Interim Change Programme Communications Lead
| Posting date: | 16 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £48,760 per year, pro rata |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 26 April 2026 |
| Location: | Cranfield, Bedford |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Cranfield University |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 5291 |
Summary
Communication and External Affairs (CEA)
Interim Change Programme Communications Lead
Fixed Term Contract for 6 months
Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £48,760 to £58,664 per annum, with potential progression up to £71,050 per annum
Location: Cranfield, Bedfordshire (Hybrid)
We welcome applications from experienced communications professionals to support the delivery of a major transformational change programme and help colleagues navigate change with clarity and confidence.
About the Role
This role is responsible for leading and delivering communications across a complex change programme, ensuring colleagues are clearly informed, appropriately engaged and supported through transition. Working closely with senior leaders, you will translate complex and sensitive information into clear, consistent messaging, support consultation processes, and help maintain trust during a period of organisational change.
About You
You will be educated to degree level or have equivalent professional experience in communications, organisational development or a related field.
You will have experience delivering communications within organisational change or transformation programmes, ideally within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment such as higher education, public sector or similar.
With excellent written and verbal communication skills, you will be confident translating complex information into clear, accessible messaging and producing high-quality communications for senior audiences. You will have strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and advise senior leaders, particularly in relation to sensitive or challenging situations.
You will be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, demonstrate sound judgement, and operate with professionalism, discretion and emotional intelligence. Experience of consultation processes or employee relations contexts would be advantageous.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.
We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Jonathan Walker, Director of Communications and External Affair via Jonathan.Walker@cranfield.ac.uk / +44 1234 75 4464 or Charly Guildford, People & Culture Business Partner via Charly.Guildford@cranfield.ac.uk / +44 1234 75 4226
Apply online now. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: hrrecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5291.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 26 April 2026
Interviews to be held: ASAP
Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert and interview prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Interim Change Programme Communications Lead
Fixed Term Contract for 6 months
Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £48,760 to £58,664 per annum, with potential progression up to £71,050 per annum
Location: Cranfield, Bedfordshire (Hybrid)
We welcome applications from experienced communications professionals to support the delivery of a major transformational change programme and help colleagues navigate change with clarity and confidence.
About the Role
This role is responsible for leading and delivering communications across a complex change programme, ensuring colleagues are clearly informed, appropriately engaged and supported through transition. Working closely with senior leaders, you will translate complex and sensitive information into clear, consistent messaging, support consultation processes, and help maintain trust during a period of organisational change.
About You
You will be educated to degree level or have equivalent professional experience in communications, organisational development or a related field.
You will have experience delivering communications within organisational change or transformation programmes, ideally within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment such as higher education, public sector or similar.
With excellent written and verbal communication skills, you will be confident translating complex information into clear, accessible messaging and producing high-quality communications for senior audiences. You will have strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and advise senior leaders, particularly in relation to sensitive or challenging situations.
You will be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, demonstrate sound judgement, and operate with professionalism, discretion and emotional intelligence. Experience of consultation processes or employee relations contexts would be advantageous.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.
We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Jonathan Walker, Director of Communications and External Affair via Jonathan.Walker@cranfield.ac.uk / +44 1234 75 4464 or Charly Guildford, People & Culture Business Partner via Charly.Guildford@cranfield.ac.uk / +44 1234 75 4226
Apply online now. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: hrrecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5291.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 26 April 2026
Interviews to be held: ASAP
Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert and interview prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.