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News and Media Officer
| Posting date: | 11 July 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £32,772 to £35,982 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 21 July 2024 |
| Location: | BN7 2DZ |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Sussex Police |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | SYSX STAFF03874 |
Summary
If you’re an experienced communicator who thrives on variety and compelling news content, then we have a fantastic opportunity to join our award-winning communications team as a News and Media Officer.
Creating compelling news packages online, through social media and news media, you will promote the wide variety of work Sussex Police undertakes, enhancing public understanding and confidence in our service.
Responsible for providing a reactive and proactive news service, your creative multi-media content will support the operational needs of the force, promote positive outcomes and prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks.
As an integral part of the team, and the wider Media and Communications Department, you will share ideas and work closely with communications professionals in our other teams.
You will provide advice and guidance at all levels, working closely with partners on a range of issues and events, including high profile and major incidents.
You will maintain and enhance relationships with national, regional and local media organisations, providing opportunities for positive and supportive coverage about our service.
If you’re looking for a rewarding, exciting and challenging job and can confidently manage a range of demands on your time, then this may be the opportunity you have been looking for.
Key responsibilities:
Liaise with local districts and departments to create proactive news stories, with engaging multi-media content that supports the operational needs of the force, creates positive outcomes and addresses how we prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks
Access information, through the monitoring and researching of databases, attendance at meetings and at the scenes of incidents, building relationships with stakeholders to provide accurate and relevant proactive and reactive material.
Manage public confidence issues, monitor coverage in social media and traditional and web-based media outlets, to assess opportunity, issue and risk and respond in a timely and appropriate way.
To ensure the force is aware of current, emerging and anticipated media issues/public sentiment issues and take appropriate action.
Manage media enquiries and foster positive media relations, prioritising and challenging inaccurate or misleading content where appropriate to support operational needs and to help build public confidence in the force.
Write and implement strategies to support operational requirements providing advice to the senior investigating officer concerned, briefings, media and public FAQs.
Act as a Bronze Media Officer in the event of a major/critical incident or planned policing operation, developing and implementing tactics to manage the communications issues relating to such incidents in liaison with stakeholders.
Deliver multidisciplinary communications as required including the production of content for digital communications, delivery of internal communications and campaigns, and assisting the wider business in the implementation of its communications and engagement strategies
Skills & Experience
Degree level qualification and NCTJ certificate or equivalent professional experience in PR/media relations.
Experience of media relations and/or PR in a busy and fast-paced news environment; able to demonstrate how media coverage can be achieved with evidence of achieving this on behalf of an organisation.
Evidence of writing effectively for multiple channels including news releases/articles, online audiences and multi-media social media posts.
Sound knowledge of media law as applied to off and online information.
Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including the ability to turn complex material or jargon into plain English.
Negotiating and influencing skills and experience of advising people at a senior level and from a range of backgrounds.
Evidence of publishing and engagement on social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and X.
Ability to balance and manage conflict between short and long-term priorities and reactive/proactive work under pressures.
Ability to demonstrate excellent communications skills and team working.
Ability to negotiate, persuade and influence. Ability to coach others in interview techniques and media work.
Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel and SharePoint.
Further Information
The department operates on a seven day a week basis and staff are required to work approximately one weekend out of eight. You will also take part in the 24/7 on-call rota on an eight-week rotational basis.
When working a weekend shift, you will be given days off in lieu either side of the weekend. Weekday working times will be agreed by the Head of Media on a shift pattern basis between the hours of 7am and 5.30pm.
We support hybrid working with the role able to be undertaken from our Lewes HQ (your contractual working location), local police sites and from home. There is an expectation that all team members work from a police site for a minimum of three days per week.
News and Media Officers who have a portfolio of a local policing division will be expected to work alongside their local command team during the week to use positive media relations to enhance operational outcomes and highlight the work of local policing teams.
This role requires travel to meetings and locations across Surrey and Sussex, occasionally at short notice or when part of the on-call rota. The post-holder must therefore have a full driving licence and access to their own transport.
Interviews will be held in the week commencing 29 July at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Maria Newstead, Head of Media: maria.newstead@sussex.police.uk.
Creating compelling news packages online, through social media and news media, you will promote the wide variety of work Sussex Police undertakes, enhancing public understanding and confidence in our service.
Responsible for providing a reactive and proactive news service, your creative multi-media content will support the operational needs of the force, promote positive outcomes and prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks.
As an integral part of the team, and the wider Media and Communications Department, you will share ideas and work closely with communications professionals in our other teams.
You will provide advice and guidance at all levels, working closely with partners on a range of issues and events, including high profile and major incidents.
You will maintain and enhance relationships with national, regional and local media organisations, providing opportunities for positive and supportive coverage about our service.
If you’re looking for a rewarding, exciting and challenging job and can confidently manage a range of demands on your time, then this may be the opportunity you have been looking for.
Key responsibilities:
Liaise with local districts and departments to create proactive news stories, with engaging multi-media content that supports the operational needs of the force, creates positive outcomes and addresses how we prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks
Access information, through the monitoring and researching of databases, attendance at meetings and at the scenes of incidents, building relationships with stakeholders to provide accurate and relevant proactive and reactive material.
Manage public confidence issues, monitor coverage in social media and traditional and web-based media outlets, to assess opportunity, issue and risk and respond in a timely and appropriate way.
To ensure the force is aware of current, emerging and anticipated media issues/public sentiment issues and take appropriate action.
Manage media enquiries and foster positive media relations, prioritising and challenging inaccurate or misleading content where appropriate to support operational needs and to help build public confidence in the force.
Write and implement strategies to support operational requirements providing advice to the senior investigating officer concerned, briefings, media and public FAQs.
Act as a Bronze Media Officer in the event of a major/critical incident or planned policing operation, developing and implementing tactics to manage the communications issues relating to such incidents in liaison with stakeholders.
Deliver multidisciplinary communications as required including the production of content for digital communications, delivery of internal communications and campaigns, and assisting the wider business in the implementation of its communications and engagement strategies
Skills & Experience
Degree level qualification and NCTJ certificate or equivalent professional experience in PR/media relations.
Experience of media relations and/or PR in a busy and fast-paced news environment; able to demonstrate how media coverage can be achieved with evidence of achieving this on behalf of an organisation.
Evidence of writing effectively for multiple channels including news releases/articles, online audiences and multi-media social media posts.
Sound knowledge of media law as applied to off and online information.
Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including the ability to turn complex material or jargon into plain English.
Negotiating and influencing skills and experience of advising people at a senior level and from a range of backgrounds.
Evidence of publishing and engagement on social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and X.
Ability to balance and manage conflict between short and long-term priorities and reactive/proactive work under pressures.
Ability to demonstrate excellent communications skills and team working.
Ability to negotiate, persuade and influence. Ability to coach others in interview techniques and media work.
Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel and SharePoint.
Further Information
The department operates on a seven day a week basis and staff are required to work approximately one weekend out of eight. You will also take part in the 24/7 on-call rota on an eight-week rotational basis.
When working a weekend shift, you will be given days off in lieu either side of the weekend. Weekday working times will be agreed by the Head of Media on a shift pattern basis between the hours of 7am and 5.30pm.
We support hybrid working with the role able to be undertaken from our Lewes HQ (your contractual working location), local police sites and from home. There is an expectation that all team members work from a police site for a minimum of three days per week.
News and Media Officers who have a portfolio of a local policing division will be expected to work alongside their local command team during the week to use positive media relations to enhance operational outcomes and highlight the work of local policing teams.
This role requires travel to meetings and locations across Surrey and Sussex, occasionally at short notice or when part of the on-call rota. The post-holder must therefore have a full driving licence and access to their own transport.
Interviews will be held in the week commencing 29 July at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Maria Newstead, Head of Media: maria.newstead@sussex.police.uk.