Communications Officer
Venesky-Brown’s client, a public sector organisation with offices across Argyll and Bute, is currently looking to recruit a Communications Officer for a 6 weeks contract with options to extend on a rate of £15.10/hour (PAYE). This role is remote based.
Responsibilities
– Support the Communications Manager to develop the team’s strategic objectives and service plans by working in partnership with colleagues (within and outwith the service) and by taking personal responsibility for planning how these are delivered effectively and efficiently to service users. In particular, take responsibility for:
– Ensure all campaigns and communications contribute to and promote the vision. Advise on branding, marketing and advertising to service areas across the organisation, to ensure the brand, values and image are maintained at all times.
– Support the Communications Manager when required (deputising if appropriate) to plan for and implement appropriate crisis management and business continuity procedures.
– Develop and maintain subsidiary communications functions as required such as the photo-library and corporate templates.
– Proactively plan and advise on the content and distribution for positive and best effect articles promoting corporate messages in any relevant publications, the intranet, web site, and any other communications channels which adopts using customer-friendly style to ensure effective delivery to internal / external audience and clearly stating these are available in alternate formats/languages.
– Assist the Communications Manager to ensure that high quality services and best value are delivered to service users by ensuring that all agreed plans are implemented efficiently and effectively. In particular:
– Ensure all campaigns and communications contribute to and promote the vision. Advise on branding, marketing and advertising to service areas across the organisation, to ensure the brand, values and image are maintained at all times.
– Advise elected members, chief executive, directors and services on identifying and maximising positive communications and PR opportunities for promoting awareness, understanding and support among local citizens for the goals, values, strategic objectives and services provided.
– Develop good working relationships with media representatives. Utilise this to provide a proactive and reactive media relations service, researching, writing and signing off press releases and briefings with officers and members, and advising on photography for promotional purposes, while maintaining accurate records of all media enquiries, releases and responses.
– Facilitate media interviews for elected members and council staff, providing background information and training to ensure effective delivery of messages at all times.
– Support the Communications Manager when required (deputising if appropriate) to plan for and implement appropriate crisis management and business continuity procedures.
– Participate as required in an out-of-hours emergency on-call media response service for journalists, following up enquiries with officers and members.
– Work with external suppliers such as printers and designers to agree appropriate style and costing for internal and external publications which meet customer need for clear, transparent and accessible information, and reflect corporate style and branding.
– Write, edit and update articles for positive and best effect in promoting corporate messages in any relevant publications, the intranet, web site, and any other communications channels which adopts using customer-friendly style to ensure effective delivery to internal / external audience and clearly stating these are available in alternate formats/languages.
– In addition, represent the authority on relevant external bodies/committees; deputise for the Communications. Manager when appropriate; attend Committees as required.
– Assist other departments to ensure best value in use of resources for communication purposes, by for example cost estimates are sourced from appropriate suppliers.
– Support the Communications Manager to implement and maintain appropriate performance management reporting systems as a means of managing and monitoring the team’s performance, to ensure standards are maintained, improvements developed and issues addressed in a timely manner, and in particular:
– Actively contribute to the Communication Team meeting its Team targets
– Provide friendly, enthusiastic and proactive customer service
– Ensure that employees and/or outside bodies under his/her control comply with the department’s or their own health and safety at work procedures and ensure that safe systems of work are used at all times.
– Undertake other duties appropriate to this job and grade, and as required by the line manager and ensure appropriate outcomes are achieved.
Essential Skills:
– Degree or equivalent vocational qualification in related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
– Significant experience of working as part of a communications team in a fast-paced and challenging environment requiring initiative and quick decision-making.
– Experience of advising at board level and / or with elected members on media and communications matters.
– Experience of delivering fully accessible internal and external communications through a wide range of channels including for oral, written and multi-media (including web) formats.
– Significant experience of working with journalists from the press, broadcast and e- media.
– Experience of working on internal communications.
– Knowledge of appropriate techniques to ensure all communications are written in plain English and achieve maximum impact.
– Good understanding of equal opportunities and implications for communications, and of methods of delivering accessible communications.
– Postholder may be required to work outside normal working hours as necessary on communications / media management.
– Post holder is required to travel effectively and efficiently to meet the needs of the service.
– Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
– Enthusiastic, motivated and the ability to advise and guide others.
– Good negotiation, facilitation and customer service skills.
– Ability to work unsupervised, and collaboratively.
– Ability to remain calm under pressure.
– Ability to juggle tasks to meet deadlines.
Desirable Skills:
– A marketing or communications qualification
– Experience of working for a local authority.
– Dealing with crisis media management.
– Experience of planning, organising and arranging large conferences and events.
If you would like to hear more about this opportunity please get in touch.
Responsibilities
– Support the Communications Manager to develop the team’s strategic objectives and service plans by working in partnership with colleagues (within and outwith the service) and by taking personal responsibility for planning how these are delivered effectively and efficiently to service users. In particular, take responsibility for:
– Ensure all campaigns and communications contribute to and promote the vision. Advise on branding, marketing and advertising to service areas across the organisation, to ensure the brand, values and image are maintained at all times.
– Support the Communications Manager when required (deputising if appropriate) to plan for and implement appropriate crisis management and business continuity procedures.
– Develop and maintain subsidiary communications functions as required such as the photo-library and corporate templates.
– Proactively plan and advise on the content and distribution for positive and best effect articles promoting corporate messages in any relevant publications, the intranet, web site, and any other communications channels which adopts using customer-friendly style to ensure effective delivery to internal / external audience and clearly stating these are available in alternate formats/languages.
– Assist the Communications Manager to ensure that high quality services and best value are delivered to service users by ensuring that all agreed plans are implemented efficiently and effectively. In particular:
– Ensure all campaigns and communications contribute to and promote the vision. Advise on branding, marketing and advertising to service areas across the organisation, to ensure the brand, values and image are maintained at all times.
– Advise elected members, chief executive, directors and services on identifying and maximising positive communications and PR opportunities for promoting awareness, understanding and support among local citizens for the goals, values, strategic objectives and services provided.
– Develop good working relationships with media representatives. Utilise this to provide a proactive and reactive media relations service, researching, writing and signing off press releases and briefings with officers and members, and advising on photography for promotional purposes, while maintaining accurate records of all media enquiries, releases and responses.
– Facilitate media interviews for elected members and council staff, providing background information and training to ensure effective delivery of messages at all times.
– Support the Communications Manager when required (deputising if appropriate) to plan for and implement appropriate crisis management and business continuity procedures.
– Participate as required in an out-of-hours emergency on-call media response service for journalists, following up enquiries with officers and members.
– Work with external suppliers such as printers and designers to agree appropriate style and costing for internal and external publications which meet customer need for clear, transparent and accessible information, and reflect corporate style and branding.
– Write, edit and update articles for positive and best effect in promoting corporate messages in any relevant publications, the intranet, web site, and any other communications channels which adopts using customer-friendly style to ensure effective delivery to internal / external audience and clearly stating these are available in alternate formats/languages.
– In addition, represent the authority on relevant external bodies/committees; deputise for the Communications. Manager when appropriate; attend Committees as required.
– Assist other departments to ensure best value in use of resources for communication purposes, by for example cost estimates are sourced from appropriate suppliers.
– Support the Communications Manager to implement and maintain appropriate performance management reporting systems as a means of managing and monitoring the team’s performance, to ensure standards are maintained, improvements developed and issues addressed in a timely manner, and in particular:
– Actively contribute to the Communication Team meeting its Team targets
– Provide friendly, enthusiastic and proactive customer service
– Ensure that employees and/or outside bodies under his/her control comply with the department’s or their own health and safety at work procedures and ensure that safe systems of work are used at all times.
– Undertake other duties appropriate to this job and grade, and as required by the line manager and ensure appropriate outcomes are achieved.
Essential Skills:
– Degree or equivalent vocational qualification in related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
– Significant experience of working as part of a communications team in a fast-paced and challenging environment requiring initiative and quick decision-making.
– Experience of advising at board level and / or with elected members on media and communications matters.
– Experience of delivering fully accessible internal and external communications through a wide range of channels including for oral, written and multi-media (including web) formats.
– Significant experience of working with journalists from the press, broadcast and e- media.
– Experience of working on internal communications.
– Knowledge of appropriate techniques to ensure all communications are written in plain English and achieve maximum impact.
– Good understanding of equal opportunities and implications for communications, and of methods of delivering accessible communications.
– Postholder may be required to work outside normal working hours as necessary on communications / media management.
– Post holder is required to travel effectively and efficiently to meet the needs of the service.
– Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
– Enthusiastic, motivated and the ability to advise and guide others.
– Good negotiation, facilitation and customer service skills.
– Ability to work unsupervised, and collaboratively.
– Ability to remain calm under pressure.
– Ability to juggle tasks to meet deadlines.
Desirable Skills:
– A marketing or communications qualification
– Experience of working for a local authority.
– Dealing with crisis media management.
– Experience of planning, organising and arranging large conferences and events.
If you would like to hear more about this opportunity please get in touch.
