PR and External Communications Manager

PR and External Communications Manager

Hybrid / Full Time / Monday to Friday / 9-530pm

Salary From: £60k per annum

Travel is required to our HO in Northampton, other offices are based in London and Manchester

Date: 13th November 2026 if may close sooner if the right candidate is hired. All applicants need to attach a full and relevant CV to be considered.

Purpose of the Role:

To build awareness, trust and positive engagement with Bright Horizons by finding, shaping and sharing compelling stories about our colleagues, nurseries, Work&Life services, expertise, partnerships and impact. The PR and External Communications Manager will lead proactive media relations and integrated storytelling across earned, owned and social channels, supporting both the nursery business and Work&Life and helping Bright Horizons reach families, employers, HR and benefits leaders, client employees, current and prospective colleagues, business influencers and local communities.

The role will connect national priorities with authentic stories, working closely with nursery operations, Work&Life marketing and commercial teams, HR, Talent Acquisition, Internal Communications and social media colleagues, adapting strong stories for local, childcare, education, workforce, trade, business, HR, benefits, national and social channels. It will also maintain effective media monitoring and proportionate readiness for reactive or sensitive communications.

What We Can Offer You:

• Our benefits include, but are not limited to;
• Flexible working and holiday entitlements
• Discounted childcare
• Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks
• Annual gala award evening
• Fantastic range of discounts on high street retailers, grocery stores, cinema tickets, holidays and more
• Wide range of wellbeing resources, supporting our teams for the ups and downs of daily life

Why Bright Horizons?

Our support functions enable our nurseries to deliver the best possible care and education to over 10,000 children across the UK. Through this support, our nurseries can deliver excellence – with 98% of our 270+ portfolio being rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We’re on a mission to change the future for children, families, and the people we work with, and are committed to progressive working values like flexibility, work-life balance, and wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver an insight-led PR and external communications plan supporting our nursery and Work&Life businesses.
• Create a strong pipeline of positive stories, research and campaigns for local, national, childcare, education, workforce, business, HR, benefits and workplace media.
• Build productive relationships with journalists, editors and sector influencers, pitching timely ideas and securing accurate, high-quality coverage.
• Work with nursery and operational teams to uncover authentic local stories and adapt them for traditional media, social and owned channels.
• Raise the profile of Work&Life through employer partnerships, approved client and client-employee stories, workplace insight and executive commentary.
• Work closely with social media and content colleagues to plan once and use stories effectively across earned, owned and social channels.
• Develop thought-leadership opportunities and support confident, credible spokespeople from across Bright Horizons.
• Partner with HR, Talent Acquisition and Internal Communications to strengthen our reputation as an employer of choice through authentic colleague, career and workplace stories.
• Work with the Bright Horizons Foundation to share appropriate stories about its impact, partnerships and fundraising activity across PR, social and owned channels.
• Manage PR agencies, specialist suppliers and budgets, ensuring activity delivers measurable value.
• Use media monitoring, social insight and evaluation to improve performance, and support reactive or sensitive communications when needed.
• Lead and develop PR team members, creating a collaborative, creative and high-performing function.

Essential Experience

• Strong experience in an in-house or agency PR, media or integrated communications role at manager level.
• A proven record of generating positive coverage and delivering creative campaigns across consumer, local, trade, national or business media.
• Experience of integrated PR, social and content planning and an understanding of how communications can support reputation, engagement, growth and employer brand.
• Experience of managing agencies, budgets and multiple priorities, and of using insight and evaluation to demonstrate impact.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in early years, education, care, HR, employee benefits or workplace communications would be an advantage.

Qualifications

• Degree in Marketing, PR or Communications related further qualification/s
• Membership of relevant trade bodies.

Why Bright Horizons?

Our support functions enable our nurseries to deliver the best possible care and education to over 10,000 children across the UK. Through this support, our nurseries can deliver excellence – with 98% of our 270+ portfolio being rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We’re on a mission to change the future for children, families, and the people we work with, and are committed to progressive working values like flexibility, work-life balance, and wellbeing

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

Proud to be a Great Place to Work for 20 years. Apply today!

We look forward to receiving your application.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

Proud to be a Great Place to Work for 20 years. Apply today!

We look forward to receiving your application!

About Us

At Bright Horizons, our culture is built on our commitment to Keeping Everyone Safe and providing world-class care and education, delivered by a world-class workforce. We believe our people’s potential is endless and with this in mind, we aspire to create an environment where our colleagues can thrive and accomplish the things they thought impossible.

Bright Horizons has been recognised as a Great Place to Work by our employees and the Great Place to Work Institute for the last 13 years. We care passionately about what we do, and our HEART values and principles help us support one another in the work that we do each day. These are quite literally at the HEART of our organisation’s ethos and culture as it helps us to provide a working environment that supports professionalism, growth and diversity.
We are passionate about our people’s ongoing learning and development. Our learning and leading with HEART framework supports each Bright Horizons colleague on the first steps of their leadership journey, whether that includes our 'World-Class Welcome' induction or our extensive ongoing training programme. Either way we want you to feel valued and invested in!

Celebrating in the accomplishments of our people is an essential part of our culture. We believe in the power of “thank you” and throughout the year, in ways big and small, formal and informal, we show our appreciation for employees at all levels. We have many ways to acknowledge and celebrate our people, including our very popular “employee appreciation month”. This is a chance for everyone to share their gratitude to one another, across the whole company. Whether it is a “thank you” placed on our website, a chocolate pizza, team lunch or an ice cream van visit, it is our way of showing each other we care and appreciate everything we do. Each year, we have our annual 'Awards of Excellence' events; whether you are an award winner or cheering on a fellow team member, these formal award occasions are opportunities to come together and celebrate one another.

By creating this account you acknowledge that Bright Horizons will collect, store and process any of your personal data provided in respect of your application and employment in accordance with our Employee Privacy Notice.

https://www.brighthorizons.co.uk/statutory-information/privacy-notice-employees.