External Communications Executive

About the Role

This is a hands-on role with broad exposure, suited to a strong writer with ambitions to develop experience across all elements of communications. You will deliver the Group's external communications day to day across Dot and its portfolio companies - from drafting press materials and managing website updates to creating social content, gathering insights and supporting events.

Key Responsibilities

• PR and Media Relations
• Draft press releases, media pitches, statements, Q&As, and briefing notes.
• Build relationships with journalists across corporate, property, higher-education, investment, and consumer titles.
• Handle routine media enquiries and coordinate interviews and spokesperson requests.
• Prepare spokesperson briefing packs, researching journalists, outlets, and topics.
• Insight and Listening
• Monitor media coverage, social conversation, and trends for the Group on key issues, including on platforms where students are active.
• Track policy and sector news to help shape our communications plans.
• Website and GEO
• Keep the corporate website(s) up to date, accurate, and on brand using the CMS.
• Publish news, case studies, and campaign content, applying SEO, GEO, and accessibility best practice.
• Track how Dot and its brands appear in AI-powered search and answer tools, and flag inaccuracies.
• Social Media and Content
• Plan and manage the social media calendar across channels.
• Write, edit, and publish content including articles, blogs, newsletters, and posts.
• Create and edit short-form video and visual content, and brief designers or videographers where needed.
• Use generative AI tools responsibly to work efficiently, in line with Group policy.
• Events
• Coordinate logistics and communications for conferences, awards entries, and owned events.
• Prepare speaker materials and capture content for use across channels.
• Risk Awareness
• Follow approval processes and brand guidelines for all external content.
• Spot and escalate emerging reputational risks quickly, in the media or on social platforms.
• Support issues and crisis responses, including monitoring, logging and drafting holding statements, and join the out-of-hours rota when required.
• Reporting
• Compile regular reports on coverage, website, and social performance, highlighting what's working and what to change.
• Maintain media, content, events, and stakeholder trackers.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Excellent writing skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Confident using social media professionally and creating engaging content.
• Comfortable working with data and explaining what it shows.
• Willingness to work flexibly, including out-of-hours support when issues arise.
• Experience with communications platforms, including media databases, listening and analytics tools.
• Understanding of SEO, GEO, or AI search.
• Interest in international markets; additional languages a plus.

Qualifications

• Up to 5 years in communications, PR, marketing, or journalism (ambitious graduates with relevant internships welcome).
• Exposure to corporate / B2B media in real estate, financial services, or hospitality and leisure is desirable.
• Experience of B2C communications in an operational, customer-facing business is desirable.
• Video skills: filming, editing, and producing content for social is desirable.

Personal Attributes & Competencies

• Organised, able to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Good judgement and awareness of reputational risk.
• Curious and insight-minded: notices what matters and asks 'so what?'.
• Collaborative, working well across brands, teams, and time zones.
• Proactive and keen to learn.