Communications & PR Executive

West Suffolk College

Location: Bury St Edmunds

Permanent, Full-Time

Salary: £28,900 - £30,581 depending on experience

West Suffolk College are excited to announce an opening for a Communications & PR Executive to work directly to the Chief Executive Officer. We are seeking to appoint an ambitious and creative communicator who can support the CEO in managing communications to key stakeholders. The successful candidate will be required to work in an agile and flexible way when needed, this may include working outside of the traditional working hours.

The scope of the role is exciting as you will play a vital role in communicating the vision and values of an organisation that plays a vital role in driving aspirations, delivering outcomes and supporting the region’s economy.

From supporting the CEO with official correspondence to stakeholders, to championing our successes, this role requires someone passionate about communications in its widest sense.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the CEO in the drafting and development of key communications to external stakeholders
• Draft and edit regular communications to internal audiences, particularly our staff
• Help the organisation strengthen communications to parents, particularly as the education sector continues to navigate through the challenges posed by Covid-19
• For annual events, prepare speeches and, where possible, secure speaker opportunities for key staff
• Follow the local, regional and national news agenda, and explore opportunities where the success of the organisation can be championed and celebrated
• Look at how the organisation can play a wider role in key discussions about education and the economy to help positively influence debates and policy
• Attend key group meetings to advise on the comms potential and challenges around key announcements and initiatives
• Proactively contribute to the College’s marketing activity, in particular at open events, Business-to-Business, schools and networking events.

Required qualifications, skills and experience

• Degree in a relevant subject area.
• Experience in public relations or internal communications
• Experience of working across a variety of channels, including digital and social media, including updating and editing internet sites.
• Ability to work as an effective team member in a demanding environment
• Experience of providing written and verbal advice to colleagues to influence an outcome
• Experience of building effective relationships and working with partners to maximise publicity opportunities
• Experience of sourcing, researching, writing, and distributing a range of press releases for a variety of media, including industry publications.
• Experience of, and an understanding of working to, media and publishing laws
• Experience of working closely with internal and external partners to ensure joined up communications activity.
• Excellent ICT skills, including using databases, content management systems and
• Professionalism – role model behaviour e.g. with attendance, timekeeping, organisation, time management, reliability, confidence and personal presentation
• Experience of working closely with internal and external partners to ensure joined up communications activity.
• Experience of handling the media in a major or critical incident would be advantageous.
• Excellent ICT skills, including using databases and content management systems

Please ensure you familiarise yourself with our Character Strengths and Mission Statement to incorporate into your personal statement. You will find this very beneficial if you are invited to attend for an interview and it will help you to understand our expectations of you at an early stage of the recruitment process.

https://www.wsc.ac.uk/about-the-college/character-strengths

https://www.wsc.ac.uk/about-the-college/mission-and-vision

For more information please contact recruitment@wsc.ac.uk

Please send a completed application form to recruitment@wsc.ac.uk , if you have not heard from a member of the HR team within 14 working days, please presume your application has not been successful on this occasion.

This College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Closing Date: Monday 25th January 2021

Interview Date: TBC

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, gender, gender reassignment, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age in accordance with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

The College is committed to safeguarding children and safer recruitment practices and will undertake all the required pre-employment checks on the successful candidate including an enhanced DBS Disclosure.

All data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 For more information about how we access and use your information please visit our website – www.wsc.ac.uk/privacy-and-terms

recruitment@wsc.ac.uk