Communications Manager (FTC) - Penguin Random House

£55,000 • Penguin Random House • London

About Penguin

We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

We are recruiting an exciting new opportunity for an experienced Communications Manager to join our Strategic Projects team on a 12-month fixed term contract basis.

This role is offered with hybrid working from our Embassy Gardens office in London. Reporting to the Senior Communications & Change Manager, you’ll plan and deliver clear, timely communications for assigned projects so that people know what is changing, why it matters and what they need to do. The content you create will be clear and engaging, you’ll coordinate reviews and sign offs and will track effectiveness to support change adoption and readiness. This role will collaborate closely with the wider CTC team and leadership.

This is an unrivalled opportunity for a professional in either Communications or Change to make an important impact quickly. You do not need to have publishing experience to be successful in this role, but will be outstanding in delivering seamless communications activity for a wide range of audiences.

About the team

The Strategic Projects team is a key part of Penguin Random House Operations (which also includes Technology, Facilities and Distribution). We help PRH achieve transformational change, delivering initiatives based on our strategic priorities , and supporting essential replacements to core processes and systems as they become end-of-life. We’re always looking at ways to continuously improve how we work at Penguin Random House UK.

This role will help implement change in our business over the coming year, working within a dedicated team of Change, Communications and Training (CTC) colleagues.

The role

Key responsibilities:

• Create simple plans which set out audiences, key messages, timings and channels. Keep plans in step with project milestones (training, testing, go-live) and review it regularly with the Senior Comms and Change Manager and project leads.
• Draft clear emails, FAQs, Roost (intranet) pages, slide decks and training materials. Check facts with project subject experts and Legal where needed; store final versions in the right place so people can find them (Teams/Sharepoint).
• Run a comms review process with project stakeholders, sponsors, Brand and CTC. Route anything sensitive or external to the Senior Comms and Change Manager for final sign-off.
• Organise short, focused sessions (briefings, town halls, drop-ins). Prepare speakers with talking points and likely questions; share a concise follow-up so those who couldn’t attend stay informed.
• Keep Roost (intranet/Teams/SharePoint sites current and easy to navigate, with clear summaries and links to “what to do next.” Use plain English, explain acronyms, and apply basic accessibility checks (headings, alt text, readable layouts).
• Time messages to support invitations, reminders and key learning dates. Provide step-by-step actions, quick guides or short clips so people can complete tasks confidently.
• During busy periods, provide short, factual updates at an agreed cadence. Collect common questions and publish quick answers; point people to the right help channels.
• Track simple indicators (attendance, page views, email engagement, questions asked, hypercare ticket trends). Share what worked and what didn’t, and make small, timely adjustments to improve next time.
• Draft messages for customers, partners, suppliers, or the trade where projects require it, aligning with Brand Communications and Legal. The Senior Comms and Change Manager will lead on higher-risk items.

What you’ll bring

Essential criteria:

• Previous experience in a Change Communications role at manager level.

• Proven experience of successfully delivering communications activity within a programme environment.
• Previous experience of working on complex, sensitive change projects and programmes and working sensitively and proactively with employees experiencing change.
• Excellent understanding and demonstration of communication and engagement practices in a project environment.
• Able to simplify complex messages for a range of audiences.
• Ability to analyse and make judgement calls on any competing requirements.
• Strong ability to establish relationships quickly, engage with stakeholders and influence through all levels of the organisation.
• Experience of designing and developing materials and delivering in line with planned dates, quality and cost in previous complex programmes.
• Appreciation of project management and business change management methodology and associated tools and techniques.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV by 23:59 on Sunday 16th November 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the advert may close at any time.

We would encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Please note we are looking for someone to join the team as soon as possible, but we are also happy to accommodate a reasonable notice period for the right candidate.

AI

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.

We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

Salary

The salary for this opportunity is up to £55,000, depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus a generous bonus scheme and benefits.

Hybrid working

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will work from our Embassy Gardens office in London 2 days per week (typically Tuesday & Thursday).