Communications Lead

Job Purpose
Reporting directly to the CEO, you will lead and shape all aspects of the Foundation’s communications and brand strategy.
This is a pivotal leadership role within the organisation. You will act as strategic adviser on reputation, messaging and positioning, ensuring that the Foundation’s voice reflects both the urgency of the fight against MND and the powerful legacy of Doddie Weir.
You will steward one of Scotland’s most recognised charitable brands, protecting and evolving our public profile as we continue to invest in research, influence policy and support those living with MND.
About My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
Founded in 2017 following Doddie Weir’s diagnosis with motor neurone disease, the Foundation exists to fund research, raise awareness and support those affected by MND.
Since inception, we have committed over £19.5 million to research and a further £2 million in grants to individuals living with MND. We have helped catalyse national campaigns, foster research collaborationand build a movement united by one shared ambition: a World Free of MND.
We are at an exciting stage in our journey - growing in influence, impact and profile - and communications sits at the heart of that growth.
Key Responsibilities
You will lead the Communications function, working collaboratively across Fundraising, Research and Finance, and will be responsible for:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and deliver a clear, integrated communications and brand strategy aligned to organisational goals.
Develop and deliver a clear, integrated communications and brand strategy aligned to organisational goals.
- Act as trusted adviser to the CEO on messaging, reputation and stakeholder positioning.
Act as trusted adviser to the CEO on messaging, reputation and stakeholder positioning.
- Ensure communications activity supports fundraising growth, research impact and policy engagement.
Ensure communications activity supports fundraising growth, research impact and policy engagement.
- Provide regular insight and impact reporting to the CEO and Board.
Provide regular insight and impact reporting to the CEO and Board.
Brand & Reputation Management
- Protect and evolve the Foundation’s brand, ensuring clarity, consistency and emotional resonance.
Protect and evolve the Foundation’s brand, ensuring clarity, consistency and emotional resonance.
- Develop internal brand guidance and champion high standards of communication across the organisation.
Develop internal brand guidance and champion high standards of communication across the organisation.
- Oversee crisis communications planning and reputation risk mitigation.
Oversee crisis communications planning and reputation risk mitigation.
Media & External Engagement
- Lead strategic media engagement, working closely with external PR support.
Lead strategic media engagement, working closely with external PR support.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key media contacts and stakeholders.
Build and maintain strong relationships with key media contacts and stakeholders.
- Translate complex research and policy information into accessible, compelling narratives.
Translate complex research and policy information into accessible, compelling narratives.
Digital & Campaign Delivery
- Oversee digital communications strategy including website, social media and supporter communications.
Oversee digital communications strategy including website, social media and supporter communications.
- Ensure campaigns are creatively strong, audience-led and impact-driven.
Ensure campaigns are creatively strong, audience-led and impact-driven.
- Analyse performance data (including Google Analytics and other KPIs) to inform continuous improvement.
Analyse performance data (including Google Analytics and other KPIs) to inform continuous improvement.
Team & Supplier Leadership
- Lead and develop the Communications team, maximising contribution and performance.
Lead and develop the Communications team, maximising contribution and performance.
- Manage agency and contractor relationships where required.
Manage agency and contractor relationships where required.
- Foster a collaborative and high-performing culture across functions.
Foster a collaborative and high-performing culture across functions.
Skills and Experience
- Significant experience developing and delivering strategic communications plans.
Significant experience developing and delivering strategic communications plans.
- Strong media relations and reputation management expertise.
Strong media relations and reputation management expertise.
- Experience leading teams and managing external agencies.
Experience leading teams and managing external agencies.
- Strong organisational and project management capability.
Strong organisational and project management capability.
- Confidence operating at senior leadership level and advising executive stakeholders.
Confidence operating at senior leadership level and advising executive stakeholders.
- Ability to analyse performance metrics and demonstrate impact.
Ability to analyse performance metrics and demonstrate impact.
- Experience in the charity, campaigning or advocacy sector.
Experience in the charity, campaigning or advocacy sector.
- Understanding of research communications.
Understanding of research communications.
- Experience of working in a high-profile or emotionally resonant brand environment.
Experience of working in a high-profile or emotionally resonant brand environment.
- Digital content creation experience (video, graphic or website development).
Digital content creation experience (video, graphic or website development).
- Experience of campaign or product management.
Experience of campaign or product management.
Personal Attributes
We are looking for someone who brings:
- Strategic judgement and credibility.
Strategic judgement and credibility.
- Emotional intelligence and integrity.
Emotional intelligence and integrity.
- A strong appreciation for mission-led work.
A strong appreciation for mission-led work.
- The confidence to operate independently while building strong collaborative relationships.
The confidence to operate independently while building strong collaborative relationships.
- A genuine commitment to the Foundation’s purpose and values.
A genuine commitment to the Foundation’s purpose and values.
Why Join Us?
This is more than a communications role.
It is an opportunity to help shape the voice of a movement, to steward a powerful legacy, and to contribute meaningfully to the fight against MND.
You will work directly with senior leadership, influence national conversations, and help ensure that Doddie’s vision continues to drive progress towards a World Free of MND.