Job title: Senior Communications and Marketing Officer
Salary: PO2 £39,862 - £42,839
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Multiple (including City Centre, Tropical World, Temple Newsam, Arium and Lotherton)
Are you a strategic communicator with a passion for sustainability and public engagement? Leeds City Council is seeking a dynamic Senior Communications and Marketing Officer to lead on the development and delivery of impactful campaigns that support our Climate, Energy and Green Spaces Service.
This is a unique opportunity to shape how we promote our 4,000 hectares of green space, including our major parks, community parks, nature reserves, woodlands, visitor attractions and engage communities in climate action, biodiversiy and environmental practices.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our and ambitions.
About you
You’ll be an experienced communications professional with:
1. A strong track record in strategic communications, public engagement, or marketing.
2. Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills across digital and traditional media.
3. A passion for visitor experience, climate action, sustainability, and community development.
4. Experience managing multi-channel campaigns and working with diverse stakeholders.
5. Knowledge of environmental policy, climate resilience, or urban greenspace management is desirable.
About the role
The Senior Communications and Marketing Officers role is to maximise the visibility, footfall, and financial sustainability of our visitor attractions and cafes, namely Tropical World, The Arium, Golden Acre, Lotherton and Temple Newsam. This post will lead on audience engagement, brand development, and income generation through targeted marketing and communications, ensuring our attractions remain competitive, accessible, and financially resilient.
This role will also support Leeds City Council’s climate agenda by enabling strategic communications around environmental education, biodiversity, and sustainable practices. The Senior Communications and Marketing Manager will lead climate-related messaging, engage audiences in sustainability initiatives, and ensure visibility of climate action across all our platforms.
They will help to build public trust and engagement in climate initiatives, aligning messaging with national and regional climate strategies. They will ensure that there is cross-directorate collaboration to maximise climate messaging. They will also help to translate complex climate data into accessible formats and engage stakeholders (internal and external) on climate risks, actions, and performance. In addition, they will lead on driving behavioural change.
Our visitor attractions are vital cultural and economic assets generating income through admissions, retail, events, and partnerships. They support local tourism and community engagement and contribute to organisational goals such as education, wellbeing, and sustainability. However, in a competitive and evolving market, we must invest in professional marketing leadership to grow audiences, diversify income, and future-proof our offer.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
6. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
7. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
8. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
9. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
10. a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please upload your CV and complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words.
Read our guidancefor further advice on completing your application.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose
Senior Communications and Marketing Officers play a pivotal role bringing professional knowledge and skills and taking a focus on outcomes and quality delivery that ensures excellence. The role will lead on all aspects of communication, marketing and promotions that supports the best council and best city priorities.
They will be responsible for managing their own workload, working flexibly across communication and marketing disciplines on a range of projects and subjects, and ensuring their work is completed to deadline and a high standard.
Senior officers will develop and maintain systems and ways of working within the team to ensure a consistent and professional service.
Team Offer:
The Climate, Energy and Greenspaces Service’s communication team use insight, creativity and professional expertise to engage with everyone in Leeds – and beyond.
Whether we are promoting services, attractions, events, life choices or the city ‘brand’ and reputation we start by listening. Then we use clear, targeted information to build trust, shift attitudes, drive actions and influence behaviour.
Our work with services, politicians and partners delivers lasting benefits, focused on priority outcomes to deliver the shared ambition of being best council and best city.
Responsibilities:
11. Act as both an individual lead and as the lead for project teams to deliver work on behalf of the Climate, Energy and Greenspaces Service.
12. Demonstrate a proactive attitude and approach, and use judgement and insight to reach decisions.
13. Provide professional advice across all communications and marketing disciplines, based on a high standard of competency across the insight, ideas, implementation and impact stages of the competency framework, and with a strong focus on outcomes.
14. Work with colleagues to prioritise the team’s workload, ensuring efficient use of resources and appropriate levels of support for council and city priorities.
15. Support the smooth running of a professional communications and marketing service by embedding and updating consistent ways of working across the team.
16. 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.
17. Represent the council and at internal and external meetings and events.
18. Lead on the development and embed the consistent use of the procurement framework for communications and marketing spend both in the team and across the council, in line with the organisation’s financial rules.
19. Understand and work within the Council’s health and safety policies and practice, taking responsibility for both personal safety and that of colleagues and the public.
20. Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement areas, focussing on equality of outcome.
21. Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
22. Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
23. Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
24. To work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
25. Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
26. Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
27. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
28. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
29. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate
Skills required
30. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage, influence and negotiate and to form positive relationships at all levels.
31. Able to work to specified work programmes and timetables, prioritising effectively.
32. Able to make swift decisions and judgements.
33. Interpersonal skills.
34. Able to foster and maintain useful contacts internal and external to the council.
35. Able to contribute to partnerships involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
36. Able to develop productive working relationships that command trust and confidence.
37. Able to work effectively with others to deliver cross-service projects.
38. Able to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
39. Able to offer persuasive professional and creative advice.
40. Able to build relationships with service staff and play an influencing role.
41. Able to brief for large-scale marketing, PR or communications projects.
42. Able to produce marketing, PR or communication strategies and plans, reports, articles and news releases which are clear and articulate.
43. Able to prepare and present written and verbal information in a concise and accurate manner to a wide range of audiences.
44. Able to contribute effectively to a wide range of corporate projects from a marketing, PR and communications perspective.
45. Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and oral, confidence and the ability to present to a variety of audiences both internal and external to the organisation.
46. Computer literate with ability to use relevant software packages.
Knowledge Required
47. A degree or equivalent level qualification in a relevant field, and/or extensive relevant experience.
48. Good level of knowledge of the operations of a marketing, PR or communications function.
49. Good level of understanding of marketing, PR or communication issues facing large local authorities and the public sector.
50. Thorough knowledge of marketing, PR and communications methodology.
Experience Required
51. Demonstrable experience of dealing with matters, which are highly sensitive and confidential.
52. Of delivering multiple projects to tight deadlines.
53. Of producing clear, accurate copy within tight deadlines and the ability to communicate in plain English.
54. Of working in a team environment but with the ability to work individually without supervision.
55. Considerable experience gained working in a marketing, PR, communications or relevant related environment.
Behavioural & other Characteristics required
56. Be able to travel around Leeds effectively.
57. Proactive approach, using professional judgement based on insight and innovation.
58. Committed to continuous improvement.
59. Ability to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equal Opportunities Policy.
60. To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
61. Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.
62. Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role. Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate
Desirable Skills
63. Able to demonstrate an understanding of the role of the media and be able to support the press, media and issues management function.
64. Able to demonstrate the necessary confidence, gravitas and authority to represent the team at a senior level in the organisation and to contribute to business development.
65. Able to manage suppliers, internal and external, in line with procurement guidelines.
66. Able to plan, implement and monitor complex marketing, PR or communications campaigns.
Desirable Experience
67. Of carrying out project work and using project management techniques and preparing reports.
68. Of, and ability to, manage budgets.
69. Of developing, leading and motivating a team.
70. Of developing integrated marketing, PR or communications strategies which demonstrate clear, actionable and measurable outcomes.
71. Of using information and research across a wider marketing, PR and communications network to ensure joined up working and the use of corporate planning and performance data to develop strategies and activity.
72. Of building influential networks and enabling effective communication and engagement with others in a wide range of settings.
73. Of directing and coordinating resources to deliver against marketing, PR and communication requirements.
74. Demonstrable experience of using market research, customer insight and intelligence to inform marketing, PR and communications activity and strategies.
75. Evidence of strong brand and identity management through different channels and understanding of the implications for customer experience, employer brand and reputation management.
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