Main Purpose of Job:

The British Government are recruiting for a media and marketing lead on the UK pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai. We are looking for an experienced comms and marketing professional able to deliver our campaign for the UK during Expo. With a keen knowledge of the Japanese media landscape and a deep understanding of Japanese market, the successful candidate will own the day-to-day management of campaign planning and delivery of activities at the Expo site, working closely with the UK-based communication, marketing manager, and British Embassy Tokyo team. This is a very exciting role on the frontline of the UK’s presence at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, where the activations and campaigns are an integral part of the UK’s participation and overall message to #ComeBuildTheFuture.

This role will initially be based in the British Consulate General before moving to the UK pavilion for the run-phase of Expo. During the Expo 2025 ‘run-phase’ (13 April – 13 Oct 2025) you will need to be onsite at the UK Pavilion and work flexibly on a shift pattern to ensure you have oversight of all key engagements and events at the UK Pavilion. You will be the UK Marketing and Communication Team’s key point of contact at the UK Pavilion.

What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:

• Serve as the communications lead on the UK Pavilion. You will advise on all marketing communications activities (including PR and marketing) at the UK Pavilion. This will entail managing the relationship with the UK Pavilion’s marketing agency suppliers on the ground.
• Set direction at the UK Pavilion and oversee delivery of planned activity, ensuring it is aligned to the brand guidance of the UK at Expo 2025 campaign.
• Develop, execute and oversee a live press office function for the UK Pavilion, responding to media enquiries promptly and accurately. Field media questions and pitch stories to media, prepare media packs and organise press conferences for key moments throughout the 6-months of Expo.
• Hold strong working relationships with local, national and international media in market to anticipate media and comms opportunities, broker relationships for content and amplify the UK’s proposition with local industry, press and media.
• Oversight of external stakeholder engagement; to build a robust network of favourable stakeholders (across UK and other governments, private sector partners and sponsors), willing to lend their voice to the UK’s campaign and presence at Expo 2025, helping to promote content and events to audiences.
• Oversee and approve all social media channel output and execution of tactical strategy and feed into the live grid of activity for the 6 months of Expo. Draft effective media and social copy in English and Japanese and post to UK/Expo specific channels where required.
• Identify, escalate and manage reputational or communication risks and crisis situations, reporting back to London HQ and the Japan Network where required.
• Lead on communications for UK Ministerial and VIP visits to Expo 2025, crisis, high profile announcements and provide feedback and support to Commissioner General to maximise their profile.
• Provide briefings and communications advice to the senior leadership team on the ground at the UK Pavilion.
• You will need to apply marketing insight and a deep understanding of Japanese market and trends to effectively target key audiences. You will lead planning and delivery of communications, speaking engagements with press and media, and proactively scope and secure interview opportunities for British senior officials, Ministers and VIPs.
• Monitor and Evaluate activity to demonstrate success, learn lessons and refine future campaigns and activity. This will include populating the weekly marketing and comms dashboard with metrics, narrative and lessons learnt.

Resources Managed (Staff and Expenditure):

There will be no direct line management of staff, but this role will be responsible for managing the relationship with the UK pavilion’s marketing agency suppliers on the ground. 

• At least 5 years’ experience within media in Japan and nation-wide communications/marketing campaigns
• Deep knowledge of Japanese and regional audiences
• Excellent understanding of the traditional media and digital media landscapes and key audience stakeholders in Japan (both regional and national)
• Experience in content capture and live social media engagement
• Expertise in relevant communications and marketing channels, production and techniques
• High level of competence in developing content for different audiences, including very strong drafting skills for press releases and social media posts
• Experience of managing communications and marketing agencies, and a diverse team
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to relay complex messages into digestible content for different channels

Language Requirements:

• Japanese and English
• Level of language required: Proficient in both English and Japanese (Japanese level must be fluent at JLPT N1 or equivalent.  English level should be at least strong business level (IELTS 6.5 or above)