Planning and Press Officer

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental agency in the UK is seeking a Press Officer to manage media relations and communications. Responsibilities include proactive and reactive media handling, news planning, and content creation for digital channels. Ideal candidates should have experience in a fast-paced media environment and strong presentation skills. The role is full-time and offers a mid-senior level position in a dynamic governmental setting.

Qualifications

• Experience in press office or media relations environment is essential.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Understanding of multimedia landscape and news cycle.
• Collaborate with officials and other government departments.

Responsibilities

• Plan news and work with teams to ensure proactive media handling.
• Manage breaking stories and draft communication responses.
• Create content for digital channels and ensure accurate information is shared.
• Reactive media handling – manage breaking stories, draft and provide timely lines to take and accurate information to journalists.
• Proactive media handling – draft proactive press releases and communications handling plans that tells the Department’s story in a clear and succinct way. You will work with policy colleagues and Special Advisers to agree key messages and plans to maximise ministerial time, including on visits.
• Digital communications - help the Department create, shape, share and exchange information through online and virtual networks.

Skills

Media planning

Attention to detail

Reactive media handling

Presentation skills

Content creation for digital platforms

Collaborative working

Job description

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Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provided pay range

This range is provided by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Responsibilities will be:

• News planning – work with policy and communications teams to ensure the Department’s communications work is planned in advance with all handling aspects recorded.
• News gridding - represent the department at weekly meetings, to make sure our announcements are reflected and prominent within wider Government plans.
• Horizon scanning – quickly spot both potential issues but also opportunities to insert a government voice positively.
• Reactive media handling – manage breaking stories, draft and provide timely lines to take and accurate information to journalists.
• Proactive media handling – draft proactive press releases and communications handling plans that tells the Department’s story in a clear and succinct way. You will work with policy colleagues and Special Advisers to agree key messages and plans to maximise ministerial time, including on visits.
• Digital communications - help the Department create, shape, share and exchange information through online and virtual networks.

Person specification

Essential Criteria for the Role:

• Experience working as a media gridder or planner in a fast‑paced press office or media relations environment.
• Ability to maintain strong attention to detail and accuracy while working under pressure managing multiple priorities.
• Adept at handling reactive media enquiries to tight deadlines by drafting clear and accurate responses.
• Strong presentation skills, adaptable for various challenging audiences.
• Strong understanding of the multimedia landscape and news cycle, equally comfortable writing press lines and creating platform‑appropriate content for digital channels.
• Ability to horizon scan and quickly spot potential problems but also opportunities to insert a government voice positively.
• Ability to quickly collate information from one format into another.
• Collaborative approach to working with officials, communications teams and other Government departments.

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Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Strategy/Planning and Other

Industries

Government Administration

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London, England, United Kingdom