Responsibilities

• Lead the department's response to breaking news stories, emerging issues and media enquiries, ensuring accurate, timely and effective handling of high-profile and sensitive issues.
• Develop and deliver robust media handling strategies, rebuttal plans and communications responses to protect and advance the department's reputation.
• Provide expert communications advice to ministers, special advisers and senior officials on reactive media issues, crises, reputational risks and developing stories.
• Monitor and assess the news agenda, identifying emerging risks and opportunities while ensuring the department is prepared to respond rapidly and effectively.
• Demonstrate excellent written and editing skills to deliver high-quality lines to take, press statements, rebuttals, briefing materials and crisis communications under tight deadlines.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, broadcasters and communications colleagues across government to support effective media handling.
• Deliver post-incident evaluation and lessons learned from major media issues, crises and reactive handling activity to strengthen future performance.
• Line manage and support junior team members, helping build capability in media handling, crisis communications and newsdesk operations.
• Participate in the out-of-hours duty rota, responding to urgent and high-profile media issues as required.

Requirements

• Significant experience working in a fast-paced press office, newsroom or communications environment, with a strong track record of reactive media handling.
• Excellent media handling, crisis communications and rebuttal skills, with sound judgement in managing high-profile and sensitive issues.
• Strong news sense and the ability to identify reputational risks and opportunities quickly, making effective decisions under pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, accurate and compelling communications at pace.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, within government or senior leaders, on complex and sensitive communications issues.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, remain calm under pressure and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• Experience line managing and developing communications professionals, raising standards and fostering a high-performing team culture.

Preferred

• Experience using media monitoring, audience insight or performance data to improve communications products, processes and decision-making.
• Experience driving innovation in media operations, including the use of digital tools, new technologies or improved workflows to enhance effectiveness.

Benefits

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.