Media Officer (HEO) Cabinet Office Comms

The Cabinet Office is seeking an ambitious new Media Officer to join its communications team, to help it execute targeted media campaigns around a wide range of key Government policies.

You must be a talented, proactive and creative communications professional with experience of working with traditional and digital media to secure favourable coverage and manage negative reporting.

This is a unique position which provides exposure to senior officials and Ministers across a range of high-profile and sensitive issues.

You will also support the teams delivery of a quality 24/7 media relations operation for our Ministers and will seek out positive news stories from across the Cabinet Offices broad policy remit.

You will be comfortable speaking to national media, including political and Whitehall correspondents, and have a passion for creating creative and engaging news stories to explain Government work to the public.

The Media Team explains and promotes the work of the Cabinet Office by turning the departments activity into compelling stories which engage our target audiences and illustrate our purpose and can be used in digital and traditional media.

The press office works closely with the departments external affairs and internal communications teams to provide an integrated communications capability for our Ministers and senior officials. And being part of the centre, we also work flexibly to support the Prime Ministers communications priorities when needed.

The Cabinet Office has a vital role at the heart of the UKs government, responsible for the effective running of government and taking the lead in certain critical policy areas. More information about our work can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office/about

Working under the guidance of a Senior Media Officer and team-lead Chief Media Officer, you will:

• Deliver creative news stories and media content that engages our audiences and the public on the vital work of the Cabinet Office and cross-Government priorities.
• Work constructively with senior policy colleagues and partners to hunt out good news stories within the Cabinet Offices extensive policy areas.
• Provide considered communications advice to ministers, special advisers and senior officials on new, developing and existing policy.
• Support Ministers on external visits to manage media interviews and help create photo and video content for social media.
• Demonstrate excellent written and editing skills to deliver quality and timely press releases, rebuttals and lines to take in response to developing stories.
• Deliver strong evaluation of media output to inform future proactive and reactive media campaigns.
• Participate in the out-of-hours duty rota (for which an overtime allowance is paid) and respond to emerging news stories in a timely manner, rebutting inaccuracies and supporting more accurate coverage.
• Support the delivery of engaging digital media content, ensuring our announcements play out across social media platforms.
• Working on our weekly grid of communications activity, seeking necessary approvals for proactive communications and planning activity to ensure maximum.

Skills and Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in a fast-paced media-relations team or news organisation with highly effective media, rebuttal and crisis management skills.
• Experience dealing directly with journalists or new media reporters.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Sharp news sense, excellent judgement, strong political savvy and outstanding communications skills.
• An ability to turn complex information into newsworthy and digestible stories that engage media outlets and the public.
• Strong organisational skills, and an ability to handle and prioritise multiple competing tasks.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience creating digital content to amplify announcements or campaigns on social media platforms.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.