Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of proactive communications plans to secure high-impact coverage promoting the party’s work and national campaign priorities.
• Act as an expert adviser to spokespeople and their offices, identifying and creating opportunities to generate influential national media coverage across print and broadcast platforms.
• Work closely with senior management to assist in the delivery of crisis communications during the normal course of duties, managing complex narratives and mitigating media risks.
• Drive the integration of media and digital outputs, generating creative ideas for content to get our message across and ensuring media stories are optimised for social channels.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior network broadcast journalists to secure agenda-setting interviews and news packages.
• Proactively spot emerging trends and risks, using strategic planning to maintain and update the communications grid and ensure consistent, high-quality coverage.
• Contributing to the overall goals of and professional development within the Liberal Democrat media team, including supporting more junior colleagues.
• Take part in the media team’s out-of-hours duty system, including handling breaking news situations and providing senior handling advice when required.
• Undertake any other ad hoc duties as required to support senior leadership and wider team goals and responsibilities.

Requirements

• The candidate will be a resilient, autonomous, and ambitious communications professional seeking an opportunity to influence political news and debate significantly.
• You will have a record of building and maintaining a strong network of contacts with leading journalists across the national media and an expert understanding of the modern media landscape, including the interplay between traditional platforms and social media.
• You must demonstrate exceptional written and verbal communication skills and the ability to translate complex policy issues into compelling narratives rapidly.
• The ideal candidate will have an excellent understanding of UK politics, the opportunities facing the Liberal Democrats in the current political landscape, and the methods the party can employ to leverage its greater presence in Parliament to maximise impact across a range of channels.