Job Description
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Job Title: Head of Communications
Posting Start Date: 11/06/2026
Posting End Date: 24/06/2026
Department: Barbican Centre
Office Location: Barbican Centre
Level of DBS required for this role: None required
Level of vetting required?: No security vetting is required
Is this a politically restricted post?: No
Does this post require a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check?: No
The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required have also been included. Workplace role categories describe our approach to workplace attendance
Salary: £68,300 to £77,400 including Inner London Weighting (A Market Forces Supplement may be considered, subject to eligibility)
Contractual Hours: 35
Basis: Full-Time, Permanent
Workplace category: Hyrbird
Attachments: Job Information Pack
The Barbican is a multidisciplinary international arts centre in the City of London.
Across its theatres, concert halls, cinemas, galleries, business venues, public and community spaces, the Barbican showcases the most exciting artists and performers from around the world, pushing traditional artistic boundaries and helping us understand our lives in new and unexpected ways. Each year, the Centre presents hundreds of different performances, events and exhibitions that entertain and inspire millions of people, create connections, provoke debate, and reflect the world we live in.
Firmly rooted in its neighbourhood, the Barbican collaborates on projects with local communities, and supports young people and emerging talent to develop their artistic practice and access jobs in the creative industry.
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About the Role
This role sits within the Leadership Group at Barbican with responsibility for driving impact and value through telling our story. Working with the Executive Team, you will lead the creation and evolution of a clear communications plan that delivers continuous growth in Barbican’s reach, relevance
and revenue through media relations, external affairs, stakeholder events, publicity and local community engagement. If you love engaging others in a compelling story, enjoy bringing different perspectives together and thrive on challenging the traditional ways of doing things, we would love to hear from you.
About You
- Significant experience in a senior communications leadership role,
- Proven ability to develop and deliver impactful communications strategies in a complex organisation
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing high-performing teams
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders
- Experience of managing media relations and high-profile communications issues
- Strategic thinker with a creative and audience-focused approach
For more details, please see the ‘Job Information Pack’.
What We Offer
- Barbican Membership
- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service
- Access to Barbican Centre discounts including offers at the Barbican Shop and hospitality outlets
- City Corporation staff benefits and discounts throughout the City of London, including at Tower Bridge, Guildhall Art Gallery and others
- Reciprocal entry to a number of galleries and museums across London
- Employee volunteering scheme (up to 2 days per year)
- A vibrant, creative, inclusive workplace at one of the world’s leading arts centres
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Ready to apply?
To apply click on the 'Apply Now' button below.
If there are any issues with the application process, please contact the Barbican Careers team at
[email protected].
Deadline for applications is 23:55 on Wednesday 24 June 2026. The advert may close ahead of this date if a sufficient number of applications is reached - apply early to avoid missing out.
Please note that we are unable to accept late applications. We regret that we are unable to provide feedback on your application.
The City of London Corporation want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the work that we do. The City of London Corporation is currently undergoing a programme ensure that our pay and reward practices are competitive and equitable across the whole organisation – and is committed to regularly benchmarking and reviewing pay against external sectors.
As part of our commitment to increasing the diversity of staff within the Barbican we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from groups that are currently underrepresented, including people from the Global Majority* and D/deaf and disabled people. We want to better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We are members of the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who would like to be considered under this scheme and who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. Please contact us if you require reasonable adjustments as part of the application process.
- Global Majority is a collective term that refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or, have been racialised as 'ethnic minorities'.
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