Canada Life and Irish Life
Head of European Communications & Engagement
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About Canada Life UK
Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.
Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.
Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.
Location: UK or Ireland, with regular travel across Europe, including London and Dublin
Reporting to: Chief of Staff, Europe
The Opportunity
Are you a strategic communications leader who can turn complex business priorities into clear, compelling narratives that engage people and build confidence?
We are looking for an accomplished Head of European Communications & Engagement to shape how we communicate across a diverse, multi-market European organisation. This is a high-profile leadership role, acting as a trusted adviser to the Europe CEO, Europe Leadership Team and Chief Information & Technology Office leadership.
You will set the communications strategy and operating rhythm for Europe, bringing consistency, clarity and local relevance to leadership communication, transformation and employee engagement.
You will lead the European communications and engagement agenda, ensuring that our people, leaders and stakeholders understand our direction, priorities and progress. Working across a federated organisation, you will build alignment through influence, strong relationships and sound judgement.
This role combines strategic counsel with practical leadership. You will guide executive positioning, major change programmes and technology transformation communications, whilst developing a high-performing communications team and network.
What You’ll Do
- Develop and lead the Europe communications and engagement strategy, translating business priorities into a clear narrative, annual plan and measurable outcomes.
- Act as a trusted communications adviser to the Europe CEO, leadership team and senior technology leaders.
- Lead executive communications, including key messages, speeches, town halls, leadership events, social media and market engagement.
- Shape communications for major change and transformation programmes, ensuring communications is embedded from the outset and supports sustained behavioural change.
- Own the strategic direction for CITO communications, helping leaders communicate technology strategy and transformation in ways that resonate with varied audiences.
- Set clear communications standards, governance and ways of working across Europe, balancing a cohesive regional narrative with market accountability and local relevance.
- Build productive partnerships across Market and Group Communications teams, reducing duplication and enabling effective delivery without relying on central control.
- Provide senior oversight for sensitive, high-profile and cross-market communications issues, advising leaders on risks, opportunities and stakeholder response.
- Lead, coach and develop the Europe communications team, setting clear priorities, accountabilities and quality standards.
- Use audience insight, qualitative feedback and performance measures to improve communications effectiveness, reach, understanding and engagement.
- Manage the Europe communications budget and deployment of external support within agreed governance.
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What You’ll Bring
- Significant senior communications leadership experience in a complex, matrixed or multi-market organisation.
- A strong track record as a trusted adviser to CEOs, executive teams and senior functional leaders.
- Expertise in enterprise narrative, leadership communications, employee engagement, reputation and complex transformation.
- Experience communicating technology and business transformation, with the ability to make complex topics accessible and meaningful.
- Excellent executive writing and editorial judgement across speeches, presentations, social media and multi-channel communications.
- The confidence and judgement to manage sensitive issues, challenge constructively and make sound recommendations under pressure.
- Proven ability to lead and develop communications professionals, whilst influencing stakeholders beyond your direct reporting line.
- A data-informed approach to communications, using listening and insight to shape strategy and demonstrate impact.
- Commercial awareness, including experience of budgets, suppliers, risk and reputation management.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, discretion, resilience and the ability to thrive amid competing priorities.
Why This Role Matters
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You will have a direct impact on how Europe’s leadership agenda is understood and experienced across markets. Your work will strengthen leadership visibility, support change adoption, connect technology transformation to business priorities and create a clearer, more coherent story for colleagues and stakeholders.
If you are an influential, thoughtful and commercially minded communications leader who can bring people together around a shared direction, we would welcome your application.
Benefits of Working at Canada Life
We believe in recognising and rewarding our people, so we offer a competitive salary and benefits package that’s regularly reviewed. As a Canada Life UK colleague, you’ll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including a generous pension and bonus scheme, along with, income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance. We have a fantastic number of other benefits and support services as well as regular personal and professional development.
How We Work at Canada Life
Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures. Our blueprint behaviours shape and influence how we work, and are central to the relationships we have with others. Every day we are encouraged to be more curious, own the outcome, face into things together and find a way forward.
We want colleagues to have rewarding careers with us so we invest in the development of our people, technology and workplaces. That’s why we offer a range of training, flexible working and opportunities to grow and develop.
Diversity and Inclusion
Building an inclusive workplace with a diverse workforce where everyone can feel they belong and achieve their potential regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other characteristic is a key commitment for us. We are proud of the progress we’re making in DEI, and we continue for it to be a significant focus.
“At Canada Life we believe in the power of great people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives coming together to build better futures. Emerging talent is crucial to our growth and creating an environment that continues to inspire us all.” Nick Harding, Chief People Officer, Canada Life UK
We appreciate that everyone has different work and life responsibilities. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements, including part time, for any of our roles should this be a requirement for you.
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