Media Manager

UK Home Office; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

UK Home Office is seeking a Media Manager to join the Communications Directorate. You will lead proactive media plans and manage relationships with journalists, briefing Ministers on strategy and coordinating with policy teams to deliver messages aligned with government priorities.

You will work with colleagues across the directorate to handle reactive enquiries, mitigate reputational risks, and deliver clear, concise communications across broadcast, print and digital channels.

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced media roles, juggling priorities and remaining composed under pressure.
• Strong news sense and understanding of current affairs to identify reputational risks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with ability to build trusted relationships.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement insight-led media plans across Broadcast, Print and Social media.
• Build and maintain relationships with key journalists and briefing them on issues.
• Brief Ministers and colleagues on media strategy and government priorities.
• Collaborate with policy teams and external stakeholders to shape messaging.
• Manage reactive media enquiries with risk-aware communications.

Skills

Media management

News sense

Stakeholder relations

Creative & digital comms

Message distillation

Audience insight

Job description

Various locations: Manchester, Sheffield, Westminster

National pay locations: Manchester, Sheffield £41,750-£44,250;

Successful candidates will be eligible for a Recruitment Retention Allowance (RRA) of £2,300 annually

A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Our work as Home Office communicators is never far from the front pages, making this a fast-paced and hugely exciting and creative team to join.

We believe a positive, open and supportive culture is crucial to help everyone deliver their best work. As a member of the Communications Directorate, you’ll be supporting our mission to deliver outstanding public services that work for everyone.

As a Media Manager for one of our proactive, thematic teams, (aligned to the Home Secretary’s priorities), you’ll be supporting on one of the UK Government’s key ambitions from reducing knife crime and combatting child sexual abuse and violence against women and girls to reducing net migration, protecting our borders, and strengthening the UK’s national security.

You will join a multi-disciplinary team with colleagues based across the UK working in one of the most complex and demanding departments in government. Home Office communications sit within the wider professional body for government communicators, the Government Communication Service.

You will play a key role in one of the Communications Directorate’s thematic teams, focusing on media. This includes strategic planning on upcoming proactive announcements, managing emerging issues and communications risks and working closely with the newsdesk team on handling reactive enquiries from journalists.

You will work with teams across the Directorate to design and implement insight-led, innovative media plans to reach our target audiences across channels such as broadcast, print and social media.

You will be expected to build relationships with key journalists, briefing them on issues and pitching stories to show the government’s progress in key policy areas.

You will work closely with colleagues including policy officials, operational teams, external stakeholders, Ministers and 10 Downing Street, advising on the role media and communication can play in delivering on government priorities.

• Experience working in a fast-paced media role, or similar, juggling competing priorities, exercising good judgement, and keeping calm under pressure.
• Strong news sense and understanding of current affairs, including how to identify and mitigate reputational risks.
• An ability to communicate effectively (excellent written and speaking skills), and develop trusted and productive relationships with colleagues, external partners and stakeholders.
• Creative and digital communications skills.
• Proven ability to distil large amounts of complex information into clear key messages suitable for specific audiences.
• Understanding of how audience insight and evaluation can be used to inform communication strategies and activity.

Travel

Occasional national UK travel may be required for example for a Ministerial visit, when an overnight stay may be required.