Planning & Integration Manager - 12-month FTC
It starts with community – and so does everything we do at The National Lottery Community Fund (the Fund). As the UK's largest community funder, we will distribute over £4 billion by 2030 to projects that strengthen society and improve lives. Our UK-wide Communications & Engagement Team is at the heart of telling that story, and we're looking for an exceptional Planning and Integration Manager to join us on a 12-month maternity cover basis.
This is a genuinely exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in one of the most ambitious periods in the Fund's history. As we enter phase two of our It Starts With Community strategy, our communications are more important than ever – positioning the Fund as a credible, influential voice on community resilience, cohesion and change. You'll be the operational linchpin that turns our strategic ambitions into coordinated, measurable reality.
Role Expectations
Working closely with the Head of Communications Strategy and the wider communications leadership team, you'll bring together integrated plans for our media, marketing, digital and external affairs functions, ensuring clear milestones, measurable outcomes, and efficient use of resources. If you're energised by complexity, thrive on bringing order and clarity to busy teams, and care about the power of communications to make a difference, this role is for you.
Key responsibilities include:
- Managing design and delivery of planning and project management tools and systems across the Communications & Engagement function.
- Acting as the central point of contact/traffic manager between Communications teams and the rest of the Fund, managing incoming requests and allocating resources effectively.
- Developing project dashboards and reporting tools that track delivery progress and highlight risks or dependencies to drive project decisions and provide business insights.
- Establishing, monitoring and evaluating integrated objectives and metrics across media, marketing, digital and external affairs, ensuring our campaigns are based on evidence and focused on outcomes.
- Managing a team of two Communications Assistants.
Skills & Requirements
You'll bring a strong track record in planning and delivering integrated communications activities in a complex organisation, with proven experience in operational planning, resource management and building effective planning frameworks across multiple teams. You'll be confident using data and analytics to drive operational improvements, and skilled at working across and between teams in a matrix environment.
Experience in people management is essential, as is the ability to build relationships and influence at all levels. A background in communications or marketing agency planning would be an advantage, as would familiarity with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.
We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Newtown. The role requires semi-frequent travel to other offices.
Interview details:
- Date: July 22nd and 23rd
- Format: Online
- Location: UK-wide
We will be hosting a briefing session on Thursday 18th June, 11am. To register for the session or for any questions about the recruitment process, please email: [email protected]
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
How to apply:
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.
Essential Criteria
- Strong track record in planning and delivering integrated communications activities in a complex organisation to deliver against organisational KPIs.
- Experience in operational planning and resource management across multiple teams, with proven ability to build and maintain effective planning frameworks and processes.
- Success in stakeholder management and matrix working.
- Experience using data and analytics to improve operational effectiveness.
- Experience in people management and development.
Desirable Criteria
- Background in communications or marketing agency planning
- Relevant project management qualification
- Understanding of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)