PR Lead

We have a fantastic opportunity for a PR Lead to join our Customer team here at Greggs.

You'll lead the way in creating the stories that keep Greggs one of the UK's most talked-about and loved brands. Combining strategic communications, consumer PR and reputation management, you'll uncover what makes Greggs special and turn it into compelling stories that capture attention, build trust and support commercial success.

Working closely with teams across the business, you'll shape and deliver an integrated communications strategy that drives fame, strengthens our reputation and ensures Greggs has a distinctive voice across consumer, corporate and trade audiences. From generating headline-grabbing campaigns to providing expert issues and crisis counsel, you'll play a key role in protecting and enhancing our brand.

What you'll be doing

Create the stories everyone is talking about

• Own Greggs' editorial agenda, uncovering the stories across our products, ranges, shops and wider business that capture attention and keep us part of the national conversation
• Build a rolling pipeline of newsworthy stories aligned to key trading moments and business priorities
• Turn everyday Greggs moments into stories that customers care about and want to share

Turn great campaigns into national conversations

• Develop earned-media strategies that maximise the impact of new product launches and wider marketing campaigns
• Create attention-grabbing PR ideas that build awareness, spark conversation and support commercial performance
• Deliver a mix of high-impact campaigns and smart, reactive activity that keeps Greggs front of mind throughout the year

Spot opportunities and move at pace

• Identify opportunities within the daily news agenda and turn them into creative PR moments that earn national attention
• Lead the development and delivery of reactive PR activity, moving quickly from idea to execution

Strengthen and protect the Greggs brand

• Find and tell the stories that build trust, relevance and affinity with customers
• Provide senior communications counsel and help protect Greggs' reputation through effective issues and media management

Lead our press office and media relationships

• Lead the Greggs press office, acting as a senior contact for media enquiries and high-profile issues
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, media organisations and external partners
• Proactively place stories that strengthen both Greggs' reputation and brand fame

Inspire creativity across the business

• Be a driving force for creative thinking across PR and the wider marketing team
• Develop ideas that have the potential to lead campaigns, social content and wider brand activity

What we're looking for

You will fit right into this role if you:

• Have a proven track record delivering high-profile consumer PR activity that has generated national attention, strengthened brand reputation and driven commercial impact
• Have exceptional news judgement and can spot the story in a product, shop, business initiative or cultural moment
• Have experience creating and landing earned media activity, from fast-moving reactive opportunities through to large-scale campaign moments
• Can confidently lead a press office, managing both proactive and reactive media activity
• Have direct experience working with national media across areas such as news, features, food, showbiz or sport
• Thrive in a fast-paced environment and can make sound decisions quickly, with an understanding of reputational risk
• Know how to amplify product launches and wider marketing campaigns through PR
• Are a highly collaborative communicator who works effectively across PR, Social, Creative and wider business teams
• Have experience influencing senior stakeholders and providing trusted communications advice
• Have experience leading, coaching and developing high-performing teams

It would be great if you also have experience providing communications support during reputational or business-critical issues; existing relationships with consumer and trade media across food, retail or FMCG; and experience in retail, food-to-go or FMCG, or a fast-paced, high-frequency trading business.

What's on offer

• Circa £70,000 per annum, depending on experience
• Full-time, permanent role (Monday to Friday, with some flexibility depending on business needs; flexibility in hours will be considered), based at Greggs House, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 8BU
• Management Bonus Scheme worth up to 17.5% of your salary
• Pension scheme with matching employer contributions up to 7%
• Company car or car allowance
• Colleague discount, up to 50% off our own-produced products
• Profit share – 10% of profits distributed to colleagues with at least six months' service
• 25 days' annual leave, increasing with service, plus bank holidays and one additional floating day, with the option to buy more twice a year
• Colleague share plans
• Private medical insurance, income protection and death in service benefit of four times salary
• Virtual GP, physiotherapy and lifestyle consultations, plus an Employee Assistance Programme
• Savings and discounts, career progression and learning and development opportunities, and colleague networks

How to apply

Apply online via the Greggs careers site using the Apply button on the vacancy.