Media Relations Manager

This role is within the Corporate Affairs team, which is responsible for protecting and enhancing Nationwide’s reputation externally. 

The focus of this Media Relations Manager role is on Corporate PR which will help us bring to life Nationwide's mutual difference amongst business journalists. 

This is a pivotal role managing Nationwide's corporate milestones including financial results and AGM.  You will also have a strong focus on proactive news generation, alongside managing reactive media issues as part of a busy press office. 

You’ll help strengthen our crisis communications approach in partnership with the Incident Communications team and lead our approach to measuring reputation and media sentiment. 

We’re looking for an experienced media relations professional with a strong news sense, a flair for storytelling and the confidence to work with complex financial information. You’ll bring established relationships with business media and sound judgement in a fast-moving environment. 

This important role fits with our high-performing Corporate Affairs team, which helps build and protect Nationwide’s reputation with external audiences.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at either our London or Swindon office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here. 

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

Responsibilities

What you’ll be doing

You’ll develop and deliver media strategies that show how Nationwide is delivering on its purpose ‘Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society’. You will also coordinate media activity for key corporate milestones, including financial results and the AGM. 

Working alongside the Incident Communications team, you will be part of the 24/7 on call rota and support crisis communications planning and preparedness. You will also develop our approach to measuring reputation and media sentiment, using data and insight to shape strategy and horizon-scan for internal and external issues that could affect Nationwide. 

You’ll advise senior stakeholders on media opportunities and reputational challenges, prepare spokespeople for media engagement, and build trusted relationships with journalists and internal stakeholders. As part of a busy press office, you’ll also craft and shape clear, accurate and timely media communications.
 

About you

As a minimum you’ll have: 

• A proactive, collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent news judgement and an established network of business media contacts. 

• Proven experience of working as part of a media relations or communications team, landing high profile national business coverage. 

• Strong storytelling skills, with experience of writing engaging, concise copy for different audiences.

• Experience advising and influencing senior stakeholders on media opportunities, reputational issues and communications activity.

• Confident working with senior stakeholders, supported by strong influencing and negotiation skills.

• Clear and effective written and verbal communication, with the ability to adapt your style for different audiences.

• Proven experience of managing media issues and crisis communications as well as working on a 24/7 incident team.

• Financially literate, comfortable working with data and insights to underpin the key messaging.

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

Qualifications

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 25 days holiday, pro rata

• Private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us. 

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Keeping your data and personal information confidential is important to us. To find out more about how we use and process your data, please read our Privacy policy. 

If you want to find out more about using AI in our recruitment process, please read more here. 

Disability Confident  

We’re not just guided by data, we’re driven by the real experiences of our people. We’re a Disability Confident Level 3 Leader, the highest level.  

That’s why we’re constantly evolving our policies and practices to make sure everyone feels genuinely supported, valued, and empowered to champion inclusion. Whatever your needs, we’re here to support you. If you need any additional support throughout your application journey, email our team at Recruitment Support.  

Apply safely with Nationwide 

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