Principal of Internal Communications - Business

Why this job matters

BT Business plays a big part in BT Group's plans. With BT as our lead brand, we are the leading business communications provider in the UK, connecting more than one million businesses and public sector organisations to their colleagues and customers. We support businesses of all sizes – whatever tech needs they may have.  We have around 20,000 employees in the UK and internationally – from head office folks through to contact centres, engineers and a large sales team. 

This is a transformational moment for BT Business and the team is focused primarily on transformation activities for the next few years. We need to make sure we’re telling a brilliant and compelling story that sets out what needs to change, how we’re changing and proves that we’re making progress, so that we create a community of advocates for Business as well as for BT Group as a whole.

The role will give you a chance to:

• Bring Business’ transformation to life for employees in a way they can advocate for our B2B operational plan and strategy, our products and services, and manage change brilliantly and in the context of what will make us even better for customers.
• Giving thoughtful and brilliant advice to the CEO and Business leadership team on internal communications matters
• Making sure Business is celebrated across BT Group so that we have 100,000 advocates for our B2B propositions
• Inspiring, supporting and developing the Business internal communications team

What you’ll be doing

As the Principal of Internal Communications for Business you will be used to operating at a "Head of" or "Director" level depending on the size of business your working for, where you'll report into the Director of Internal Communications for BT Group.   You will have responsibility for 5 direct reports plus matrix management of others and be accountable to 3 key C-suite stakeholders in BT Business.

You will be responsible for the following:

• Leading and coaching a team of internal communications specialists in a way that supports their development and brings out their best every day
• Demonstrate a solid knowledge of BT Group’s strategy and Business’ priorities within that, bringing that to life through our IC strategy to help drive understanding across the company through the communications you create
• Report directly into the Director of Internal Communications, BT Group but also have a dotted line in to the Corporate Affairs Director, Business.
• Make sure the Business strategic narrative, tone of voice, visual approach and campaigns mean that we’re always connecting with our people in the very best way so that they can advocate for Business. No corporate fluff, honest conversations, with a strong customer and front-line presence.
• Actively build great relationships with key stakeholders across Business and the wider company to develop a strong understanding of our priorities, challenges and audiences
• Be a trusted advisor to the CEO, Business and the Business leadership team, earning yourself and the wider team credibility across Business
• Demonstrate a strong ability to challenge and influence at all levels of the company in a positive and respectful way
• Lead and deliver Business’ employee events; ranging from leadership meetings to virtual events and broadcasts, or site visits and roadshows.
• Be a collaborative and supportive member of the Internal Communications leadership team and also the Business Corporate Affairs team, happy to muck in outside of your immediate role remit to drive the wider team’s success. Working together with operational teams, HR, marketing, strategy and commercial teams.
• Be a great role model for our values and a pleasure to work with.
• Be a champion for always putting our people’s experience first.

Skills and Experiences

To be succesful in this role its essential you have a depth of experience in internal communications as well as management of an internal communications team of large organisation where you've had responsibility of managing 5-10 people in communications team.

BT business has a 2-3 yrs transformation plan which is linked to BT Group Strategy, its important that you have experience of setting and ultimately delivering strategies in Internal Communications, that underpin a wider business transformation strategy.

You will have experience of managing internal change communications through a transforming organisation.  This could be OD, cultural change, change fatigue, technology change, business separation or divestment change.

Whilst you will focus only on the UK side of the business, any exposure to a carve out from an international model to a UK model would be highly desired.

As well as this we are looking for someone who exemplifies:

• Significant experience in leading internal communications in a highly complex and fast-paced organisation
• Evidence of brilliant people leadership: leading, coaching, inspiring teams
• Proven ability to operate in an advisory capacity to C-suite with brilliant outcomes
• Strong transformation and commercial nouse with a real passion for how to make great communications decisions based on it
• Ability to work in a matrix
• Ability to work at pace and to over-see outstanding execution of multiple projects
• Proven ability to develop and execute communications strategies and plans across multiple channels and audiences
• Experience of managing and delivering complex change communications
• Demonstrable evidence of positively influencing employee engagement
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Exceptional writing skills
• Highly driven
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively

Benefits

• Annual On target bonus 15% (personal and company multipliers)
• Car allowance - worth £5500 a year, can be taken as cash)
• Private healthcare for you and your family
• BT Pension scheme; minimum 5% employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
• Life Assurance
• Direct share scheme
• Exclusive colleague discounts on our latest and greatest BT broadband packages
• 50% off EE mobile pay monthly or SIM only plans and 50% discount for friends and family on EE SIM only plans
• My Discounts gives colleagues access to unbeatable savings on everyday purchases at hundreds of retailers
• Discounted EE TV including TNT Sport and the NOW Entertainment membership
• Great support for working parents including pay whilst on maternity, adoptive, and paternity leave
• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service with buy holiday option
• Volunteering days so you can give back to your local community
• Brand new electric vehicle salary sacrifice arrangement, known as ‘My EV’

Our leadership standards

Looking in:
Leading inclusively and Safely
I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
Owning outcomes
I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.

Looking out:
Delivering for the customer
I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
Commercially savvy
I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.

Looking to the future:
Growth mindset
I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
Building for the future
I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.