Executive Head of Communications, Marketing and Campaigns - War Child UK

APPOINTMENT BRIEF MAY 2026

EXECUTIVE HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND CAMPAIGNS

ABOUT US AT WAR CHILD WE ARE DRIVEN BY A SINGLE GOAL – ENSURING A SAFE FUTURE FOR EVERY CHILD AFFECTED BY WAR. Using our 30 years of experience and proven methodologies, we aim to reach children as quickly as possible when conflict breaks out and stay long after the cameras have gone to support them through their recovery. We work with local communities and governments to help protect and educate children, and support them to heal and learn, for a safer, brighter future.

We understand children’s needs, respect and stand up for their rights, and put them at the centre of everything we do – because one child caught up in conflict is one child too many.

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Every day, our local teams are in communities and in refugee camps creating safe spaces for children to play, learn and access psychological support, and we specialise in responding rapidly to emergency crisis situations to deliver immediate and critical care impartially to help to those who need us most, when they need us most.

Because no child should be part of war.

Ever.

OUR VALUES War Child UK is part of a global Alliance, including our country programmes, the Alliance Foundation and Alliance Members – of which War Child UK is one. Wherever we work, we are guided by the following values:

Accountable to children

Committed to each other

Children can rely on us to respond to their voices and to treat them with respect and dignity. Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our staff and the children and communities we support.

We support each other and our partners to achieve ambitious goals and to be the best we can be. We are honest and open with each other, sharing our successes and confronting our challenges.

Bold

Transparent

We use our passion and creativity to deliver high quality evidence-based work designed to maximise our beneficial impact for children in conflict.

We expect to be held to account by our supporters and programme participants and we respond with openness and honesty.

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ORGANISATION CHART CEO

Finance & IT Director

Fundraising Engagement Director

People & Culture Director

Philanthropy & Partner Engagement Director

Supporter Engagement Director

EXECUTIVE HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING & CAMPAIGNS

Marketing Lead

PR Specialist

Communications & Content Manager

Digital Marketing Manager

Advocacy Lead

Communications & Campaigns Assistant

Digital Content Manager

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to ensuring that all our people and job applicants are treated fairly, irrespective of where, what or whom they were born, or of other characteristics. We want to offer a safe and inclusive workplace where all our people, especially those who are currently marginalised or underrepresented, can be themselves at work. You can read our Diversity and Inclusion policy on our website.

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ROLE DESCRIPTION EXECUTIVE HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND CAMPAIGNS TEAM AND DEPARTMENT: Communications and Campaigns Team, Fundraising Engagement Department REPORTS TO: Fundraising Engagement Director CONTRACT: Full time, permanent SALARY: Circa £75,000 per annum LOCATION: London (hybrid and flexible working)

War Child UK is at a powerful moment of change.

With more children than ever growing up in conflict, the need for our work has never been greater - and neither has the need for us to connect with the world and our key audiences in new and meaningful ways.

As we embark on an exciting new 5-year strategy, launch a refreshed brand and solidify our ambition to reach more children affected by war, we’re looking for an exceptional Executive Head of Communications, Marketing and Campaigns to help lead that journey.

This is a rare opportunity to shape how War Child UK shows up in the world, bringing our critical purpose, our unique voice and our creativity together in a way that resonates. You’ll be joining a team that thrives on ideas, collaboration and making things happen, and are deeply committed to the children, communities and partners we work with and for.

From bold cultural moments to ambitious advocacy campaigns and urgent emergency communications in response to some of the world’s worst crises affecting children, you’ll lead a team of marketing, digital, social media, PR and content experts to create communications and campaigns that cut through, connect with our audiences and inspires action.

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

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YOUR ROLE The Executive Head of Communications, Marketing and Campaigns is a new and critical leadership role at an exciting and defining moment for War Child UK, as the organisation implements a new strategy, refreshed brand and evolves its approach to audience engagement to drive even greater impact for children affected by conflict.

You’ll lead a team of communications and marketing experts to deliver groundbreaking, culture defining marketing campaigns on our music, art and gaming partnerships – from BRITS Week to the Help 2.0 album – as well as high impact integrated communications on War Child’s work and crises affecting children. You will also oversee the advocacy and campaigns function which drives our political advocacy and public campaigning.

This role exists to provide strategic leadership across the communications department, overseeing marketing, digital platforms, social, press and content. Externally, you will shape how War Child UK is perceived by key audiences, including existing and potential supporters, partners and decision-makers, directly contributing to our ability to grow income, increase influence and strengthen its brand.

You will define and deliver a new audienceinformed communications and brand marketing strategy, guided by our new strategy and refreshed brand, ensuring War Child UK tells a clear, compelling story about its work and deepens audience engagement through impactful, strategic communications and campaigns. You will oversee exciting marketing and communications campaigns for exciting fundraising initiatives, events and partnerships that cut across culture and drive impact.

You will oversee the advocacy function to ensure ambitious and strategic advocacy and campaigns and crucially ensure the integration of the communications and advocacy strategies and ensure these areas work together and

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complement one another. You will also establish the frameworks, planning and ways of working required to deliver these strategies effectively.

This role has significant impact across the organisation - and in the wider world. You will harness War Child UK’s distinctive creative and opportunity-ready culture, ensuring we continue to deliver bold, culturally relevant, high-impact work, while bringing strategic focus, consistency and integration to our communications and marketing activity.

You will enable strong team performance through clear strategic decision making, prioritisation and planning, enabling the function to operate as a strategic partner to the wider organisation. You will lead a team that is motivated, ambitious and clear on expectations and lines of accountability supporting both high performance and wellbeing.

The role requires a high degree of creativity and innovation balanced with judgement and critical thinking. You will identify opportunities, address strategic and operational challenges and develop solutions that enhance organisational effectiveness and external impact. You will provide senior counsel to leadership, including on reputational risk and external positioning.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES •

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Define and lead the delivery of an audiencefirst, integrated communications and marketing strategy aligned to War Child UK’s organisational priorities, with full accountability for strategic direction, positioning and delivery.

Own War Child UK’s brand, narrative and external positioning, ensuring consistency and clarity in how our message lands across all touchpoints.

Provide strategic oversight of the full

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communications and marketing mix within the team, including marketing, digital, web, content, social media and press, ensuring these areas are integrated, audience-led and delivering against organisational priorities.

Oversee the delivery of priority marketing campaigns, including for major events and partnerships, ensuring work delivers maximum impact with effective use of internal and external resources, including agencies, partners and creative collaborators, where needed.

Oversee the advocacy function by setting and supporting with strategic direction, as well as ensuring the successful integration of communications and advocacy – ensuring the big picture is aligned.

Act as a senior and strategic advisor to War Child UK’s Leadership Group, making recommendations on strategy, positioning and reputation.

Lead and develop a high-performing communications, marketing and campaigns team setting clear direction and prioritisation, driving performance, enabling accountability and ensuring strong team culture and wellbeing. Set and manage priorities across the function, making decisions on tradeoffs, resource allocation and focus areas to balance competing organisational demands in a fast-paced environment.

Line manage one advocacy and campaigns role and two communications and marketing roles, providing guidance, oversight and approval of key work and management support, coaching and development. Maintain a strong understanding of the external environment - including media, cultural, political and humanitarian landscapes to identify opportunities and risks, inform strategic decision-making and ensure War Child UK remains relevant, responsive and impactful in a fast-moving context.

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Stay abreast of and embed where relevant the latest communications best practice, trends and techniques to ensure a digital first, future fit marketing and communications approach.

Lead this with boldness and creativity to help solidify War Child’s place externally and make us stand out.

Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships across War Child UK, working in close partnership with fundraising teams, advocacy and senior stakeholders to maximise organisational impact and opportunity.

Work closely with key colleagues in the War Child Alliance Foundation and fellow global Alliance members, strengthening collaboration, alignment and shared opportunities to maximise global impact.

Lead reputational risk management, working closely with the PR Specialist, taking ownership of high-risk or high-profile issues and ensuring appropriate decisionmaking and response as well as appropriate processes for crisis communications.

Responsible for creating a culture committed to the safeguarding of children, and adults and compliant to War Child’s Safeguarding and PSEAH (Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse & Harassment) policies.

We are committed to building an inclusive and equitable workplace. All staff are expected to actively contribute to this by embedding principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into their day-today work, decision-making, and interactions with colleagues, partners, and supporters.

In this role you will ensure that this applies to a communications strategy rooted in representation, inclusion and diversity.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role.

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YOU ARE •

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A highly experienced communications leader, with a strong track record of defining and delivering integrated, audience-first communications and marketing strategies that drive impact across brand, income and influence.

An expert in shaping organisational narrative and external positioning, with a deep understanding of how to build and evolve a brand in a complex, crowded and fastmoving environment.

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Skilled in using audience insight, data and external trends to inform strategy, decisionmaking and prioritisation.

In possession of a strong understanding of using advocacy and public campaigning to drive political change, and the role of communications in driving forward an advocacy agenda.

External looking and plugged into the external news, political and cultural agenda, and able to use this insight to shape decision-making and direction.

A confident and credible senior leader, with strong influencing skills and proven experience advising and influencing Leadership teams, including on external positioning, prioritisation of work and reputational risk.

Able to shape and approve high-quality content and messaging using your strong written and verbal communication skills, ensuring War Child UK’s voice is clear, compelling, and consistently applied across all channels.

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A motivational team leader and excellent manager, with the ability to build, develop and retain high-performing teams who enjoy what they do.

A strong project manager, with the ability to plan, prioritise, manage competing demands, make clear trade-offs and focus resources on areas of greatest impact.

Experienced in overseeing high-profile, impactful campaigns and communications activity, with strong editorial judgement and a clear understanding of what highquality, high-impact output looks like across media, social, digital and web, influencer engagement and marketing.

Highly collaborative, with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective relationships across functions, with senior stakeholders and with external partners.

Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, creative environment, with the ability to balance bold thinking with strategic discipline and delivery focus.

Committed to continuous professional development, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of communications, marketing and digital best practice.

Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, with a proven understanding of best practice when it comes to safeguarding, ethics and representation in communications.

Experienced working in and/or possess strong knowledge of humanitarian issues and the international news and political agenda.

BENEFITS BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Flexible working

Enhanced annual leave

Pension

Family leave

Health and wellbeing

Learning and development

Workplace nursery benefit

Flexible public holidays

Cancer cover

GP 24/7 helpline

Welcome bag for new starters

Range of other flexible benefits such a Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loans.

Read our benefits on our website.

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HOW TO APPLY To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link.

For guidance on formulating your supporting statement, please review our guide here.

Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.

If you wish to apply using an alternative format please email executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk

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Applications via the Prospectus website should be made at: https://www.prospect-us.co.uk/job/194808 At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.

RECRUITMENT TIMETABLE

QUERIES

Deadline for applications: Sunday 31st May, Midnight

If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Jane Ray or Erica Ritchie at Prospectus via email:

Online Interviews with Prospectus: 8th and 9th June Online interviews with War Child UK: Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June

Jane.Ray@prospect-us.co.uk Erica.Ritchie@prospect-us.co.uk

Staff and CEO Engagement sessions in person: Thursday 25th June

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