Corporate Communications Officer

Fixed Term Contract/Secondment until 31st March 2022

Portsmouth City Council

At Portsmouth City Council we're all about developing our staff, because we want to build a bigger and better city but we need the best employees to do so.

With a little over 207,000 residents and 7,000 businesses throughout this city, this unitary authority's main goal is to ensure the best care and development of all those within the city. From customer service to Multi-million pound projects, our residents are at the heart of everything we do.

Your New Role

Portsmouth City Council has an exciting opportunity for a talented marketing and communications professional to join our forward-thinking corporate communications team.

Corporate communications provides the council with a full marketing communications service, managing media relations, marketing, graphic design and internal communications, producing a range of publications and campaigns, maintaining the council's brand and corporate identity, and taking responsibility for web/social media.

Managed by the marketing resources manager, the post will be based in corporate communications in the council’s civic offices headquarters in the centre of Portsmouth.

This post will play a vital role within corporate communications, taking responsibility for a number of projects and campaigns across all council services.

The post holder will act as account manager for number of council services, responsible for developing and maintaining the client relationship, as well as ensuring their communication and print requirements are planned and delivered in a targeted and cost effective way.

The post holder will be responsible for developing and delivering a range of marketing strategies and campaign plans, employing effective research and robust evaluation. This will include preparing and delivering creative targeted campaigns, organising and running events, effectively managing the media and engaging a wide range of stakeholders.

The post holder will also act as duty media officer as part of a team rota and take part in a 24/7 emergency on-call rota.

Who is the person?

We are looking for an excellent all-round communications professional who combines a range of marketing, PR and communications skills and experience with enthusiasm, creativity, and the ability to hit the ground running.

What you must have:

• You will have a degree or equivalent in a relevant subject area and/or appropriate professional qualification (for example CIM or CIPR) and proven experience in communications, PR or marketing

OR

• significant proven experience in communications, PR or marketing
• You will have proven experience successfully leading on and managing communications, marketing or PR for an organisation, project or service, including producing marketing strategies and planning campaigns
• You will been able to demonstrate your ability to develop, plan and deliver clear targeted communications campaigns that meet SMART objectives
• You will be able to demonstrate the use of sound research in your work.
• You will be able to show experience managing client relationships, with the confidence and ability to work with people at all levels, demonstrating the ability to negotiate and adapt your approach accordingly
• You will have excellent evaluation skills and be confident demonstrating that your work delivers results against objectives.
• You will be able to demonstrate that you understand and can deliver, return on marketing investment
• You will be able to demonstrate innovative use of social media and other digital channels in your communication or marketing campaigns
• You will have proven experience of effectively managing media relations
• You’ll be have the confidence and ability to work with people at all levels, demonstrating the ability to negotiate and adapt your approach accordingly
• You’ll be able to demonstrate strong leadership with the ability to work effectively as part of a team
• You will be an excellent writer, confident writing and producing a range of communications and marketing material, from corporate documents to colourful campaigns, and have the ability to write for multiple audiences in different formats, using various styles
• You will have excellent time management skills, including the ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritise a hefty workload
• You will be able to demonstrate professional leadership, being able to mentor and support your peers but also influence those in senior posts.
• You will have drive, enthusiasm and passion for the role

What you'll get in return

As well as highly competitive pay you'll receive all the benefits of working within a local authority organisation, which ranges from flexible working hours to a fantastic pension which allows you the opportunity to pay in more for that greater return. We wish to support all our staffs development throughout, if that’s progression planning or involvement within the on the job apprenticeship scheme we will work together to drive your career. For those with families we have child care benefits as well as discounts with local businesses which can be enjoyed by all.

When completing the application form, please thoroughly tailor your application to the 'Who is the Person' points with the use of examples from your experience. This is really important or you are likely not to be shortlisted. The full job profile is attached.