Senior Project Communications Manager

Balfour; Doncaster; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading infrastructure company is seeking a Senior Project Communications Manager in Doncaster. This role focuses on leading the communications strategy for a significant rail alliance, protecting its reputation through effective stakeholder engagement and transparent messaging. The ideal candidate will have a degree in a relevant field and experience in civil engineering or infrastructure programmes, coupled with strong communication and analytical skills. The role offers flexibility through remote work options.

Benefits

Smart working options

25 days paid annual leave

Family friendly policies

Pension and share incentive plan

Qualifications

• Degree in communications, public relations, marketing or a related discipline.
• Experience working on construction or civil engineering infrastructure programmes.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop communications strategy for CRSA.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and communities.
• Manage crisis communications and media opportunities.

Skills

Excellent written communication

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Microsoft Office

Interpersonal communication

Education

Degree in communications, public relations or marketing

Job description

About The Role

Are you a skilled communications professional with a passion for shaping complex infrastructure programmes? Do you thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment where your work directly supports safer, more efficient rail services across the UK? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Balfour Beatty is looking for a Senior Project Communications Manager to lead the communications strategy for the Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) — an industry‑leading partnership between Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, AtkinsRéalis and TSO.

This is a high‑profile and influential role, responsible for protecting and enhancing the alliance’s reputation, engaging stakeholders, and ensuring our people stay informed, aligned and motivated to deliver vital rail renewals and systems works across the UK.

This role can be based out of the Aston Depot, Birmingham or Doncaster Depot, with UK travel.

What you'll be doing

Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the voice and visibility of one of the UK’s most significant rail alliances. Your responsibilities will include:

Strategic Leadership

• Developing and delivering a fully integrated internal and external communications strategy aligned to programme milestones, safety priorities and stakeholder needs.
• Championing CRSA achievements, innovation and sustainability to demonstrate the value delivered for passengers, freight customers and the wider rail industry.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Building strong, collaborative relationships with Network Rail leaders, alliance partners, industry bodies, local authorities and community groups.
• Ensuring clear, consistent and transparent messaging about planned works, benefits and community impacts.

Risk & Issues Management

• Acting as the CRSA’s primary point of escalation for emerging issues.
• Working closely with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty media teams to identify proactive media opportunities and manage reactive or crisis communications.

Content & Channel Ownership

• Overseeing CRSA communication channels, multimedia materials and the editorial calendar.
• Creating accessible, engaging content that simplifies complex rail systems information for diverse audiences.

Internal Communications

• Delivering timely, meaningful employee communications that reinforce core messages, strengthen safety culture, and support multi‑disciplinary project teams across the alliance.

Governance, Budget & Compliance

• Ensuring all communications meet Balfour Beatty and Network Rail standards, approvals and privacy requirements.
• Managing the CRSA communications budget and overseeing agencies as required.

Who we're looking for

Essential Skills & Experience

• Degree in communications, public relations, marketing or a related discipline.
• Experience working on construction or civil engineering infrastructure programmes.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence and negotiate.
• Skilled at managing competing deadlines in a complex delivery environment.
• Confident presenter to varied audiences.
• Analytical thinker with strong problem‑solving capability.
• Good understanding of the media landscape.
• Proactive, collaborative and always seeking improvement.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office.

Desirable

• Membership of CIPR, IOIC, CIM or similar professional bodies.
• Understanding of regulatory environments in construction, rail or utilities.

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

Benefits

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About Us

Balfour Beatty works at the heart of the UK’s rail networks – designing, enhancing and maintaining thousands of miles of the railways that connect communities and underpin growth.

From feasibility studies, planning and design through to implementation and asset management, we provide multi‑disciplinary rail infrastructure services across the lifecycle of rail assets. Our expertise covers electrification, track, power, civils, specialist rail plant, railway systems and technologies.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: [e-mail]