How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries about the role please contact Danielle Clayton, Head of Communications and Marketing, by email danielle.clayton@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Communications and marketing senior officers play a pivotal role in the communications and marketing team, bringing professional knowledge and skills, and taking a proactive approach that ensures excellence.

Senior officers will lead the delivery of communications and marketing work that supports the best council and best city priorities.

They will be responsible for planning the communications and marketing team’s work and ensuring agreed work is completed to a high standard.

Senior officers will develop and maintain systems and ways of working within the team to ensure a consistent and professional service.

Responsibilities

• Act as both an individual lead and as the lead for project teams to deliver work on behalf of the communications and marketing team.
• Demonstrate a proactive attitude and approach, and use judgement and insight to reach decisions.
• Provide professional advice across all communications and marketing disciplines, based on a high standard of competency across the insight, ideas, implementation and impact stages of the competency framework, and with a strong focus on outcomes.
• Work with colleagues to prioritise the team’s workload, ensuring efficient use of resources and appropriate levels of support for council and city priorities.
• Support the smooth running of a professional communications and marketing service by embedding and updating consistent ways of working across the team.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers that help the council and team to meet priorities while spending money wisely.
• Represent the council and the communications and marketing team at internal and external meetings and events.
• Lead on the development and embed the consistent use of the procurement framework for communications and marketing spend both in the team and across the council, in line with the organisation’s financial rules.
• Lead on a programme of support for graduate placements in the communications and marketing team, including training on professional skills, mentoring, work shadowing and other appropriate routes.
• Manage work placements into the communications and marketing team to ensure that resources are in place to deliver a programme that meets both team and individual objectives.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Degree/professional qualification or equivalent job-related experience.

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

The Post Holder Should Demonstrate The Following Within The Context Of The Key Role Duties And Responsibilities, Meeting Core Competencies And Working Towards The Key Competencies At The Officer Level Of The Communications And Marketing Competency Framework:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage, influence and negotiate and to form positive relationships at all levels;
• A proactive approach, using professional judgement based on insight and innovation;
• An inclusive approach and a commitment to equality and diversity;
• Contributes to own health and wellbeing and promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of others
• Commitment to their own continuing professional development.
• Considerable experience gained working in a marketing, PR, communications or relevant related environment.
• Good level of knowledge of the operations of a marketing, PR or communications function.
• Good level of understanding of marketing, PR or communication issues facing large local authorities and the public sector.
• Thorough knowledge of marketing, PR and communications methodology.
• Experience of delivering multiple projects to tight deadlines.
• Experience of producing clear, accurate copy within tight deadlines and the ability to communicate in plain English.
• Experience of working in a team environment but with the ability to work individually without supervision.
• Ability to brief for large-scale marketing, PR or communications projects.
• Ability to produce marketing, PR or communication strategies and plans, reports, articles and news releases which are clear and articulate.
• Ability to prepare and present written and verbal information in a concise and accurate manner to a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to contribute effectively to a wide range of corporate projects from a marketing, PR and communications perspective.
• Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and oral, confidence and the ability to present to a variety of audiences both internal and external to the organisation.
• Computer literate with ability to use relevant software packages.
• Demonstrable experience of dealing with matters, which are highly sensitive and confidential.
• Ability to work to specified work programmes and timetables, prioritising effectively.
• Ability to make swift decisions and judgements.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Ability to foster and maintain useful contacts internal and external to the council.
• Ability to contribute to partnerships involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability to develop productive working relationships that command trust and confidence.
• Ability to work effectively with others to deliver cross-service projects.
• Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Willing to abide by the council’s equal opportunities policy in the duties of the post, and as an employee of the council.
• Able to offer persuasive professional and creative advice.
• Able