Connect with a cause that needs you!

Regional Communications Manager (South East)

35,853 - 42,181 per year
Remote
Full-time
17th May 2026
Listed today

Regional Communications Manager (South East)

Regional Communications Manager (South East)

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.

The RNLI’s Communications team plays a key role in helping to prevent drowning, manage the RNLI’s reputation and build support for our charity’s cause. We work closely with volunteers, staff and partners in water safety, fundraising, and operations to amplify advice, build strong constructive relationships and ensure the RNLI can continue to save lives well into the future.

Some of the benefits

  • Salary of £35,853 - £42,181 per annum (dependant on experience)
  • Flexible working
  • 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
  • Competitive pension scheme
  • Life assurance
  • Health cashplan option

As Regional Communications Manager, you’ll work with our current Regional Communications Lead and Media Trainers to recruit and support our volunteer Lifeboat Press Officers, ensuring they have the skills and resources needed to deliver local news stories, video and engaging social media content for their lifeboat station.

In this role you will help plan and support our fundraising and water safety PR campaigns, while maximising the impact of our lifesaving stories and protecting the charity’s reputation.

You will be home-based within the South East region (which stretches from Swanage in the west to Southend-on-Sea in the east, and includes both London and the Isle of Wight) and work from lifeboat stations or lifeguard support centres as necessary and available. The ability to work independently and prioritise your work is essential. You will be expected to travel throughout the South East region.

The RNLI is a 24/7 search and rescue organisation, and you should be ready to work outside normal office hours. You will also be part of an out-of-hours duty press officer rota, which will require scheduled weekend and evening work.

About you

To be our Regional Communications Manager you’ll need to be able to understand the needs of our volunteers and be flexible around their needs where appropriate, and generate interest in our charity by telling powerful stories across traditional, digital and social media.

To be successful in your application you will need:

  • Experience of supporting volunteers, or a demonstrable understanding of what that requires.
  • The ability to conduct challenging conversations with confidence.
  • A professional qualification or equivalent experience in a media or corporate communications environment.
  • Substantial experience of a busy media environment and current communications best practice – media relations, press release writing, social media, basic video production as well as creative flair.
  • Substantial experience of finding and pitching stories that include key organisational messages.
  • An understanding of how to include, and increase access for, people from a broad range of backgrounds and life experiences.
  • You’ll be able to evidence a strong news sense and have a good understanding of the regional and national news agenda.

Your reward will be seeing the RNLI’s reputation go from strength to strength as you help save lives, raise awareness of our lifesaving work and inspire people to support us.

This post requires a valid driving licence.

Safeguarding

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Diversity at the RNLI

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.