Summary

M&S is a leading retailer with a strong brand heritage, outstanding colleagues and customers who want to see us succeed. It’s down to our Corporate Communications team to both protect and enhance that reputation.

Our Corporate Communications Team are looking for a creative, engaging, and adaptable Colleague Communications Officer to join them. You will be supporting the Business Partner to implement the colleague communications strategy and plans for Clothing & Home (including Clothing, Home, Lingerie & Beauty).

The successful candidate will support the Clothing & Home (C&H) business at an exciting moment. M&S’s style and value perception is at an all-time high, which is leading to market share growth across key categories and channels. This is a brilliant opportunity to support the C&H team and be central to their continued transformation for both colleagues, and customers.

Supported by the wider Corporate Communication team, we need someone to help us build the energy and engagement of the iconic M&S Clothing & Home business.

About the role

Your key accountabilities include:

Build a comprehensive understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and priorities for Clothing & Home in store and support office, including how the C&H Leadership Team are transforming the business

Support the Business Partner for Clothing & Home to operationalise the colleague communications and engagement strategy and plans as a coordinated part of our overall Corporate Communications strategy

Establish a network of contacts to ensure information and knowledge is kept up to date

Bringing together information, generating ideas and sourcing content for Leaders’ presentations for Huddles, events, round tables, etc.

Identifying and developing stories that put our people at the centre of our messaging and place the voice and needs of our stores, and customer centricity, at the heart of our Colleague communications

Supporting the Team in delivering communications for projects, programmes and campaigns such as “Your Voice Survey” (our employee feedback survey), C&H Live (bi-annual all company event with C&H), our Diversity & Inclusion agenda, employee wellbeing activities and employee benefits policies

Identifying and sharing phenomenal stories with the wider Public Affairs and External Comms Team, so we can communicate them more widely and leverage as stories and proof points for C&H success

Work with the Digital Content & Channel Team to deliver cut-through content to resonate with stores, and amplify our story across our internal digital footprint and channels, including videos, multi-media assets, photography, infographics, printed collateral, etc.

Accountable for feeding through key activity and comms to the Comms Coordinator to ensure the department can efficiently traffic control, prioritise and plan its programmes and activities

About you

Your skills and experience include:

Evidence of message penetration through different content streams (written, video etc.)

A strong verbal communicator, clear and fluid written skills and listens actively

Ability to form effective relationships and influence at all levels

Can digest information quickly and meet tight time frames across several projects

Communicates openly and honestly and encourages others to do the same

Is authentic and positive in their approach

Digitally savvy and embraces new technology and ways to communicate

Highly organised, strong project management skills and excellent attention to detail

Ensures efficiency and a right first-time approach

Actively spends time thinking about the customers and colleagues and using insight in their work

Able to take accountability of their role, taking intelligent risks and learns from their mistakes

What you’ll get from the role

Frequent exposure to finance leadership, through preparing updates for and ongoing communications with the CFO and FLT, as well as collaborating closely with Investor Relations and Treasury

Oversight and understanding of key Group financial information, including P&L, cashflow, and balance sheet

Development of a broad network across finance, having engagement with Heads of Finance and FP&A teams across the business

Responsibility and ownership of key outputs and processes, combined with an encouraging team to give on-the-job mentoring

As the CFO’s go-to team for information, the day-to-day priorities are always changing. No two days are ever the same!

Key Benefits:

Flexible working approach, with a balance of being in the office and working from home

33 days holiday (including bank holidays) + 1 celebration day

20% discount on M&S products

A range of wellbeing support (including free counselling and a virtual GP for you and immediate family)

25% off gym memberships, access to online fitness classes and discounts for complementary health services, such as nutrition and lifestyle coaching

M&S is ready to push boundaries to lead the industry into a greener, speedier, more inspiring digital era. That’s why we’re revolutionising how we work and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. There’s never been a better time to be part of our team. Marks & Spencer aims to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make an immediate impact. We are committed to an active Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Policy, which starts with our recruitment and selection process, and we are happy to talk flexible working. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process. If you consider yourself to have a disability or learning difficulty which means you are unable to complete the application process online, please get in touch either by phone on 0345 300 3725 or by email recruitment.online@marksandspencer.com so we can make alternative arrangements for you.