Media Officer

Responsibilities

• Media and press management - managing media interactions such as breaking stories, providing timely and accurate information to journalists, and developing proactive press releases.
• Communications adviser - provide expert communications advice to ministers, special advisers and senior officials on reactive media issues, crises, reputational risks and developing stories.
• Media handling – drafting timely media materials, working with ministerial and policy teams, handling visits, working up lines to take
• News management – the ability to spot potential problems and react quickly
• Campaigns – play an active role in departmental campaigns and work alongside strategic communication colleagues
• Digital communications - helping government create, shape, share and exchange information through online and virtual networks

Requirements

• Excellent understanding of the national news agenda, social media landscape and communications handling; strong news judgement and political awareness
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills - producing high quality written content such as press releases, op-eds and briefings, for a range of different stakeholders and audiences
• Proven ability to distil large amounts of complex information into clear key messages suitable for specific audiences
• Strong organisational and planning skills, comfortable managing multiple priorities and working to tight deadlines
• Strong networking skills with the confidence in building and maintaining a network of internal and external contacts
• Strong team collaboration skills, work effectively as part of a team; contributing to shared goals, supporting colleagues and fostering a positive team environment.

Preferred

• We’re open to a range of backgrounds, including and not limited to media relations and journalism.
• Experience of working either in a journalism/media/press office environment
• Ability to plan communications strategically and long term, based on insights and always ending in solid and honest evaluations

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.