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.

Job Purpose
The Public Relations Manager will be responsible for managing proactive and reactive public relations activities, and supporting the development and delivery of comprehensive, integrated public relations strategies to enhance the reputation of Canada Life’s brand and business lines and ensure media visibility.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supporting the development and delivery of proactive and reactive public relations activities aligned to Canada Life’s public relations, external communications, and business objectives.
• Working with the business to deliver proactive PR content including press releases, research and insight, articles and comment opportunities.
• Managing Canada Life’s press office – responding to journalist queries and working with the business to craft content and responses to requests.
• Working collaboratively with relevant teams to ensure that PR activities are joined up and complementary, and maximised both internally and externally.
• Monitoring Canada Life’s external and media environment to identify opportunities and manage any reputational issues.
• Managing and developing Canada Life’s media relationships and building strong, positive relationships across the Canada Life business.
• Ensuring that PR activity is tracked against relevant metrics and reported upon in line with the wider function.
Managing the PR team’s third party providers.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Strong understanding of media and public relations, having undertaken a similar role within an agency and/or in-house team.
• Experience working within the financial services sector would be desirable.
• A track record of successfully delivering strategic public relations activities in support of business objectives, and evidence of strong working relationships with national and trade media publications.
• Experience of working with internal senior level stakeholders and an ability to work collegiately with all parts of the business.
• Strong influencing, negotiation, and networking skills, with ability to operate in a dynamic and uncertain environment.
• Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to turn complex messages into engaging external content.
• Adaptable to changing priorities and able to hit the ground running when dealing with complex issues
• Self-motivated, well-organised, and able to perform tasks independently
• Drive, creativity, & energy to get things done

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.