Responsibilities

• Generate and pitch stories to secure positive media coverage promoting the party’s work in Parliament and national campaign priorities across print, online, and broadcast outlets.
• Work with and build strong relationships with national broadcasters; brief spokespeople for national media appearances such as Question Time , evening news bulletins, and radio packages.
• Work closely with the digital team to ensure media outputs are aligned across social channels and generate creative ideas to translate our stories and campaigns into engaging digital content.
• Support spokespeople and their offices, as well as peers, in using Parliament to generate media coverage, and work with policy colleagues to develop lines to take.
• Spot opportunities by planning ahead and regularly updating the communications grid; plan visits and visuals for the Leader and senior spokespeople.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of journalists across print, broadcast, and online platforms.
• Participate in the media team’s out-of-hours duty system, ensuring the party is equipped to respond to the 24-hour news cycle.
• Undertake other ad hoc duties as required to contribute to the team’s goals and responsibilities.

Requirements

• The candidate will be an enthusiastic, ambitious, and highly organised individual seeking an opportunity to shape mainstream politics and work in an exciting, fast-paced communications environment.
• You will be a multi-skilled communicator, equally comfortable pitching a story to a national newspaper, briefing spokespeople for a live television appearance or drafting a script for a social media video.
• You will be a self-starter with a strong interest in news and current affairs, motivated by developing and pitching news stories, and able to build effective relationships with journalists and colleagues.
• The ideal candidate will sympathise with the aims and values of the Liberal Democrats. You will preferably have a good understanding of UK politics and the opportunities and challenges facing the Liberal Democrats, and how the party can use its larger presence in Parliament to secure more positive media coverage across print, broadcast, and digital channels.