Portfolio Communications Lead

Job Description:

Portfolio Communications Lead

FTC 12 months

London (Angel Court, EC2R 7HJ)

Hybrid (2+ days per week in the office)

Full time (37.5 hours)

Salary: up to £85,000 per annum

Advert closes Friday 11th September 2026

We make health happen

At Bupa, we're here to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives and make a better world. As a healthcare provider with no shareholders, we can focus on the people who matter most: our customers and our colleagues.

We're looking for a Portfolio Communications Lead to join our Corporate Affairs team within Bupa Global, India and UK (BGIUK). This is an exciting opportunity to lead communications for complex portfolio changes and strategic business initiatives that support our growth ambitions and long-term success.

As a senior communications professional, you'll play a central role in shaping how we execute our strategy across our insurance and healthcare businesses. You'll develop compelling narratives, advise senior leaders, and help ensure that communications are clear, consistent and aligned with our strategic objectives.

You'll also help protect and enhance Bupa's reputation by carefully managing communications in areas that may attract market sensitivity or public interest.

Working closely with executive leaders, internal teams and external partners, you'll help ensure colleagues, customers and stakeholders understand not just what's changing, but why it matters.

Key Responsibilities

As a Portfolio Communications Lead, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of communications plans supporting strategic initiatives and growth priorities across BGIUK.

• Create clear, compelling messaging that supports business objectives while considering reputation, stakeholder expectations and market sensitivities.

• Act as a trusted communications advisor to senior stakeholders, providing guidance on complex business decisions and change programmes.

• Develop integrated scenario planning and cascade plans across media, internal, customer, digital, social media and public relations channels.

• Partner with Internal Communications, Customer Communications, Marketing and Government Affairs teams to deliver consistent messaging.

• Lead communications planning with external partners and stakeholders, ensuring alignment with Bupa's strategy and values.

• Uphold reputation management and anticipate emerging issues that may affect customers, colleagues or the wider healthcare sector.

• Build strong relationships with leaders and teams across Bupa to support successful communication outcomes.

Keys Skills/Qualifications needed for this role

We're looking for a Portfolio Communications Lead who combines strategic thinking with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• In-depth corporate affairs experience across media relations, issues management, corporate communications, strategic communications, change communications and project communications

• Experience of national media handling is required

• Experience supporting complex programmes, business change initiatives or transformation projects for large organisations or recognised brands.

• Outstanding writing and storytelling skills, with experience producing content across multiple channels and audiences.

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including experience working with senior leaders and executives.

• Experience developing communications for digital, social media, customer and internal & external channels.

• Excellent organisational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and short deadlines.

• Strong judgement and the ability to assess risks, sensitivities and reputational considerations.

• A collaborative approach and the ability to build trusted relationships across a matrix organisation

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to make health happen for our people. Viva is our global wellbeing programme and includes all aspects of our health – from mental and physical, to financial, social and environmental wellbeing. We support flexible working and have a range of family friendly benefits.

Joining Bupa in this role you will receive the following benefits and more:

• 25 days holiday per year, pro rata to your contract.

• Access to a range of services to support your physical and mental wellbeing

• Fixed term benefits allowance

• Access to our confidential employee assistance programme

• Workplace pension

• Online discounts covering your everyday shopping, entertainment, eating out and more.

Why Bupa?

We’re a health insurer and provider. With no shareholders, our customers are our focus. Our people are all driven by the same purpose – helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We make health happen by being brave, caring and responsible in everything we do.

We encourage all of our people to “Be you at Bupa”, we champion diversity, and we understand the importance of our people representing the communities and customers we serve.  That’s why we especially encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Bupa is a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we aim to offer an interview/assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the role. We’ll make sure you are treated fairly and offer reasonable adjustments as part of our recruitment process to anyone that needs them.

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