Communications Lead Contract

Communications Lead
Newham
Full-time temporary contract
£25 per hour

As the Communications Lead – Corporate, you will directly report into the Assistant Director External Affairs and deliver media relations, crisis communications, and campaign design and support to the Client’s corporate centre including resources (finance), democratic services and HR. This will include developing communications activity that contributes to strengthened awareness and understanding of the Client’s corporate priorities with external audiences including national, local and regional media; political stakeholders; and social media audiences. The impact of your activity will contribute to the Client delivering on its ambitious four-year corporate plan, Building a Fairer Newham, and support overall service area delivery.

Key Tasks and Accountabilities
* Responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive communications plan, including campaigns, relating to the Client’s corporate priorities. This will include the corporate plan, Building a Fairer Newham; the Client’s budget; and campaigns related to resourcing and recruitment with relevance externally (e.g. Future Newham). The plan will be developed through effective engagement with stakeholders including lead officers, elected members and the wider communications team.
* Provide strategic advice to senior leadership and Members on issues relating to the Client’s corporate strategy, budget and resourcing.
* With the Asst Director – External Affairs act as lead on the Client’s overall crisis communications response including managing the horizon scan of risk issues, developing the Client’s response (including managing stakeholder sign off), maintaining the out of hours rota and keeping up to date protocols for incident management. This will include reviewing the Client’s monitoring processes to ensure it is robust and comprehensive.
* Lead on media relations campaigns and engagement on issues relating to the Client’s corporate strategy, including the development of a regular pipeline of features and interviews with senior leadership in key high profile media.
* Work closely with the Senior Government Relations Officer to develop a comprehensive calendar of opportunities for media and political engagement with the Client’s strategic priorities alongside developing focused, issues based campaigns to accelerate awareness and engagement amongst key audiences.
* Provide strategic support to the Mayor’s Office including in identifying risks and opportunities in the broader media and political landscape; then coordinating media and event activity including providing all briefing materials and any follow up required.
* Establish a programme of regular engagement with senior officers, partners and stakeholders to identify key milestones then develop communications plans integrated with broader Client internal and external communications activity.
* Actively contribute to development of the Client’s communications strategy and ongoing implementation via weekly communications planning meetings and bi-monthly innovation sessions.
* Accountable for effective delivery of all communications and campaigns to make sure projects are delivered on time and on budget against targets agreed with the Asst Director External Affairs.
* Regularly review and contribute to the marketing communications evaluation framework using insights to determine ongoing improvements in communications strategy and delivery.
* Develop relationships for the Client with key journalists and policy stakeholders, contributing to the overall reputation of the Client as well as the effectiveness of all communications output.
* Act with discretion and ensure confidentially in delivery of advice and communications outcomes where issues are sensitive.

Requirements:
* An appropriate degree level qualification or demonstrable extensive experience.
* Proven track record of successfully leading on the development of a communication programme in a large complex organisation
* Experience of working with Elected Members
* Experience of working on corporate strategy and financial reporting
* Experience of managing large teams and ability to assign resources innovatively to deliver on tight deadlines
Skills and abilities:
* Demonstrable effective strategic communications experience
* Exceptional crisis communications experience
* Exceptional communication skills, able to write concise reports and deliver these to Senior Management. This also includes communicating effectively to a range of different audiences, producing relevant material for these audiences.
* Ability to meet tight deadlines, whilst dealing with conflicting priorities.
* Strong ability to be creative and adoptive with the team members to encourage them to deliver according to their potential strengths
* Strong ability to set and meet own targets and those of the service.
* Ability to maintain grip of project objectives in line with corporate and service plan.
* Strong ability to work collegiately within various teams.
* Ability to build lasting, strong relationships and credibility quickly.
* Proven stakeholder management.
* Demonstrable understanding of the political nature of local and central Government
* Additional factors
* Willing to work evenings and occasionally outside ‘standard’ business hours.

If you have the relevant experience and believe you are suitable for the role, please apply directly