Head of Internal Communications

At Nationwide, our purpose is simple: Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. As the UK's largest building society, we're focused on creating long-term value for our members and helping more people benefit from mutual banking.

We're looking for a Head of Internal Communications to shape how colleagues connect with our purpose and strategy and understand the role they play in delivering it.

This is a highly visible and influential leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape colleague engagement across the organisation, partner with senior leaders and lead the future direction of internal communications at Nationwide. You’ll join us at an exciting time and help translate our purpose and business priorities into clear, compelling communications that build understanding, trust and advocacy.

This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract opportunity.

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.

What you’ll be doing

You'll define and deliver Nationwide's internal communications strategy, ensuring it supports our purpose, business priorities and long-term ambitions. You'll create a joined-up approach that brings greater clarity, consistency and impact to how we communicate and engage with colleagues across the organisation.

Working closely with executives and senior stakeholders, you'll lead communications on Nationwide’s biggest priorities, from purpose and performance to customer outcomes, business transformation and change. You’ll simplify complexity, creating narratives that build understanding, confidence and advocacy across the organisation. You'll use audience insight, colleague feedback and performance measures to continually improve our communications, ensuring they remain relevant, effective and aligned to colleague needs. You'll also oversee communication governance, standards and channel effectiveness, helping to create a consistent and engaging colleague experience across the organisation.

Alongside this, you’ll lead and develop a talented internal communications team, setting high standards and building expertise across strategy, planning, insight, storytelling, channels and delivery. You'll also manage significant budgets and external partnerships, ensuring investment decisions deliver strong value, appropriate governance and measurable impact.

About you

As a minimum you’ll have:

• A strong track record of developing and delivering enterprise-wide internal communications strategies that support organisational priorities, colleague engagement and business performance

• Significant experience leading internal communications within a complex organisation, including organisational change, sensitive issues and crisis or incident communications

• The credibility, confidence and influencing skills to advise executive and senior leaders on communication strategy, narrative and messaging

• Experience translating complex business priorities into clear, compelling communications, using audience insight, colleague feedback and performance data to shape decisions and improve outcomes

• Strong knowledge of communication channels, governance and best practice, with experience balancing risk, regulatory requirements and business needs

• Experience leading and developing high-performing communications teams, alongside managing significant budgets, suppliers and external partnerships

• Financial services experience, or experience working within another highly regulated environment

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.

The extras you’ll get

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

• 30 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

Recruitment scams can look convincing, so take a moment to check the role is listed on our official careers site and read our guidance on Don’t be conned by a job scam.