External Communications Manager
Location: London, UK (Hybrid, 2 days a week in office)

About the role

TM Forum is the global industry member alliance for telco and tech companies with over 800 communication service providers, vendors, hyperscalers, consultancies and system integrators, including the world’s top ten CSPs and top three hyperscalers.

The TM Forum marketing team set the brand strategy, create and deliver our go-to-market programme, support lines of business and events, and drive member value through engaging campaigns and communications.

We are looking for a proactive and digitally savvy External Communications Manager to join our growing organisation. This is a new role with significant opportunity to shape our external communications and amplify our brand presence. You will be pivotal in driving our external narrative across media, analyst communities, and key social media channels.

What you’ll do

• Working into our Head of Communications you will own the PR strategy and planning, aligning with corporate messaging and objectives.
• Manage media relations, building and maintaining relationships with key tier 1 business and trade media contacts. This involves pitching stories, coordinating interviews, and handling media inquiries.
• Drive analyst relations, fostering relationships with key industry analysts to secure briefings and positive mentions in their reports.
• Support the execution of the spokesperson strategy, working with key TM Forum subject matter experts including our CEO to maximise thought leadership opportunities.
• Develop and implement the social media strategy, focusing primarily on LinkedIn and YouTube to enhance brand visibility, engagement, and thought leadership while also shaping our future strategy and presence.
• Manage the day-to-day social media channels including scheduling, community engagement, and monitoring performance.
• Create compelling content for external channels, ensuring alignment with the content strategy and corporate messaging. This may include social media posts, video scripts, and input into press releases.
• Integrate external communications activities with broader marketing campaigns, ensuring a consistent and impactful message across all external channels.
• Monitor, measure, and report on the effectiveness of external communications activities against agreed KPIs, including Share of Voice, Share of Conversation, social engagement, and website traffic. You will use tools like Meltwater to track and analyse performance.
• Provide external communications support for key TM Forum events such as DTW Ignite and Innovate, including pre, during, and post-event communications..             

• 3-5 years' PR experience, whether agency or in-house, ideally with strong tech/B2B credentials. Experience of social media and / or campaigns is highly desirable.

• An understanding of the media and analyst landscape within the telco or technology sectors is a preference, with established relationships being a strong plus.
• Proven experience in developing and executing communications strategies that have resulted in media and analyst coverage that delivered measurable business impact.
• Demonstrable experience in developing and managing successful social media strategies, specifically on LinkedIn and YouTube, with a focus on organic growth and engagement.
• Excellent content creation skills with the ability to produce engaging and impactful written and visual content for various external channels.
• Strong understanding of external communications metrics, with experience using tools to track and report on performance.
• Project management experience with a proven ability to prioritise work, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills; written, verbal, and presentation, with the ability to articulate complex information clearly and concisely to different audiences.
• A proactive and strategic mindset with the ability to identify opportunities to enhance TM Forum’s external presence and thought leadership.
• A "can-do" attitude and a collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across different teams, including marketing, events, and leadership.
• Fluent in English (other languages are very welcome!).

Why Join TM Forum?

• Be part of a forward-thinking organization shaping the future of telecommunications.
• Opportunities for professional development and advancement in a collaborative global team.
• A supportive and inclusive work environment that values creativity, innovation, and diversity.

We know that sometimes the 'perfect candidate' doesn't exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they don't fit all the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed.

Diversity & Inclusion at TM Forum

TM Forum is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws