Communications and Brand Manager
Enterprise for Life Ltd
Organisational Overview
Enterprise for Life encompasses the brands X-Forces Enterprise (XFE), X-Emergency Services (X-ES), Soldiering On Awards (SOA), and our CEO Ren Kapur MBE (RK). Our brands support members of the Armed Forces and Emergency Service communities, including service leavers, veterans, reservists, military spouses/partners, and family members. XFE and XES are not-for-profit organisations focused on supporting individuals to transition into self-employment and business ownership through business advice, training, access to a knowledge base, loan funding, networking, and mentoring.
Since launch in 2013, we have supported over 3,350 business start-ups, providing over £33,000,000 in seed funding. We have delivered over 65,000 hours of training and offer a combination of training events, masterclasses, and networking opportunities. We are the contracted provider of Enterprise and Self Employment training for the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), the Ministry of Defence’s official resettlement service for the Armed Forces. We are also one of only two specialist Business Support Partners for the British Business Bank Start-Up Loans scheme.
We are supported by many well-known corporate organisations, including NatWest, Centrica, Cisco, LSEG, GKN Aerospace, Barclays, and Rolls Royce.
We deliver the prestigious Soldiering On Awards, a programme that recognises outstanding achievement in the Armed Forces community through twelve award categories. The awards are a year-long programme of activity that brings together the whole Armed Forces community, engaging the MOD, military charities, corporate partners, organisations, and individuals who share the programme’s mission to celebrate those who make a difference.
Position Overview:
We are seeking a dynamic and creative Communications and Brand Manager to manage and deliver a spectrum of communications and design activities for our major brands, leading on the Soldiering On Awards (SOA) and providing oversight and support for X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) and Ren Kapur (RK). The successful candidate will ensure consistent brand representation, develop high-quality multimedia and print materials, maintain digital platforms, and manage press and media engagement. This role is ideal for a skilled communicator with a keen eye for design, strong organisational abilities, and expertise in content creation and media relations.
Job Description
Organisation: Enterprise for Life
Job Title: Communications and Brand Manager
Location: Hybrid working
Job Purpose:
To manage and deliver the full spectrum of marketing and communications activity, from design to delivery, leading on the Soldiering On (SOA) brand and providing oversight and support for the X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) and Ren Kapur (RK) brands.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
1. Communications Planning and Execution
o Develop and execute comprehensive communications plans, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
o Compose and distribute email campaigns, including weekly newsletters and bulletins, paired with custom-designed imagery assets.
2. Digital and Website Management
o Maintain and update the company websites and digital platforms for XFE, SOA, and RK.
o Liaise with contracted developers to advise on layout, branding, and content updates.
o Monitor website performance using analytics and implement improvements to enhance user experience.
3. Design and Production
o Design and produce branded assets, including graphics, layouts, and publications such as newsletters, reports, marketing materials, and other collateral, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines across SOA, XFE, and RK.
o Create partner engagement and activity reporting collateral, logos, Microsoft templates, and other visual materials in line with company branding.
4. Media and Press Engagement
o Deliver and manage the press function, including drafting, editing, and publishing press releases.
o Engage proactively with media outlets, building relationships to enhance coverage of key events and initiatives.
o Provide media support at events by booking photographers/videographers and gathering necessary collateral.
5. Partner and Beneficiary Engagement
o Conduct beneficiary interviews to enable the creation of compelling case studies for use in reports and marketing materials.
o Support the Big Business supporting Small Business workstream with multimedia, digital, and written assets as required
6. Multimedia Content Creation
o Compile, edit, and produce multimedia content for use across various platforms.
o Create visually engaging motion graphics to showcase events and activities.
o Liaise with external contractors for the provision of multimedia as required.
7. Supplier Coordination
o Organise production and delivery of marketing collateral for internal and external stakeholders.
o Ensure timely delivery and quality control for all physical and digital outputs.
Qualifications and Training
* Degree level or equivalent professional qualification in Communications, Marketing or a related field.
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
* A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in a similar role.
* Strong writing and editing abilities, with a talent for crafting engaging content, including mailshots, bulletins, press releases, and other written communications.
* Solid understanding of website management, including CMS platforms, user experience, and analytics tools (specifically WordPress and Elementor platforms).
* Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and inspire stakeholders at all levels.
* Strong creative campaign/project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
* Demonstrated success in media engagement and press relations.
* Proficiency in email marketing platforms and tools.
* Able to plan, prioritise, and organise own workload as well as work across teams and contract resources.
* Strong direct marketing experience and an understanding of how customer journeys can impact brand experience.
* Good analytical skills with the ability to monitor, interpret, and report on data and metrics to effectively monitor and evaluate campaigns and engagement.
* Graphic design skills, with proficiency in design software such as Canva and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:
* Knowledge of Zoho Social and event management platforms.
* A keen, demonstrable interest in supporting the military and/or frontline service communities.
* Relevant experience in the start-up business support environment, business training events, networking events, and awards campaigns.
* Experience in multimedia content creation, including video editing and image compilation.
Key Competences and Behaviours
* Strategic thinker with excellent organisational skills to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
* Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with media, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office; SharePoint and PowerPoint in particular.
* Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
* Ability to prioritise workload with the ethos of a completer finisher.
* A demonstrable flexible and committed approach to achieving personal and organisational objectives.
* Be self-starting and target-driven.
* Ability to work flexibly.
* A creative eye with attention to detail.
Remuneration Package
Starting salary: £36,000 per annum. There is a contributory pension scheme and 20 days paid holiday plus bank holidays (4 days are to be used for the Christmas shut down period). Employees can also use 2.5 paid Volunteering Days per annum in relation to the military or emergency services communities.
Role Logistics
This is a hybrid role and is a blend of home working, weekly attendance at the London office as required, and attendance at key events in the XFE / SOA calendar. The hours of work are Monday to Friday 08:30 to 17:30 with a 1-hour lunch break, totaling 40 hours a week. Occasional evening work will be required for events which run outside of normal working hours. Flexible start and finish times are agreeable with mutual consent.
Travel once a week is regarded as the commute to work and is therefore at your own expense. Travel and subsistence is payable by agreement for all other travel requirements.
The Recruitment and Selection Process
Please apply via Indeed with a copy of your CV and covering letter setting out why you wish to be considered for this position and what skills and experience you would bring to the role. Any enquiries can be directed to jobs@x-forces.com.
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