Senior Media Manager

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Corporate Services Group works closely with the Home Offices policy and operational commands to enable us together to deliver the departments priorities. The group is comprised of different teams and professional functions, including Commercial, Communications, Finance, People, Portfolio and Project Delivery, Private Office, Security, Estates and Information.

As part of the Communications Directorate, you will help deliver outstanding public services that work for everyone.

You will join a multi-disciplinary team based across the UK, working collaboratively to deliver the Home Offices communications strategy.

You will be a senior media officer working on immigration, including communicating a major package of reforms to overhaul Britains asylum and legal migration system.

This is a high-profile brief delivering on some of the Home Secretarys major priorities and stories that are rarely out of the headlines. You will have regular contact with ministers, special advisers and senior journalists.

As Senior Media Manager at the Home Office, you will lead strategic communications for the Secure Borders portfolio a key government priority. Immigration policy is consistently high-profile and remains one of the publics top concerns.

Working closely with frontline officers and policymakers, you will design and deliver insight-led, creative and proactive communications plans. You will maximise opportunities across broadcast, print, consumer, regional and digital channels to effectively reach audiences and build public confidence in the Home Office.

You will also participate in the out-of-hours press office duty rota, typically covering one to two shifts per month. Full training and overtime pay are provided.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with colleagues, including policy officials and operational teams, to advise on the role communications can play.
• Devise and deliver clear integrated communication plans.
• Respond to media enquiries and ensure the Departments position is accurately reported.
• Produce proactive communications plans to announce policies or successes by providing media advice, drafting press releases and facilitating ministerial interviews.
• Deliver impactful communications supported by insight and evaluation, including direct, paid-for, low and no-cost marketing, partnerships, media and digital communications.
• Possible line management responsibilities.

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis.

The role requires participation in an out-of-hours press office duty rota (typically covering one to two shifts per month). Full training and overtime pay are provided.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working in a fast-paced news team.
• An understanding of the media landscape and machinery of government, and an interest in politics.
• Proven experience designing and delivering creative media plans across a comprehensive range of media channels.
• Ability to maintain high standards and make sound judgements when working to tight deadlines on complex issues in high-pressure situations.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Confidence and knowledge in managing relationships with journalists and briefing senior figures.

Desirable criteria :

• Familiarity with public sector communications, either in local or central government.
• Line-management experience.