Brand & Comms Lead

Responsibilities

• Reputation & Relationships • Build and maintain a target relationship map covering trade bodies (e.g. CIWM), Business Improvement Districts, national groups and resellers, industry associations, and government and public-sector procurement bodies. • Cultivate press and trade-media contacts directly. • Own the events and conference calendar, including the industry expos, sustainability forums and procurement events First Mile attends, speaks at or sponsors, attending in person and following up on the relationships established. • Enter and attend industry awards as a relationship and credibility exercise, with partners and customers where possible. Advocacy & Referrals • Run the First Mile referral and advocacy programme, identifying and nurturing happy customers and partners into active advocates through referral schemes, customer events and other activity. Communications & PR • Own the positioning statement, messaging house and tone of voice that content, design, sales collateral and the website work from. • Assemble the proof points enterprise and public-sector buyers want to see, including compliance, the ESG and B Corp story, case studies and references. • Sign off the narrative and topics for thought leadership and executive presence across the website and social media channels. • Act as the press office: drafting and placing releases, fielding media enquiries and coordinating comment requests. • Prepare spokespeople, including themselves, for media appearances, panel slots and interviews. • Monitor reputational risk and maintain a mitigation communications plan. Brand Strategy & Architecture • Define and evolve the First Mile brand and customer proposition, keeping it distinctive as the business scales. • Develop the Group brand architecture, determining the 'Brand House' or 'House of Brands' approach as part of the M&A strategy. • Lead brand due diligence in M&A, assessing brand fit and guiding how each acquisition integrates into the Group brand architecture. • Track how regional competitors position themselves for enterprise clients and public-sector frameworks, feeding insight back into First Mile's positioning. Commercial & Performance • Own and manage the Brand & Comms budget across PR, awards and experiential events, directing spend towards commercial outcomes. • Set and report the brand health scorecard, including Share of Voice, earned coverage, referral rate and NPS, against targets set in the AOP. Leadership & People Responsibilities • Set clear priorities and objectives for the team, and brief and manage the production of content, proof points, thought leadership and design. • Manage team performance and accountability, and support the development of capability and talent within the team. • Collaborate with the Customer Marketing, Performance Marketing, Sales and Customer Success functiona to make sure brand and communications activity supports commercial goals. • Champion First Mile's brand, values and B Corp commitments internally, and promote a positive, inclusive and supportive team culture.

Requirements

• Proven experience in a senior brand, communications, PR or partnerships role, ideally in a B2B environment.
• A track record of building and developing relationships with trade bodies, industry associations, public-sector organisations or media that have raised a brand's profile and delivered commercial results.
• Experience leading and developing a team, including content and design specialists.
• Experience owning a brand or communications budget and linking activity to leads, pipeline and revenue.
• Strong knowledge of brand positioning, messaging and tone of voice.
• Strong PR and press office capability, including media relations and reputation and crisis communications.
• Understanding of brand measurement, including Share of Voice, earned coverage and customer sentiment metrics such as NPS.
• An exceptional relationship builder and networker who is confident and credible representing the brand at events, on panels and with the press.
• An excellent writer and storyteller, able to craft compelling narratives for different audiences.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to link brand activity to business outcomes.

Preferred

• Experience in sustainability, waste management, facilities management or public-sector procurement.
• An existing network across trade bodies, industry associations or trade media relevant to the sector.
• Experience of brand architecture or brand integration through M&A.
• Experience communicating ESG or B Corp credentials.
• A relevant professional qualification or membership, such as CIPR or CIM.

Benefits

• The opportunity to make a real impact within a growing, purpose-driven B Corp.
• A collaborative and supportive team with genuine investment in your development.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Hybrid working, where appropriate to the role.
• Enhanced family-friendly policies following qualifying service.
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service.
• Monthly wellbeing allowance to spend on whatever supports your wellbeing.
• Regular company socials and events.
• The opportunity to work for a rapidly growing, multi-award-winning business in a sector that has never been more important.