Press Officer

UK Home Office; Manchester; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A national government agency in Manchester is seeking a Press Officer. The role involves monitoring media, responding to journalists, and protecting the department's reputation. Ideal candidates will excel in communication and have a solid understanding of current affairs. This position offers a salary of £37,300-£39,911 with development opportunities in a dynamic team.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

In-depth learning and development tailored to your role

Qualifications

• Experience working in a fast-paced communication role or similar.
• Strong news sense and understanding of current affairs.
• An ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and speaking.
• Creative communications skills with an awareness of digital channels.
• Proven ability to distil large amounts of complex information.

Responsibilities

• Monitor the media for emerging issues and ensure accurate representation.
• Respond to calls from journalists and shape news as it develops.
• Provide Ministers updates on news and rebut inaccurate reporting.
• Support proactive media teams with briefing and drafting products.
• Work with policy officials and external stakeholders on communications strategies.

Skills

Experience in fast-paced communication role

Strong news sense

Effective communication skills

Creative communications skills

Ability to distil complex information

Understanding of audience insight

Job description

Press Officer

Location - Manchester

Salary - £37,300-£39,911

A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Business area - HO - Communications Directorate

The Communications Directorate is a multi-disciplinary team delivering the Home Office’s communications strategy. We are insight-led and results-driven, and our marketing campaigns support strategic objectives using a wide range of channels. We seek to provide high quality media, rebuttal and social media services. Our Internal Communications team supports employee engagement and business transformation.

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.

Whether it’s helping to reduce dangerous boat crossings or making the UK’s streets safer, the Communications Directorate supports the government to deliver on its priorities. Led by audience insight, we help build awareness and drive behaviour change across our internal and external communication teams, including media, digital and marketing. At the centre of all this is the News desk.

Job description

The News desk is the lead reactive communications team in the Home Office, responsible for monitoring the media for emerging issues and ensuring the work of the department is accurately reflected in media reporting. You will be part of the department’s frontline, responding to calls from journalists, shaping news as it develops and protecting the department’s reputation. You will provide Ministers and their advisers with updates on news as it breaks - identifying and rebutting inaccurate reporting or criticism and ensuring the department’s position is clearly reflected.

Working on the News desk you will have a bird’s eye view of all the missions the Home Office leads on – from Safer Streets, to Secure Borders, to Homeland Security – and the opportunity to become subject matter experts on them.

You will support proactive media teams with selling in stories, briefing Ministers and drafting products, such as press releases.

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

We are a multi-disciplinary team with colleagues based across the UK. We are also active members of the professional body for government communicators, the Government Communication Service.

Essential Criteria

• Experience working in a fast-paced communication role or similar, juggling competing priorities, exercising good judgement, and keeping calm under pressure.
• Strong news sense and understanding of current affairs and the political landscape, 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 communications skills, including some awareness of and application of digital channels.
• 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.

Training

In-depth learning and development tailored to your role will be provided.

Travel

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