Programme Communications Officer

Essex County Council; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council is seeking a Programme Communications Officer to manage communications for digital initiatives. This role involves stakeholder engagement, content creation for various channels, and requires experience in communications and marketing. The successful candidate will enjoy flexible working with office attendance a few days monthly.

Qualifications

• Educated to diploma/degree level or equivalent by experience.
• Advanced written and in-person communication skills.
• Competent user of LinkedIn and Facebook.

Responsibilities

• Develop content for social media and newsletters.
• Engage and interact with stakeholders.
• Manage and respond to customer enquiries.

Skills

Written communication

Stakeholder engagement

Social media management

Education

Diploma or degree level

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Excel

Hootsuite

Job description

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About The Role

Programme Communications Officer

Fixed Term, Full Time

£28,778 to £33,856 per annum

Location: Countywide

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 25th June 2025

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity until March 2026

This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Chelmsford 2-3 days per month, with the remaining time for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation’s needs.

The Role

Digital Essex is an initiative run by Essex County Council, aimed at ensuring no individual or business is excluded from digital opportunities due to lack of high-speed and affordable broadband connections, equipment, or skills. We work with government departments, other Essex councils, public sector organisations, and private sector partners to expand digital connectivity and inclusion across the Greater Essex area.

To read more about our business area, please visit:

People, Policy, Economy and Public Health

The Opportunity

As part of the Digital Essex team, reporting to the Communications Manager, the Programme Communications Officer will be responsible for producing and delivering communications related to our digital initiatives. This role involves engaging with key internal and external stakeholders, partners, and the public through various channels, including strategic documents, presentations, social media, newsletters, the programme's website, and press releases. The role also includes participation in face-to-face presentations and engagement events.

Accountabilities

• Working alongside the Communications Manager to develop strategic documents and presentations, effectively communicating the value of our initiatives.
• Create and manage content for social media, newsletters, websites, and other communication channels, ensuring alignment with our digital strategy and brand guidelines.
• Engage and interact with stakeholders, communicating the value of our initiatives and fostering strong relationships.
• Develop and manage marketing campaigns and social media strategies, with a focus on paid advertising on LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Manage and respond to customer enquiries from members of the public and external stakeholders, ensuring timely and accurate communication.
• Regular travel across Essex to attend and represent Digital Essex at various events, to interact face-to-face with members of the public and stakeholders. This will include some evening and weekend engagements.
• Assist with governance activities such as project meetings, programme boards, and steering boards. Undertake routine administrative tasks to support the programme’s governance and operations.
• Perform other ad hoc tasks related to communications, engagement, and project management as required to support the overall objectives of Digital Essex.
  
  

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to diploma/degree level or equivalent by experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional areas, particularly in communications and marketing.
• Advanced skills in written and in-person communication. Confident in engaging with a broad variety of stakeholders at different levels via a range of channels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint at an intermediate level. An understanding of other relevant software applications such as image or video editing or mapping software is beneficial.
• Competent user of social media channels (LinkedIn, Facebook) and scheduling platforms (e.g. Hootsuite). Experience in social media and website analytics.
• Experience of working with brand guidelines when creating communications materials. Ability to work creatively and effectively, managing a range of complex situations and issues; highly organised with good attention to detail.
• Proven experience in creating and managing paid advertising campaigns on LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Ability to travel across Essex to engage with stakeholders and attend events, including some evening and weekend work.
• Understands how to plan events, including engaging stakeholders, organising venues, and liaising with attendees on the day.
• Familiarity with project management principles and practices, with the ability to support project activities and governance.
• Previous experience working with community groups, voluntary organisations, or in public sector roles, enhancing stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts is desirable.
  
  

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [e-mail]

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.

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Seniority level

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