West Sussex County Council
Communications Officer
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Do you understand the media/political landscape and have developed communication skills? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you!
Salary: £33,673 to £36,581 per annum
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract for 12 months
Working Pattern: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Location: Based at County Hall, West Street, Chichester PO19 1RQ with hybrid working.
We are looking for a creative individual to deliver first-class communications to our residents, stakeholders, and partners.
Do you understand the media landscape alongside the political one? Do you have knowledge and experience of using communication channels to ensure messages get to the right people in the right way?
If the answer is yes, we want to hear from you! Read on to find out more about this exciting role…
As an employer, we recognize that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do. Upon joining us, you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:
For a full list, please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.
The Opportunity
As a Communications Officer, you will deliver a range of communications activities that align with our key strategic plans. You will work on campaigns and engagement work across a variety of channels, including print, digital, and social media. You will also support with enquiries from the media on a variety of topics.
- You will work on several creative projects at any one time and ensure that all communications activities are evaluated and assessed to ensure they are having the impact we are aiming for.
- You will gain a full understanding of council services to successfully support the wider organisation and build and maintain key relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
- You will understand the news agenda, both locally and nationally, to ensure the council is in a good position to react and respond to anything of relevance.
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You’ll be required to participate in an out-of-hours on-call rota, for which an additional allowance is provided.
About You
Some of the key skills, experience, and knowledge required to be successful in the role include:
- Ability and knowledge to develop creative ideas across all forms of communication and inputting this into a range of platforms, including social media.
- Ability to write effectively for a range of audiences and communication channels and the sound and accurate IT knowledge to deliver this.
- Developed communication and interpersonal skills and experience to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders and maintain relationships.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate and resolve issues, whilst making pragmatic decisions.
- Ability to manage and prioritise your workload effectively when demands and deadlines change.
- Excellent literacy and numeracy skills to understand and interpret research, data, and feedback and present analysis accordingly.
- Relevant degree, alternative qualification, or relevant professional experience.
- Relevant theoretical and practical knowledge of processes, procedures, and policies associated with working within a demanding communications service.
- Understand the media and political landscape and the sensitivity of these as well as experience of handling and responding to press enquiries.
- Experience of working on a variety of communications, ideally in the public sector.
For more information on the key skills as well as the qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the job description attached.
About Us
West Sussex County Council is a diverse organisation that provides services to more than 900,000 residents every day. The Communication Team is currently supporting the council as we move through a period of change, and our priorities are at the heart of this change.
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Further Information
- The reference number for this role is CRS01128.
- For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Philippa Terry-Eld (Communication and Engagement Lead) Philippa.Terry-Eld@westsussex.gov.uk
- For issues or queries regarding your application, please contact emma.cooper@westsussex.gov.uk
To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter, please outline your motivations for applying and explain the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills and ensure that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to right to work in the UK, 3 years referencing, and a health check.
Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran, or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.
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