Guide Dog charity to restructure PR following review

Guide Dogs for the Blind is to undergo a restructure of its press

and PR functions after a strategic communications review by corporate

development director Steve Billington.

The move comes in the wake of the departure of the two former key senior

PR managers responsible for media relations and communications, and as

part of a wider shake-up of the charity’s strategy over the past two

years.

The role of the head of communications, the top PR job at the charity,

has been broadened to take on board advertising, web site development

and publications, in addition to internal and external communications,

press and PR.

The new head will implement a new five-year communications strategy for

the association and oversee a possible rebranding, although Billington

has yet to finalise this.

The charity will also bring in a new media relations manager, who will

head up the two-strong press office and bring a more proactive

campaigning strategy. The post will report to the media relations

head.

The previous head of communications, David Holding, left in August to

travel, while the former head of media relations has moved to become the

new PR manager for medical journal The Lancet.