Communications and PR Manager

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education. We believe teaching is a fundamental societal good, a privilege and a responsibility, and we are on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system.

We are recruiting for a Communications and PR Manager to join our busy Partnerships team. The team works closely with the NIoT’s regions, founding Multi-Academy Trusts and Associate Colleges as core partners, and supports our national profile, brand, communications, stakeholder engagement and the dissemination of research outputs.

This is a varied role for a confident communications professional who can combine strong campaign instincts with excellent writing, media handling, stakeholder engagement and data-informed improvement. The postholder will help build a clearly distinct NIoT voice, look and feel; manage high-quality internal and external communications; and support positive, purposeful public relations activity across the education sector.

Working closely with colleagues across marketing, policy, research, events, programmes and regions, the Communications and PR Manager will craft compelling messages, support campaign planning, manage channels and relationships, and ensure that NIoT’s work is shared with clarity, credibility and impact.

This is a hybrid role, with an expectation that the postholder will work from the office at least once a fortnight, and more frequently where required to meet business needs. The role also involves national travel, which may include overnight stays.

Closing date: 31 August 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Corporate responsibilities

• To ensure that the responsibilities of the role are carried out in a way which reflects the mission and the values of the national institute.
• To be aware of and observe all policies, procedures, working practices and regulations, and in particular to comply with policies relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, Confidentiality, Data Protection and Financial Regulations, reporting any concerns to an appropriate person.
• To comply with all reasonable management requests.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Support the Head of Communications and Engagement to build the NIoT brand and profile across the education sector.
• Develop, implement and lead integrated communications plans that support organisational priorities, programme visibility, stakeholder engagement and research dissemination.
• Manage public relations activity, including drafting press releases, preparing media materials, pitching stories and cultivating constructive relationships with journalists and relevant sector contacts.
• Work in close partnership with programme, regional, research, marketing, policy and events colleagues to identify opportunities for brand-building exposure and coordinated external engagement.
• Develop and maintain brand guidelines, key messages and tone-of-voice guidance so that colleagues and stakeholders present a clear, consistent and distinctive NIoT identity.
• Manage the NIoT website and social media channels, supported by the Digital and Communications Coordinator, ensuring content is accurate, engaging, accessible and aligned with organisational priorities.
• Plan and deliver internal communications, including newsletters and other channels that support staff engagement, organisational clarity and consistent messaging.
• Prepare high-quality briefings, presentations, copy and communications materials for senior leaders and regional teams.
• Use data and insight to evaluate communications and PR activity, report against KPIs and recommend improvements to campaigns, channels and content.
• Respond to communications and reputation-related issues in a timely, professional and proportionate way, escalating risks where appropriate.
• Work closely with marketing, recruitment, impact and policy colleagues to align communications and PR activity with their work to provide a comprehensive, coherent brand offer.
• Supported by the Head of Communications and Engagement, contribute to effective planning and budget management to ensure value for money.

Essential criteria

• A genuine commitment to the objectives and ethos of the National Institute of Teaching. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling and accurate copy for different audiences and channels.
• Experience in communications, public relations, media relations or a closely related field.
• Experience of planning and delivering digital communications campaigns, including through websites, newsletters and social media.
• Ability to evaluate and communicate the effectiveness of campaigns and recommend improvements based on data and insight.
• Confidence and skill in using data to support KPI reporting and continuous improvement.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proven ability to build collaborative and consultative relationships across an organisation and to align varied, sometimes competing, interests.
• A strong sense of curiosity and tenacity to identify communications opportunities and develop engaging stories.
• Sound judgement, including the ability to work under pressure and respond professionally to communications issues.
• Good understanding of the education sector, or the ability to develop this quickly.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience of working in a remote or geographically distributed team.
• Experience of using Microsoft Dynamics, CRM, marketing automation or similar platforms.
• Experience of Google Ads, PPC advertising or paid social activity.
• Experience of supporting research, evidence or policy communications.
• Experience of using Adobe software or other design/content production tools.
• Experience of working in both B2B and B2C communications or marketing environments.
• Experience of working in a start-up or of setting up communications processes from scratch.

The NIoT vision is a school system that nurtures the talents of teachers and leaders at all stages of their careers, so they can provide children with the excellent education they deserve. This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to make a tangible and immediate impact to improve the quality of teacher and leader development at a system level.  

Working at the National Institute of Teaching

Contract: Full time and permanent

Salary: £44,075 per annum + benefits (pay award pending)

Key benefits:

• Generous annual leave – 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays), rising to 33 days after five years’ service.   
• Flexible working – we offer flexible start and end working times, with hybrid working in place for all roles.   
• Pension - Entry to the Local Government Pension Scheme.   
• Salary sacrifice schemes – we offer salary sacrifice schemes for bikes, cars and tech!
• Lifestyle benefits – We offer discounts on gyms, cinema, retail and much more!  
• Parenthood leave – We offer above the statutory minimum for maternity, adoption and paternity leave.
• Working environment – We have a stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of like-minded professionals.  
• Support: Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides confidential support for employees on personal or work-related matters.  
• Development: We fully support the development of our staff and ensure that you have a high level of continuous professional development.   

Further information  

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.   

Notes:

• To ensure a fair and robust selection process, we expect all application responses to be based on your own original thoughts, skills and experience. Our system includes functionality to identify AI-generated content, and applications where responses appear not to be the candidate’s own work may be disregarded.
• We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. 
• This post involves occasional travel and overnight stays, which will be paid/reimbursed by the NIoT.
• Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role
• As a condition of employment this post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check and an Occupational Health Check.
• This document is an overview of the role.
• The responsibilities will include but will not be limited to those listed above and it is anticipated that the role will evolve over time and as such the duties may change.
• This document does not form part of the contract of employment.

How to apply

To apply, please visit https://app.beapplied.com/apply/vsjkf7eac3

Closing date: 31 August 2026

Contact us: If you have any queries about this role, please email us at [email protected].