Dorset Council UK
Senior Communications Officer
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Senior Communications Officer
2 Exciting Opportunities in Dorset Council’s Communications & Marketing Team
Not all communications roles are the same
At Dorset Council, our Communications and Marketing team is tackling Dorset’s biggest opportunities and challenges—including behaviour change, climate action, regeneration, economic growth, and community engagement.
We’re seeking experienced communications and marketing professionals to join our growing team, regardless of whether your background is in local government, agency work, the private sector, a charity, or another organisation. We’re interested in professionals who blend strategic thinking, creativity, and strong delivery.
You’ll join a dynamic, supportive team already gaining national recognition. This year, we were shortlisted for a Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Award for our ‘Home Habitats’ campaign, which used behavioural insight, creativity, and audience understanding to help residents improve home energy efficiency. The campaign exceeded engagement targets and is now celebrated as an example of innovative public sector communications.
About the Opportunities
We are recruiting for two Senior Communications Officer roles, both part of our Communications and Marketing service, offering the chance to work on projects that make a real difference to Dorset’s residents, communities, and businesses.
Senior Communications Officer (Campaigns and Marketing)
This role is ideal for a marketing professional who excels at turning complex challenges into compelling campaigns.
You’ll lead the development and delivery of strategic marketing and public information campaigns, focusing on:
- Raising awareness
- Influencing behaviour
- Supporting council priorities
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Working as part of our campaigns and marketing team, you’ll:
- Help shape campaign briefs
- Gather audience insight
- Develop creative approaches
- Deliver activity across multiple channels
You’ll have end-to-end ownership of campaigns, working closely with services to:
- Define objectives
- Measure outcomes
- Demonstrate impact
Key focus: Experience in marketing, campaign development, behaviour change, audience insight, or creative delivery would be particularly valuable.
Senior Communications Officer (Weymouth 2040 and Economic Growth)
(Fixed contract: 3 years)
This role is perfect for someone who enjoys:
- Stakeholder and relationship management
- Partnership working
- Translating complex programmes into accessible messaging
You’ll support communications and engagement for Weymouth 2040 and Dorset Council’s wider economic growth ambitions, working with:
- Colleagues
- Partners
- Businesses
- Communities
Your key responsibilities include:
- Storytelling to support regeneration and investment programmes
- Building public understanding and support
- Ensuring local people engage with Weymouth’s future vision
You’ll help embed a new brand and narrative for Weymouth and Dorset, focusing on:
- Clear impactful storytelling
- Translating complex plans and investment priorities into engaging communications for multiple audiences
Preferred experience: Stakeholder management, regeneration, place marketing, economic growth, public affairs, or partnership working. Local knowledge is advantageous, and political awareness is essential.
What We’re Looking For
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We’re recruiting confident communications professionals who can take ownership and deliver with purpose.
You’ll need to demonstrate experience in:
- Planning and delivering communications, engagement, or marketing activity
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building
- Turning complex issues into clear, compelling communications
- Developing clear objectives and measuring success
- Project management, balancing competing priorities
- Using insight, evidence, and evaluation to improve performance
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Creativity, curiosity, andsolution-focused problem-solving
- A strong focus on outcomes and impact, not just outputs
About the Team
You’ll join a small, collaborative, and supportive team of communications and marketing professionals, passionate about driving change.
Our approach: ✔ Open idea-sharing ✔ Innovative problem-solving ✔ Insight-led creative solutions
Whether we’re recruiting foster carers, promoting climate action, boosting economic growth, or engaging communities, we deliver work that is impactful and well-received.
Why Join Dorset Council?
This is a chance to use your professional skills on projects that matter.
Your work will help shape campaigns and communications that:
- Improve health and wellbeing
- Tackle climate and environmental challenges
- Support economic growth and regeneration
- Encourage positive behaviour change
- Help people access services and support
- Strengthen Dorset’s communities
Most importantly, you’ll see first-hand how your work makes a real difference to people’s lives.
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