Full job descriptionHead of MediaApply Now
Vacancy InformationDivision / Department - Media and Communications

Grade - M1

Status - Full Time

Contract Type - Permanent

Salary Grade Range - £49,716 - £54,696

Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week

Shift Allowance - No

Politically Restricted - Yes

Location - Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes
The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.
Chief Constables’ MessageWe really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.
We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.
We wish you all the very best with your application.
Chief Constable Tim De Meyer & Chief Constable Jo Shiner
The Role & Key ResponsibilitiesAre you an exceptional media and communications professional looking for an opportunity to lead a fast-paced and in demand team?
We’re looking for an experienced Head of Media to lead our Media Team, which provides a 24/7, 365-day-a-year service to local, national and international press.
This is a role for someone who knows how to make news, not just respond to it. You will be experienced in building effective relationships with journalists and broadcasters, and able to spot opportunities to tell the Sussex Police story, whilst anticipating, managing and responding to risks and challenges.
We require a strong leader who is accessible, knowledgeable and inspires the team to provide an outstanding service that builds the public’s understanding, trust and confidence in the force’s work, whether it’s responding to a major incident or highlighting the everyday work undertaken to Catch, Protect and Deliver for our communities.
As a crucial member of our senior leadership team you will act as a trusted communications advisor, providing expert advice to others in the Force, including Chief Officers, bringing sharp judgement and a deep understanding of the media landscape.
Key responsibilities include:
*Build, develop and maximise the performance of the Media Team, ensuring it is delivering against strategic and departmental objectives and maximising opportunity, via communications, to keep people safe, prevent and detect crime and provide public reassurance.
*Maintain and nurture positive relationships with media organisations and other key stakeholders, both in personal interactions and the style and approach adopted by team members, maximising opportunities to promote policing activity that reinforces the Force’s values, or reassuring and explaining if activity falls short of them, whilst helping to deliver our corporate narrative themes.
*Direct and manage the media team’s processes and people, ensuring sufficient capability, capacity and resilience to provide a 24/7 media and communications service including its ability to flex across communications disciplines.
*Provide direction and expertise to the media team and colleagues across the department; overseeing their day-to-day approach and longer-term development to ensure all our communications are lawful, consistent, innovative, and cost and operationally effective. Take personal responsibility for the highest risk issues.
*Oversee media training delivered by the department to others in the Force; working closely with the Learning and Development Department on a structured annual programme of courses and providing ad-hoc training when required.
*Provide expert communications advice to others in the Force, most often at senior levels. This includes providing advice on higher-risk reactive incidents, including at Gold Groups, and setting the communications approach for longer-term more complex planned issues.
*Act as Silver Communications (or Gold if required) in the context of a major or critical incident, develop and direct the implementation of communications tactics, working to the Gold strategy, often in liaison with several partners and external stakeholders, to ensure public safety and confidence under our statutory warning and informing requirements, and assist operational tactics.
*Represent the media team in relation to HMICFRS inspections and provide input on behalf of the department.
*Budgetary responsibility, reporting to the Head of Department.
*Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character or work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser graded post, including deputising for the Deputy Head of the department.
Skills & ExperienceThe requirements for this role are:
*Degree and NCTJ qualification or equivalent professional experience in journalism, media relations or PR.
*Significant experience in managing a news media or media relations function in a high profile and fast paced environment.
*Detailed knowledge of media law as applied across offline and online communications.
*Demonstrable experience of delivering effective organisation-wide and localised corporate communications strategies.
*Experienced line manager with strong evidence of nurturing the professional and personal development of teams, motivating others and managing relevant business and HR processes.
*Ability to autonomously and creatively problem-solve to create and deliver strategic solutions.
*Excellent formal and interpersonal communications skills, both verbal and written.
*Proven ability to negotiate and influence at all levels - including senior colleagues and key external stakeholders - with an ability to persuade under time or other pressures.
*Proactive, self-disciplined approach to tasks, with an ability to be flexible and work under pressure with minimal management direction.
*Good working knowledge of Microsoft products including Word, Excel and SharePoint.
*Applicants will be required to obtain and maintain vetting status for the required level of this post.
*This role requires travel to meetings and locations, sometimes at short notice or out of hours, for which public transport may not be suitable. Therefore the post-holder must have their own means of transport and be insured for business use. Where the transport involves the driving of police vehicles, you must have a full driving licence and the ability to attain a Force Police Driving Permit.
Why Work With Us?We take pride in looking after our people and offer a variety of benefits;
*career progression
*contributory pension scheme (LGPS)
*generous annual leave...