JOB DESCRIPTION
POST TITLE: Fostering Marketing Communications and Engagement Officer
DIVISION / UNIT Communications and Children’s Services
DEPARTMENT Strategy and Communities
REPORTS TO: Principal Marketing Officer (for now)
PURPOSE OF THE JOB
To help develop and deliver a comprehensive marketing communications and engagement plan to support the council’s fostering recruitment. To work seamlessly between the communications team and children’s services team ensure a joined-up approach which maximises outcomes across a challenging area of work.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
1. Support the development, management and delivery of an iterative fostering marketing communications and engagement plan to help ensure the council gets sufficient numbers of people expressing interest in becoming foster carers and, ultimately, sufficient approved carers, according to internal targets set.
2. Research effective fostering strategies that are being delivered in other areas and bring this learning into our work programme at Southwark.
3. Research other marketing strategies in related fields, where we can bring this learning into our work programme at Southwark.
4. On an on-going basis evaluate the effectiveness of Southwark’s fostering promotional activity, and share learning with colleagues so that we can do more of what is working, cease ineffective activity and make room for further innovation.
5. Provide regular reports and updates to colleagues in the communications and children’s services team and recommend a forward plan of marketing, communications and engagement activity based on what works.
6. Ensure good value for money in our fostering communications work.
7. Work with the web team, communications team and children’s services to help develop and improve the fostering-related content on the website, and use analytics to help understand the impact of changes made. Work to funnel more website traffic into the enquiries using a data-driven approach.
8. Provide communications expertise to the fostering team for post-enquiry engagement with people who express an interest and thereby help to ensure potential foster carers receive high-quality and effective communications at all stages of their journey to being a foster carer.
9. Work directly with existing foster carers to capture case studies that we can then share with other potential carers through different channels and mediums. Also, support foster carers to promote fostering to friends and contacts to encourage word-of-mouth recruitment.
10. Research and understand our fostering audiences in Southwark. Stay up-to-date with an understanding of the demographic profile of foster cares we need in Southwark and also the demographic profile of people who come forward and refine the marketing approach accordingly.
11. Ensure a joined-up approach between external and internal communications and promote staff schemes relating to fostering.
12. Help support and attend fostering events, such as fostering information days, and – working with others in the fostering team – talk to people considering becoming foster cares and help to answer questions.
13. As appropriate, commission graphic design, video content, digital advertising, outdoor advertising and more, writing detailed briefs, that will be required as part of the fostering recruitment plan.
14. Write high-quality, plain-English copy and content for fostering marketing materials, website and engagement with potential carers.
15. Adopt an iterative approach to fostering recruitment. Provide insight as to which key messages, visuals and channels create the right sort of engagement (i.e. engagement that leads to high-quality prospects).
16. Where appropriate, experiment with innovative and creative approaches to fostering marketing, feeding back on success.
17. Prepare and present detailed advice and reports in adherence with the best professional standards.
18. Represent the council, communications team and children’s services team at internal and external meetings and other settings.
19. Actively promote an inclusive approach to equalities issues through the application of the Council’s equalities practices and procedures and in accordance with relevant legislation.
20. Complete other duties as necessary.
JOB CONTEXT
The role is the council’s principal day-to-day role in fostering marketing, but with support from colleagues in the communications and children’s services team. The role will be managed within the council’s communications team to ensure that it is aligned with the council’s other communications priorities and objectives. It will also work closely with the council’s children’s services team.
This role requires working with internal and external stakeholders, the public, existing foster carers and others to ensure that we effectively promoting to and recruiting potential foster carers. The post holder will help develop and deliver our fostering marketing, communications and engagement plan and will be outcome-focussed, a keen innovator and confident communicator.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Knowledge, including educational qualifications:
1. Knowledge of online and offline marketing techniques and how to deploy them and evaluate their effectiveness.
2. Educated to degree level or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills and aptitude.
3. Ability to write and deliver an effective marketing, communications and engagement plan
4. Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of local government and the context in which it operates.
5. A good knowledge and understanding of fostering and children’s services.
Experience:
6. Experience of communicating with people using a range of different channels.
7. Experience delivering inspiring and outcome-achieving campaigns.
8. Experience of engaging with people at all levels of an organisation and in a variety of different roles, adapting personal style to suit the circumstances
9. Working with and supporting senior managers at a strategic level and ability to demonstrate a high level of professionalism.
Aptitudes, Skills & Competencies:
10. Ability to engage and communicate effectively with different internal and external audiences including staff, the public and councillors.
11. Ability to work with designers, videographers and others with the ability to brief and evaluate content development.
12. Excellent written skills with the ability to write for different channels and mediums, and excellent knowledge of plain English.
13. Excellent verbal skills with the ability to talk confidently with internal and external stakeholders in one-to-one and group settings.
14. Flexible approach to work and adaptability to meet changing work requirements
15. Ability to meet deadlines, prioritise and progress work and have good attention to detail.
16. Ability to work iteratively and in an outcome-focused way with the confidence to use data to inform approaches.
17. Emotionally intelligent, self-aware, and keen to constantly develop your work and approach based on feedback.
If you are interested in this role please do reach out to me via email or telephone!
amberrayment@carringtonblakerecruitment.com
020 753 766 07
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