Grade: 6 £34,968 (SCP 26) – £40,950 (SCP 32) (depending on experience)
Directly responsible to: Media and Communications Manager
Full time fixed term contact until 31st March 2025
Location: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Birmingham, West Midlands. (With home working)
Closing Date: 12 noon Tuesday 23rd January 2024, interviews to take place in person on Friday 2nd February 2024.
This is a politically restricted post.
Hosted within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) is an alliance of organisations working together to reduce violence within the region. We are seeking to recruit a Communications Officer on a fixed term contract to join the VRP team.
First and foremost, we’re looking for someone who understands how to spot and tell stories via print, social media and broadcast platforms.
Up until now you might have worked in journalism or you’ve got a good few years PR experience behind you. Either way you will be a competent writer and you will be able to demonstrate how your work has resonated with large audiences. If you don’t already have good relationships with media in the region, you will certainly understand how to develop and maintain them.
This role will be focused on supporting local and regional violence reduction partnerships to amplify and promote the work they are doing and to support the local delivery of positive, consistent messaging across the 7 local authority areas.
As well as planning and writing proactive stories for a range of media outlets you will also be responding to reactive media enquiries at speed. This could involve drafting a response for a newspaper or researching a brief ahead of a national TV or radio interview.
You’ll see from our social channels that we love a short video so you’ll be asked to do this to accompany some of the stories you write. If you can already film and edit using a smart phone then that’s brilliant; if you can’t then we’ll teach you.
We have adopted hybrid working so you’ll only be commuting to the office part of the week We’re also a fairly small team so you’ll be the kind of person who likes to roll their sleeves up, work quickly and is adaptable as the day changes at short notice.
The West Midlands region is a vibrant and diverse part of the country. The Police and Crime Commissioner is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a good understanding of diversity and human rights, and a personal commitment to promoting diversity and racial equality. We also offer a guaranteed interview scheme from those with disabilities.
Why work for us?
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner is committed to the reduction and prevention of crime, so by joining us you’ll be actively contributing to improving the West Midlands region. You will get to work alongside great people who are passionate about driving improvement and change! In return for your valued contribution we provide an impressive employee benefits package:
- Diverse, Inclusive and supportive organisation
- Flexible working
- Hybrid working from home policy
- Generous annual leave allowance
- Pay progression through multiple increments
- Learning & Development opportunities
- Access to an employee benefits package
- Committed to being an anti-racist and trauma informed organisation
Click here to learn more: Working for us
Our values
It is important to us that every employee is committed to and share our organisational values:
We behave with INTEGRITY and HONESTY in all we do. We work OBJECTIVELY and with IMPARTIALITY
to support the Police and Crime Commissioner and each other to achieve the objectives of the Police and Crime Plan.
We support each other by driving INCLUSIVITY within our interaction with each other and the public.
Don’t meet all parts of the Job Description?
At the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace that reflects the communities of the West Midlands. Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for roles if they believe they do not meet each item of the criteria. So, if you are passionate about this role we encourage you to still apply. You may be exactly who we are looking for.
Please note we do not accept CV’s. To download an application form please visit: www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/your-commissioner/working-for-the-police-and-crime-commissioner or telephone 0121 626 6060.
Recruitment is completed in line with safe recruitment practices. You can find our Safeguarding policy here: Safeguarding-policy-November-21.pdf (westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk)
For more information about the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner visit: Home – West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk).
For an informal confidential conversation about this post, please contact Tom Turrell by emailing: [email protected]
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Tuesday 23rd January 2024. Interviews are planned to take place in person on Friday 2nd February 2024.
To download an application form and information pack please visit: www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/your-commissioner/working-for-the-police-and-crime-commissioner or telephone 0121 626 6060.
Please note CV’s will not be accepted.
