<div><p><b>Job title:</b> Communications Officer</p><p><b>Salary:</b> SO2 £37,280 - £39,152</p><p><b>Hours:</b> 37 hours per week</p><p><b>Contract:</b> Permanent</p><p><b>Location:</b> Civic Hall, Leeds</p><p>We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from women, carers, veterans, LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.</p><h3>Job description</h3><p>Communications officers play a key role in the communications and marketing team, using their professional knowledge and skills with a focus on outcomes and quality delivery to ensure excellence.</p><p>Communications and marketing officers will deliver work on projects and campaigns that support the best council and best city priorities.</p><p>They will be responsible for managing their own workload, working flexibly across communications and marketing disciplines on a range of projects and subjects, ensuring their work is completed to deadline and to a high standard.</p><h3>Responsibilities</h3><ul><li>Act as a social and digital lead on projects to deliver work on behalf of the communications and marketing team.</li><li>Demonstrate a proactive attitude and creative approach and use judgement and insight to reach decisions.</li><li>Provide professional communications advice and guidance, based on a high standard of competency across the insight, ideas, implementation and impact stages of projects and with a strong focus on outcomes.</li><li>Effectively prioritise workload, ensuring efficient use of resources and appropriate levels of support for council and city priorities.</li><li>Support the smooth running of a professional communications and marketing team by playing an active role.</li><li>Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers that help the council and team to meet priorities while spending money wisely.</li><li>Represent the council and the communications and marketing team at internal and external meetings and events.</li><li>Understand and follow procurement rules for communications and marketing spend both in the team and across the council, in line with the organisation’s financial rules.</li></ul><h3>Qualifications</h3><p>Degree level, appropriate professional qualification or equivalent work experience.</p><h3>Personal specification</h3><h3>Essential Requirements</h3><p>Have a minimum of two years full‑time communications and marketing experience in a relevant environment.</p><h3>Skills Required</h3><ul><li>Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.</li><li>Able to take briefs for communications projects.</li><li>Able to produce communications that are clear, articulate and fit‑for‑purpose.</li><li>Able to prepare and present written and verbal information in a concise and accurate manner for a wide range of audiences.</li><li>Able to contribute effectively to a wide range of corporate projects from a communications perspective.</li><li>Computer literate with ability to use relevant software packages including Microsoft 365, social media scheduling tools and simple design software.</li></ul><h3>Knowledge Required</h3><ul><li>A good level of knowledge of the operations of marketing (traditional, social and digital), PR and communications functions.</li><li>A good level of understanding of communications and marketing issues facing large local authorities and the public sector.</li><li>A thorough knowledge of communications methodology.</li></ul><h3>Experience Required</h3><ul><li>Sound experience gained working in communications or a relevant related environment (PR/Communications agency, in‑house, or freelancer).</li><li>Experience of delivering multiple projects to tight deadlines.</li><li>Experience of producing clear, accurate copy within tight deadlines and the ability to communicate in plain English.</li><li>Experience of working in a team environment but with the ability to work individually without supervision.</li></ul><h3>Role Specific</h3><ul><li>Demonstrable experience of dealing with matters that are highly sensitive and confidential.</li><li>Ability to work to specified work programmes and timetables, prioritising effectively.</li><li>Ability to make swift decisions and judgements.</li><li>Interpersonal skills.</li><li>Ability to foster and maintain useful contacts internal and external to the council.</li><li>Ability to contribute to partnerships involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.</li><li>Ability to develop productive working relationships that command trust and confidence.</li><li>Ability to work effectively with others to deliver cross‑service projects.</li><li>Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.</li><li>Able to offer persuasive professional and creative advice.</li><li>Able to build relationships with service staff and play an influencing role.</li></ul><h3>Desirable Requirements</h3><h3>Skills Required</h3><ul><li>Ability to plan, implement and monitor complex communications campaigns.</li><li>Ability to demonstrate the necessary confidence, gravitas and authority to represent the communications team at a senior level in the organisation and to contribute to business development.</li></ul><h3>Knowledge Required</h3><ul><li>Able to demonstrate an understanding of the role of media both traditional and digital and be able to support the press, media and issues management function.</li></ul><h3>Experience Required</h3><ul><li>Experience of using market research, customer insight and intelligence to inform marketing, PR and communications activity and strategies.</li><li>Experience of carrying out project work and using project management techniques and preparing reports.
</li><li>Ability to demonstrate the necessary confidence, gravitas and authority to represent the communications team at a senior level in the organisation and to contribute to business development.</li><li>Experience of developing integrated marketing, PR or communications strategies which demonstrate clear, actionable and measurable outcomes.</li><li>Experience of using information and research across communications network to ensure joined up working.</li><li>Experience of building influential networks and enabling effective communication and engagement with others in a wide range of settings.</li><li>Experience of directing and coordinating resources to deliver against creative design and communication requirements.</li></ul><h3>Behavioural And Other Characteristics Required</h3><ul><li>Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.</li><li>Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.</li><li>Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.</li><li>Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.</li><li>Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.</li><li>Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.</li><li>Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.</li><li>Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.</li><li>Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity.</li><li>Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.</li><li>The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.</li></ul></div>