Internal Communications Business Partner

Job description

KPMG is part of a global network of firms that offers Audit, Tax & Pensions, Consulting, Deal Advisory and Technology services. Through the talent of over 16,000 colleagues, we bring our creativity and insight to our clients’ most critical challenges.

With offices across the UK, we work with everyone from small start-ups and individuals to major multinationals, in virtually every industry imaginable. This role sits within the Internal Communications (IC) team, part of the Corporate Communications department, itself part of the Corporate Affairs function.

Purpose

This role reports into the job-sharing Joint Heads of Communications. You’ll be working with the Executive Board members responsible for Risk and Audit or Clients and Markets and their leadership teams. As a trusted advisor, you will be responsible for creating, agreeing, planning, executing and measuring all internal communications within an agreed Internal Communication strategy. As a senior manager, you will be part of the senior UK Internal Communications team and have a small team of your own.

Responsibilities

- Being the Internal Communication business partner to the Executive Board members for Risk and Audit and their leadership teams and building trusted advisor relationships
- Accountable for creating, agreeing, planning, executing and measuring all internal communications within an agreed Internal Communication strategy, aligning it to the Corporate Communication and Corporate Affairs priorities
- Working with colleagues in the broader Internal Communications team to align messages across the firm and contributing to the wider forward-planning process of the team
- Bringing innovative and creative thinking to the table, working with designated leaders to introduce fresh approaches to delivering internal communications
- Working with senior leaders and their teams to help them improve dialogue and face-to-face communication within our client-facing teams
- Coaching and line-managing team members, while also working collaboratively with peers both within and without the Internal Communications team

The Person

The successful role-holder will be someone who has both the gravitas to deal effectively with senior leaders of KPMG and the ability to deliver creative communications in a fast-moving environment. We’re looking for a senior player who is able to quickly build rapport with demanding stakeholders and can exercise sound judgment in their dealings with them. Resilient and flexible, the role-holder will be comfortable with complexity and operating at the most senior level in an organisation. He or she will also have a track record of managing and coaching less experienced internal communications professionals.

Skills required

- Proactive ability to combine strategic thinking with a demonstrable track record of developing and delivering communication programs in a fast-moving environment
- Credible in stakeholder management, relationship-building and the ability to manage senior stakeholders as clients, without losing sight of the bigger picture
- Strong sense of how to add true value as a communications professional, making a solid contribution to the success of the business
- Able to deal well with ambiguity, working adeptly with leaders to effectively articulate messages that may be sensitive, unclear or still evolving
- A sound understanding of professional services; experience within a comparable environment would be advantageous
- Excellent influencing and diplomatic skills
- Keen understanding of how internal communication adds value to an organisation
- Experience of advising risk or audit or client facing teams is desirable
- The ability to influence stakeholders about the value of good internal communication and act as an ambassador for Internal Communications/ Corporate Affairs
- A strong team player, who is used to working collaboratively and has solid experience as both a line manager and coach
- The ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines in a fast changing environment
- High quality written and verbal communication skills in fluent English for all media