External Communications Executive

About DotDot is home to a set of businesses united by a bold ambition: to redefine student living and support over one million students each year.Spanning 180+ cities in 30 countries, our companies include, Global Student Accommodation (GSA), Yugo and Student.com. Together, we bring global scale and local insight, powered by more than 2000 passionate people. We believe progress happens when people come together with purpose. We're committed to building long term value through everything we do. With three decades of continuous evolution, Dot's strength lies in how we work. We are pioneering, purposeful and positive, driving smart, sustainable growth across our portfolio. We connect expertise with opportunity to turn ideas into impact and momentum into lasting change.Our ValuesAt Dot, we live and work by our values every day: Pioneering: With three decades of groundbreaking achievements and a passion for international expansion, our distinctive proposition remains stronger than ever Purposeful: Every action we take is intentional, designed to align with our values and create lasting benefits for our people, communities, and the planet Positive: We tackle challenges with resilience and seek to create a supportive and empowering environment for our teams and communitiesRole PurposeYou will deliver the Group's external communications day to day across Dot and its portfolio companies - from drafting press materials and managing website updates to creating social content, gathering insights and supporting events.It is a hands-on role with broad exposure, suited to a strong writer with ambitions to develop experience across all elements of communications.RequirementsPR and media relationsDraft press releases, media pitches, statements, Q&As and briefing notesBuild relationships with journalists across corporate, property, higher-education, investment and consumer titlesHandle routine media enquiries and coordinate interviews and spokesperson requestsPrepare spokesperson briefing packs, researching journalists, outlets and topicsInsight and listeningMonitor media coverage, social conversation and trends for the Group on key issues, including on platforms where students are activeTrack policy and sector news to help shape our communications plansWebsite and GEOKeep the corporate website(s) up to date, accurate and on brand using the CMSPublish news, case studies and campaign content, applying SEO, GEO and accessibility best practiceTrack how Dot and its brands appear in AI-powered search and answer tools, and flag inaccuraciesSocial media and contentPlan and manage the social media calendar across channels Write, edit and publish content including articles, blogs, newsletters and postsCreate and edit short-form video and visual content, and brief designers or videographers where needed Use generative AI tools responsibly to work efficiently, in line with Group policyEventsCoordinate logistics and communications for conferences, awards entries and owned eventsPrepare speaker materials and capture content for use across channelsRisk AwarenessFollow approval processes and brand guidelines for all external contentSpot and escalate emerging reputational risks quickly, in the media or on social platformsSupport issues and crisis responses, including monitoring, logging and drafting holding statements, and join the out-of-hours rota when requiredReportingCompile regular reports on coverage, website and social performance, highlighting what's working and what to changeMaintain media, content, events and stakeholder trackersExperience and KnowledgeEssentialUp to 5 years in communications, PR, marketing or journalism (ambitious graduates with relevant internships welcome)Excellent writing skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracyConfident using social media professionally and creating engaging contentComfortable working with data and explaining what it showsWillingness to work flexibly, including out-of-hours support when issues ariseDesirableExposure to corporate / B2B media in real estate, financial services, or hospitality and leisureExperience of B2C communications in an operational, customer-facing businessVideo skills: filming, editing and producing content for socialExperience with communications platforms, including media databases, listening and analytics toolsUnderstanding of SEO, GEO or AI searchInterest in international markets; additional languages a plusPersonal Attributes & CompetenciesOrganised, able to manage multiple projects and deadlinesGood judgement and awareness of reputational riskCurious and insight-minded: notices what matters and asks 'so what?'Collaborative, working well across brands, teams and time zonesProactive and keen to learnWhat Success Looks Like In Year OneWebsite and social channels consistently up to date, accurate and on brandRegular listening and insight summaries that the team acts onA growing network of journalist contacts and regular secured coverageAI search visibility tracked monthly, with inaccuracies flagged and correctedRegular performance reports delivered on timeTrusted to draft external materials needing minimal editsA reliable contributor during issues, handling routine enquiries with confidenceExplore all opportunities across the Dot Group at https://careers.thedotgroup.comBenefitsBonus scheme, Pension, Private Healthcare + other benefits.