Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager Remote
Job description
Join Police Digital Service as Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager - £55,000-65,000
The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager is responsible for maximising the use of owned, earned, and partner channels to ensure PDS communicates effectively with external audiences.
Collaborating with colleagues to inform content and ensure internal alignment, the role is also responsible for delivering key corporate communication products and working with internal and external stakeholders to grow advocacy, increase awareness, and build and protect brand and reputation.
About Police Digital Service
The Police Digital Service is the UK organisation responsible for coordinating, developing, delivering, and managing digital services and solutions that enable UK policing to safely harness technology to improve public safety. Funded by policing, PDS works with law enforcement organisations, private industry, charities, public bodies, and government to deliver digital services and solutions with policing, for policing.
Key Responsibilities
Public Affairs
- Recommend appropriate tactics for effective communication with key stakeholders.
- Support the senior leadership team to help manage relationships.
- Share intel and communicate updates to internal and external audiences.
- Identify suitable opportunities and draft responses to consultations.
- Manage political and government stakeholder contact databases.
Media Relations
- Establish and maintain relationships with key media contacts and online influencers.
- Identify and maximise PR opportunities.
- Keep up to date with the news agenda impacting PDS and identify opportunities to issue proactive releases or statements to support goals and objectives.
- Manage the coordination of responses to media enquiries and FOI requests.
- Identify and manage spokespeople to support media activity and engagements, and coordinate training where required.
Communications
- Conduct weekly comms call with assigned business areas.
- Develop a multi-channel strategy to communicate with external audiences.
- Produce external comms plans using the OASIS model.
- Take a lead on the development of a new corporate website.
- Work with DPO to develop and maintain processes to ensure GDPR compliance at all times.
Stakeholder Management
- Manage information flow between assigned business areas and Corporate Affairs.
- Manage relationships with third-party communications-related products or service providers.
- Manage relationships with policing communicators.
- Provide support to Corporate Affairs Lead and the wider function.
Brand and Crisis Management
- Develop and manage a Brand Strategy.
- Update and maintain brand guidelines and outline PDS’ approach to branding.
- Work with senior colleagues to advise on the approach to crisis comms.
- Work closely with events and brand partnership manager and commercial to monetise PDS channels where appropriate.
- Develop a suite of approved merchandise and delegate gifts.
- Take steps to protect the intellectual property rights of the PDS brand.
People Management
- Conduct weekly 121s with direct reports.
- Actively build capability in others and encourage upskilling.
What you need to succeed in the role
- 5+ years’ experience delivering and managing communications in a complex organisation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong media handling, PR and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience of working with internal and external stakeholders to grow advocacy and protect brand and reputation.
- Strong content creation skills with an understanding of best practice.
- Experience of using software to create and disseminate multi-channel content.
- Experience of using insight-led to inform outcome focused comms.
- Experience of managing people, projects and comms activity.
- Strategic thinking skills and an understanding of the wider landscape impacting PDS.
- Creative thinking and problem solving skills.
- Excellent organisational skills, able to prioritise and manage multiple engagements.
Why Join us?
- Balance is important and we want you to take time off to recharge – we offer 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years of service. Holiday Purchase also available
- Flexible working hours - We trust you to do your job and we appreciate that life doesn’t always fit around a 9 to 5 workday. We operate core hours of 10 to 4, Monday to Friday (37hr week)
- We care about your well-being – we have an EAP that offers remote GP, mental health and physiotherapy appointments via video consultation
- Plan for the future – we offer an excellent pension scheme and life assurance cover
- Family - Enhanced maternity and paternity pay along with a flexible return to work
- Community - one paid day off per year for volunteering
You can find out more here:
Benefits – Police Digital Service (pds.police.uk)
Diversity, equity and inclusion
We are committed to equal opportunity for all and will not discriminate on any grounds. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible span of experience. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates and people with disabilities.
Working Arrangements
This is a remote role.
