nordics leadership team.
• Weave Boeing into the commercial, political and industrial narrative within the United Kingdom, Ireland and Nordics and in the local places where we operate; help shift perceptions to gain support, measurably advance key stakeholder relationships and counter competitor.
• Implement the Boeing brand strategy, driving and leveraging greater brand equity in the region.
• Devise and deploy strategies that enhance enterprise thought leadership and position Boeing as a valuable corporate citizen. Promote the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility, strong ethical management standards, and long-term partnerships within the UK, Ireland and Nordic countries.
• Provide representative support and act as a spokesperson to the company with media, customers, government organizations, opinion leaders and supplier-partners.
• Develop strategies and tactics to raise Boeing’s social media presence to measurably influence stakeholder and general public opinion, amplify our messages and build advocacy groups.
• Provide strategic counsel on PR issues in UK, Ireland and the Nordics to Boeing leadership and strategic market intelligence to internal stakeholders.
• Lead internal communications to drive stronger employee engagement and cohesion.

Position Overview:

Strategic Planning

• Draft and deploy a cross-enterprise regional communications plan that includes all business units and external stakeholders with strategies/tactics that support the business objectives in the country strategy.
• Build and implement a digital media strategy for the region in close coordination with the corporate digital team.
• Drive strategy implementation and achieve results. Optimize strategic, tactical and fiscal efficiencies by leveraging cross-business unit communications programs and effectively managing internal team and external consultants. Regularly review progress and agree plan-shifts with leadership teams and business units.

Strategic Counsel & Intelligence

• Work as a true partner in support of the Boeing UK, Ireland and Nordics leadership team and the business.
• Provide strategic counsel to the business units on communications issues.
• Work with Boeing regional leadership team to contribute to the sensing network that identifies emerging trends, new technologies, competitive and political intelligence and analyze the opportunities and threats presented to Boeing. Help process and codify knowledge in a form that Boeing can use efficiently and effectively.
• Play a lead local communications role in support of major sales campaigns, in close alignment with business support communicators.
• Provide international communications expertise to the Boeing communications organization through training, consulting, sharing best practice, and advising on communications strategies and tactics to support the company’s business objectives.

Media Relations & Public Affairs

• Act as primary interface between Boeing and UK, Irish and Scandinavian regional media to encourage fair and accurate news coverage of Boeing, its products, services, and people.
• Develop and maintain effective media relationships. Diversify media relationships to include not just trade and business reporters but technology, management, consumer travel –both in traditional and digital media outlets.
• Provide executive communications counsel and intelligence.
• Respond in a timely and effective manner to inquiries from local and foreign journalists based in the country.
• Organize and lead news conferences, events and interviews with Boeing executives. Provide briefings for journalists. Ensure continuous flow of news stories and features to regional media (press, TV, radio, online) to highlight Boeing activities in the country.
• Partner with the broader Communications team to lead responses to issues, accidents, incidents, or events; provide timely, accurate, and appropriate information to key audiences in order to successfully resolve the issue and protect the Company’s image and reputation.
• Develop and maintain editorial calendars and proactively seek opportunities to place stories.

Brand Management & Advertising; Brand Strategy

Work with Corporate brand management and advertising to:

• Advise on development and implementation of local advertising, brand management, and sponsorship strategies to ensure consistent, positive presentation of the Boeing brand to targeted audiences.
• Apply and enforce applicable communication standards and formats (e.g., corporate identity, branding, editorial, web, advertising) to ensure consistency and clarity of communications.

Digital and Social Media

• Build and manage the company’s regional social media presence on current and emerging social platforms, tracking emerging trends and developing new ways for the company to capitalize on them, responding to events in a timely manner, with innovative and measurable approaches across digital platforms.
• Work with Boeing’s digital and social media network, develop strategies and tactics to raise Boeing’s profile in the country via social media and achieve optimal engagement
• Lead development and content management of the Boeing UK website, Resource Hub and social channel(s).
• Extend Boeing’s reach to new audiences, create new content on an as-needed basis and contribute meaningfully and realistically to discussions about digital and multimedia growth opportunities.
• Optimize content on a day-to-day, post-by-post basis. Track performance of content across all key digital platforms, identify content packaging and promotion opportunities.

Leadership

• Create an inspiring and effective team environment with an open operating and communication culture coupled with clear team goals. Supervise, manage and motivate on a daily basis.

Internal Communications

• Direct internal communications efforts with a specific focus on Boeing’s manufacturing sites in the region employing online platforms, newsletters, executive communications and outreach, and employee meetings that provide timely and credible information to employees to educate, inform, align, and motivate them in support of the company’s business plans and objectives.
• Coordinate with Supplier Management, business unit and partner communications as required to support outreach to non-Boeing badged employees.

Corporate Social Responsibility

• Work with key internal stakeholders to support local Boeing Global Engagement and university programs.
• Supervise corporate citizenship communications plans that help maximize local footprint and position Boeing as a responsible corporate player in UK, Ireland and the Nordics.

Agency Management

• Manage communication agencies in UK and the Nordics to achieve maximum ROI. Set explicit, measurable goals, maintain proactive momentum. Manage tasks across all Boeing units to maintain and enhance efficiencies.
• Conduct agency reviews as appropriate; constantly source the best external talent while identifying areas for increased cost-effectiveness.

Relationship Management

• Work with regional leadership and business units to identify the most critical stakeholder relationships for long-term business success.
• Establish systematic relationship management programs for Boeing covering all stakeholders and measure progress as set against investments.

Customer Communications

• Work closely with business leaders and business unit communicators to develop strategic promotional plans in support of sales/marketing campaigns. This includes key commercial and defense sales and business development campaigns in the country.
• Establish, maintain and strengthen professional relationships with customer PR departments.
• Identify promotional opportunities for Boeing products and services working with customers.

Local Execution of Key Global Programs

• Partner across the function and business to plan and deploy comprehensive and robust communications activities for visiting executives that reach all key audiences.
• Partner with key stakeholders to plan, coordinate, and implement special events for employees, external customers, news media, and other audiences to meet a variety of business objectives. Evaluate and track speech/presentation commitments, venues, and audiences and make recommendations on appropriate events in which regional and business unit leadership should participate for maximum value creation.

Measurement/Results

• Evaluate utilization of resources, ROI, and results achieved. Regularly update results using new web tools and ensure key internal stakeholders are aware of progress achieved.
• Provide evidence re: how communications has forged new relationships, opened up new business dialogs and shaped local opinion in favor of Boeing.
• Use data analytics and media tracking tools to measure engagement and favorability over time.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in senior communications roles: major international corporations, UK military, airlines or PR agencies preferred.
• Understanding of, and ideally strong connections within, the UK aerospace sector essential.
• Significant experience working across all stakeholder constituencies, not just media. Prior International experience an asset.
• Strong leadership skills: a proven team leader, who is able to motivate and inspire with a strong commitment to a team environment coupled with solid conflict resolution skills.
• Exceptional market-focused business judgment and strong strategic counselling skills.
• Strategic vision and creativity matched with hands-on tactical approach. Excellent judgment, extreme discretion, high ethical standards and flexibility in work hours.
• Proven ability to work effectively with business associations, strategic partners, customers as well as media.
• Excellent media relations skills with significant crisis and issues management experience. In-depth knowledge of UK media, the international business environment and US/UK/European relations.
• Proven experience with digital communications.
• Superior communication, writing and presentation skills; ability to write strong executive speeches and articles for publication.
• The ability to think proactively and work collaboratively.
• Results-driven but also a strong bottom-line orientation.
• A tolerance for organizational complexity and a very strong team player.
• Ability to organize/prioritize many concurrent tasks in a fast-paced environment, maintaining keen attention to detail and follow-through.

Work Authorisation:

This requisition is for a locally hired position in UK. Candidates must have current legal authorisation to work immediately in the UK. Boeing will not attempt to obtain Immigration and labour sponsorship for any applicants.

Language Requirements:

Not Applicable

Education:

Not Applicable

Relocation:

Relocation assistance is not a negotiable benefit for this position.

Security Clearance:

This position requires the ability to obtain United Kingdom Security Check.

Visa Sponsorship:

Employer will not sponsor applicants for employment visa status.

Contingent Upon Award Program

This position is not contingent upon program award

Shift:

Not a Shift Worker (United Kingdom)