Head of Comms & External Affairs

Job title: Head of Comms & External Affairs
Salary: Circa £60,000 
Grade: Band 3
Contract type: TfL
Reference: 4274
Team: London's Transport Museum / Marketing and PR
Contract details: Perm/ Full Time
Location: London Transport Museum

Application closing date: 15th June at 23.59

Interviews would commence week of 22nd June

Please note that applications will only be considered if submitted with both a CV and a cover letter.

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks.  Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.  At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.   

Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.  

Who we are

London Transport Museum is the world’s leading museum of urban transport. We are also an award-winning visitor attraction and an impactful education and heritage charity. Our mission is to ignite people’s curiosity about the world around us, inspiring them to shape the future.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the organisation at a pivotal moment in its history. The Museum is embarking on an ambitious, large-scale capital programme to transform its Covent Garden site ahead of its landmark 50th anniversary in 2030. This major investment will reimagine and enhance the visitor experience, modernise facilities, and ensure the Museum remains a world-class cultural destination for decades to come.

As part of this journey, you will play a key role in delivering transformative projects during a period of innovation, growth and change. It’s a rare chance to contribute to a high-profile redevelopment programme that will shape the future of the Museum and leave a lasting legacy.

Overview of the Role

The Head of Communications & External Affairs is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and protecting the external reputation of London Transport Museum.

You will lead the organisation’s communications strategy, overseeing PR, media, social media, external affairs and insight and evaluation. The role is both strategic and hands-on, requiring someone who can set direction while delivering high-impact campaigns and activity.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders across government, media, and the cultural and transport sectors, while ensuring strong alignment with Transport for London. This role plays a key part in driving audience growth, income and engagement.

You will also lead the communications team, manage budgets, and ensure consistent brand messaging across all channels, while supporting major projects including the Museum’s capital redevelopment programme.

This is a high-profile position with real influence, offering the opportunity to shape how the Museum is seen and experienced locally and globally.

Role Highlights

• Lead communications for one of London’s most iconic institutions
• Influence audiences, stakeholders and public debate at scale
• Deliver purpose-led work with real commercial and civic impact

Work Here

London Transport Museum sits at the crossroads of culture, transport and civic life, telling stories that shape how people experience London today - and how the city evolves tomorrow.

Backed by Transport for London, the Museum offers scale, credibility and influence, where communications plays a central strategic role rather than a supporting function. You’ll have the autonomy to lead, the platform to be heard and the opportunity to create work with genuine public impact.

This is a place for leaders who want to combine commercial challenge, cultural relevance and purpose, while working collaboratively in an ambitious, forward-thinking environment.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and deliver an integrated communications and external affairs strategy aligned to the Museum’s purpose, commercial objectives and audience priorities
• Oversee PR, press, media relations, reputation management and crisis communications
• Lead internal and external communications, ensuring consistent messaging across the organisation
• Drive a strong digital and social media strategy to maximise reach, engagement and impact
• Lead external affairs, partnerships and senior stakeholder engagement, including political stakeholders (e.g. GLA, Mayor’s Office)
• Maintain strong alignment with Transport for London communications, including close collaboration with the TfL Press Office
• Act as a senior ambassador for the Museum, representing the organisation externally
• Elevate the Museum’s thought leadership, including its Interchange programme
• Ensure consistent application of brand messaging, tone of voice and organisational values across all communications
• Work collaboratively across departments to deliver joined-up communications
• Balance business-as-usual activity alongside major projects, campaigns and capital developments
• Lead, develop and motivate a team of seven, fostering a high-performing culture
• Use insight, data and audience planning to inform communications strategy and segmentation
• Oversee joined-up customer insight and impact evaluation strategy to inform business decision making. Share analysis with experience creators, teams and departments and champion customer-centric decision making.
• Manage communications budgets and ensure effective allocation of resources and ROI
• Ensure compliance with data protection and privacy requirements across communications activity

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Proven hands-on PR, external affairs and communications experience, with strong reputation management credentials
• Experience operating at a strategic leadership level, alongside the ability to deliver operationally
• Strong background in media relations, press writing and high-profile campaigns
• Demonstrable crisis communications experience
• Clear commercial mindset, with experience driving audiences, income or engagement
• Extensive senior stakeholder management experience, including political environments
• Strong understanding of the London landscape and cultural context
• Confident, credible people leader with experience managing high-performing teams
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, complex environment
• Sound judgement, resilience and confidence to challenge, influence and innovate

Process    

• Please apply using your CV and a covering letter 

• Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV 

• PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images 

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs to make the process fair. 
  
Benefits  

In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the level of role but mostly include the below: 
 

• Final salary pension scheme  
• Free travel for you on the TfL network  
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home 
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays 
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow 
• Private healthcare discounted scheme Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme 
  Retail, health, leisure and travel offers 
• Discounted Eurostar travel 

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice. 

Vetting Process 

At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.