Role: Corporate Communications & PR Manager
Location: Bedford or Kettering, with regular travel required between sites as a Group-wide role
Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays,People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.
Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year
Contract Type: Permanent – Full time
This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Corporate Communications & PR Manager to join our Corporate Communications & PR department at The Bedford College Group.
We are seeking an experienced, ambitious Corporate Communications & PR Manager to lead and shape our communications and media profile for The Bedford College Group. This new role will enhance our reputation, amplify our voice, and position the Group as thought leaders across our communities and the FE sector. You will lead a proactive Communications and PR function across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, owning external PR strategy, developing compelling stories, building strong media relationships, and securing high-quality national, regional and sector coverage across broadcast, digital and print. With accountability for KPIs, you will drive measurable impact through media, campaigns and stakeholder engagement, while supporting reputation and crisis communications. You will also lead and develop a high-performing team. Confident and creative, you will bring strong PR experience, excellent writing skills and the ability to deliver impactful campaigns. Apply now to make a difference.
About you:
- Qualifications/ Training - Degree (or equivalent experience) in Communications, PR, Marketing, Journalism or related field, with evidence of ongoing professional development.
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Knowledge/ Experience - 2–5 years’ experience leading projects and/or managing staff, with a strong track record in securing media coverage and handling press relations.
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Skills/ Abilities - Proven ability to translate complex information into engaging content and manage sensitive communications, including reputation and crisis scenarios.
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Professional Skills, Organisation & Communication - Experience integrating traditional PR with digital channels, social media and analytics, alongside managing senior stakeholder relationships. Strong strategic, organisational and communication skills, with attention to detail, flexibility, and willingness to travel and work outside standard hours.
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Values, Inclusion & Professional Practice – Student centred, inclusive and resilient, committed to safeguarding, equality and continuous improvement, with flexibility to travel and adapt to changing demands
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: 30/06/2026
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
- Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
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Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
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Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
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Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
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Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
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Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.
