Communications Manager

Incorporated in 2007, Community Energy Scotland’s charitable objects are community development, environmental protection and the prevention and relief of poverty. Community Energy Scotland has been at the forefront of community energy development since then, supporting communities to take control of and benefit from their local renewable energy resources and help lower carbon emissions.

Community Energy Scotland is recruiting for a Communications Manager. We are looking to recruit an energetic, well-organised and self-motivated individual to lead on the development and delivery of CES’s Communications strategy. Oversee the organisation’s social media channels and digital content, ensuring messaging is consistent and aligned with public affairs and communications goals.

External Communications: CES Members and the public:

• Social Media and Digital Content: Oversee the organisations social media channels and digital content, ensuring messaging is consistent and aligned with public affairs and communications goals.
• Work with the Policy Manager and CEO, writing press releases and other responses to key news stories and policy developments.
• Media Monitoring and Reporting: Track media coverage, analyse sentiment, and provide regular reports to Policy Manager on key communications activities and public perceptions, cross-checking contacts and engagement with newsletters with the membership database and keeping first points of contact updated
• Branding and Messaging: Ensure consistent and effective messaging across all communications materials, including press releases, speeches, reports, and marketing collateral.
• Create a CES history which can be published as a timeline on our website
• With support from a staff team, plan and coordinate the CES annual conference & AGM, and CES’ participation in All Energy to promote organisational initiatives and foster relationships with key stakeholders.
• Manage the CES website

Create and implement Communications & Marketing Strategy:

• Strategic Communications: Execute comprehensive communications strategies that align with organisational goals and objectives, including Marketing and Communications Strategy
• Crisis Communications: Prepare and execute crisis communication plans when necessary, providing clear, timely, and accurate information to mitigate risks and protect the organizations reputation.
• Produce clear CES narrative and purpose, leading a CES working group to draft versions of ‘who we are’ and ‘what we do’

Maintain Relationships with Key Stakeholders:

• Represent CES at key events, meetings and in the press. This will include preparing, delivering and facilitating presentations/open meetings and discussions when required.
• Public Relations: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with journalists, media outlets, and influencers to enhance positive media coverage and manage public perception.
• Build up strong collaborative relationships with CEE and CEW, considering branding on a UK level
• Investigate the potential for collaboration and partnership with other aligned organisations

Internal Communications:

• Lead internal communication strategies to engage employees and ensure alignment with organisational values and goals.
• Organise media training & skills for staff team, presentations and wider
• Assess and improve internal communications channels, providing guidance and induction materials for staff on internal comms

Membership:

• Support the embedding of knowledge and use of the marketing and communications strategy within CES
• Keep the CES CRM up to date
• Support the Membership Officer to write the CES Newsletter
• Ensure all Members have a key point of contact within CES staff team

Energy Learning Network:

• Sharing learnings across the UK, raising the profile of CE as a whole. Supporting the project to engage with people to get them to engage with their politicians about their manifestos
• Raising the profile of Community Energy as a whole through the ELN Network. Sharing learnings across the UK and engaging participants and community groups to play an active part in lobbying politicians.

Management Duties:

• Inspire, manage and develop staff in a way that brings out their full potential, ensuring that all staff line managed are effectively deployed and supported, have clear time and work plans linked with Annual Reviews and are fully engaged in delivering Community Energy Scotland’s priorities.

Administration:

• To keep all personal work records up to date such as annual leave requests, My Hours and Monday.com
• Ensure that CES staff are kept fully up to date on key developments in Communications

Other Tasks:

• To play a full role in the evolution and operation of the team at Community Energy Scotland, and support the success of Community Energy Scotland as a whole
• Ongoing requirement to ensure work activity is well communicated to the wider Community Energy Scotland team
• Providing photographs and updates to the Communications Officer for use on social media and the website.
• Maintain a safe working environment, ensuring your own personal safety and the safety of others.
• Act as an ambassador for Community Energy Scotland, promoting Community Energy Scotland in a positive manner.
• Ensure relevant, consistent branding across all CES and funder communications.
• Undertake other duties as may be required from time to time by the CEO

Essential Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

• A high level of self-motivation and strong commitment to Community Energy Scotland, its ethos and purpose
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion and achieving a Just Transition in Scotland.
• Excellent organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to adapt communication styles to different audiences including individuals, community groups, government agencies and private developers
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build positive working relationships at all levels
• High‑quality IT and administration skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams, and data management
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills, including representing an organisation externally
• Ability to develop and deliver a coherent organisational narrative, purpose, and key messages
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands
• High level of digital literacy, including CMS platforms, email newsletters, and social media channels
• Confident and credible when engaging with stakeholders, media, and partners
• Collaborative and relationship‑driven, with the ability to work across teams and organisations
• Analytical skills to evaluate engagement, media coverage, and audience response
• Understanding of reputation management and crisis communications principles
• Proven experience of leading or managing communications activity across multiple channels
• Effective partnership-building skills and practical and experience of partnership working
• Demonstrates sound judgement, creative thinking and problem‑solving ability
• Ability to build, maintain and work effectively in high-performing teams
• Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines

Essential Experience

• A minimum of three years of experience of working or volunteering in a related role, e.g. in communications, in the Third Sector and community development or in renewable energy.
• A degree in community development, renewable energy or other relevant qualification or equivalent commensurate experience.
• Experience of drafting press releases, briefings, and responses to policy or political developments
• Experience of strategic communications planning aligned to organisational objectives
• Practical experience of digital communications, including website management and social media oversight
• Experience of event promotion and communications support for conferences, AGMs, or public events

Desirable:

In addition to the above, it may be desirable for candidates to possess some or all of the following:

• Experience of media monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on communications impact
• Experience of partnership or collaborative working across organisations or networks
• Experience within a membership organisation, charity, or policy‑focused environment
• Good understanding of inclusion and dignity in a charity setting both internal to Community Energy Scotland, and with our prospective clients/partners
• Experience of working collaboratively with senior leaders and policy colleagues
• Experience of line managing or leading a staff team or working group
• Experience of seeking funding and applying for it.
• A full driving license