Communications Lead, UK & EU

The role

As Communications Lead for the UK and Europe, you will own Wayve’s PR strategy and execution across several key functions, including corporate, policy, and product comms. 

The UK is Wayve’s home market, and London is the first city we’ll launch the Wayve AI Driver in.You will be responsible for sustaining and growing Wayve’s reputation as a leading technology company there and across Europe, while also shaping the communications strategy for core product and technology milestones across our automotive and robotaxi businesses, alongside partners such as Nissan, Stellantis, and Uber. 

 

This is a high-ownership role for someone who is comfortable operating as a player-coach and who is motivated by strategic impact, autonomy, and breadth. You will work closely with Marketing, Policy, Product, Partnerships, and Executive Leadership to shape external narratives, manage market activity and build trusted relationships with media and other stakeholders.

 

This is a rare opportunity to shape the communications strategy for one of the most visible and strategically important markets in autonomous driving, working at the intersection of AI, public policy, and commercialization. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Wayve’s communications strategy and execution across the UK and Europe,helping to sustain and grow Wayve’s reputation as a leading technology company.
• Lead communications for Wayve’s UK robotaxi activity, working closely with partners such as Uber, and support future European expansion
• Build, maintain and deepen relationships with key UK and European media through regular engagement, including briefings, ridealongs, and events. 
• Work with policy product, and commercial teams to translate complex technical, regulatory, and commercial milestones into clear, compelling narratives.
• Support executive communications, including profile-building, s, media preparation, and executive coaching.
• Travel as needed across Europe and other key markets on a monthly to quarterly basis depending on business needs.

About you

We are looking for an experienced communications professional with strong judgement, excellent media instincts, and the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-moving environment.

You should be comfortable working across a broad communications mix, including corporate, product, policy, executive, and crisis communications. You will likely have built communications strategies in a technology company, startup, scale-up or agency environment, and you should understand what it takes to build awareness, manage reputation and shape perception in new technology, especially within competitive industries. .

The strongest candidates will combine strategic communications experience with the ability to go deep on specific topics within a  highly technical space. You should be able to handle ambiguity, work at pace, effectively partner with senior stakeholders, and calmly manage sensitive or high-stakes communications issues.

You do not need to have worked in autonomous driving before, but you should be excited by frontier technology and able to understand complex technical, policy, and product issues quickly.

Essential experience

• Significant experience in communications at a fast-paced technology company, ideally in mobility, AI, automotive, deep tech, transport, policy, or another complex regulated sector.
• Strong understanding of and relationships with the UK media landscape, including business, technology, policy, and national media.
• Track record of building or strengthening a company’s brand, reputation and market position.
• Strong judgement in complex, sensitive or high-stakes communications environments.
• Experience working with policy teams on regulation, public affairs, safety, trust or market readiness.
• Experience working closely with senior executives or company spokespeople, including preparing them for media, events, and other external engagements.
• Experience managing external communications agencies and driving efficient and strong outcomes.
• Ability to operate independently in-market while collaborating closely with global and cross-functional teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel across Europe and other markets as required.

Desired experience

• Experience in crisis communications or incident response, particularly in safety-critical, regulated or highly scrutinised industries.
• Experience in autonomous vehicles, mobility, automotive, AI, robotics, transport, public policy or emerging technology.
• Experience working across multiple European markets and adapting communications strategies country by country.
• Passion for helping build public understanding and trust in transformative technology.