External Communications Officer

Role overview

Main responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects and deliver high-quality communications outputs to deadlines.
• Draft customer, media and stakeholder materials, including plans, briefings, statements, press releases, presentations, articles, advertising, website copy, FAQs and social content.
• Turn complex information into clear materials for public audiences.
• Identify reputational risks and raise them with appropriate managers.
• Identify media opportunities, write press releases, arrange media events, manage interviews and brief spokespeople.
• Organise, manage and attend in-person and virtual community and stakeholder events.
• Join a shared out-of-hours communications rota, approximately one week in four, supporting crisis communications and escalating where appropriate.
• Liaise with designers, photographers, videographers and other contractors on communications materials and events.

Skills and experience

• Degree-level qualification in a communications or PR-related discipline, or relevant experience.
• Full driving licence.
• At least three years’ experience in journalism or public relations/communications, agency or in-house.
• Working experience and knowledge of the media, and confidence dealing with customers and stakeholders.
• Social media skills are desirable.

Benefits

• Stakeholder pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.
• Five weeks’ holiday plus bank holidays, rising to six weeks with length of service; flexible annual leave to buy or sell.
• Paid volunteering days, cycle-to-work scheme, health cash plan, life assurance and wellbeing benefits.

Recruitment checks

• Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK when employment begins and pass background, identity and employment-reference checks.