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TEAM:
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SALARY:
Senior Press Officer
Communications team
W1, London
Permanent
Competitive
JOB DESCRIPTION - MAIN DUTIES OF THE POST
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The post holder will have the opportunity to work closely with the Head of Communications
and SMT to lead on one of BICOM’s four exciting campaign strands – she/he will be expected
to show creativity and innovative thinking to help run the campaigns
Bring in new ideas to develop, maintain and implement Communications plans in partnership
with an assigned SMT member and in collaboration with other members of the organisation
Work closely with the Head of Communications to develop and implement the
Communications Strategy
Answering enquiries from the press or other media representatives
Writing and distributing press releases about the work of the organisation as well as reactive
statements
Support the Head of Communications and CEO with logistics for media bids
To monitor and support the Head of Communications on the analysis of print, broadcast and
online media and identify opportunities and threats and keeping up-to-date with all issues that
affect the company or organisation
To produce written and/or verbal briefings for the CEO, media team and the BICOM staff as a
whole on media developments weekly
Identify media opportunities to promote BICOM’s work
Recruit journalists for Israel media delegations, working closely with the Director of the Israel
office
Organise media briefings
Support the Communications team’s social media/stakeholder relations activities as needed
Help the Head of Communications to implement the communication elements of the BICOM
strategy with a focus on implementation and evaluation of communications activity.
Build and maintain excellent relations in the news media, particularly on broadcast media and
comment sections of newspapers and websites.
Support the implementation of a new social media strategy to utilise the latest techniques to
expand the reach of BICOM’s research and analysis material
Develop communication plans for high profile news events
Seek opportunities to generate news media coverage and create stories in social media that
will achieve BICOM’s strategic objectives
Support the Head of Communications and CEO to manage crisis communications as
necessary.
Provide weekly, monthly and quarterly evaluation of communications activity including data on
audiences reached.
Provide out of hours cover in the event of high profile events or crises. Provide out of hours
duty cover overnight and at weekends on a duty rota basis (around one weekend in every six,
and one weekday evening in every fortnight).
PERSON SPECIFICATION - COMPETENCES/SKILLS REQUIRED
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate skills and experience that meets the vacancy advert
above.
Analysing evidence and thinking strategically
• Understands BICOM priorities, wider political and policy environments, and applies this to
communication plans.
• Understands complicated policies and issues quickly and accurately and can summarise key
components.
• Assesses risks, identifies potential negative issues as well as opportunities to promote positives.
• Predicts likely question areas from the media and ensures appropriate briefing is prepared.
• Stays up-to-date with latest developments in communications.
• Reviews progress and events to ensure that lessons are learned.
Managing projects
• Demonstrates initiative to lead projects in order to deliver outcomes.
• Demonstrates good organisational skills.
• Can work effectively under frequent pressure to immovable deadlines.
• Demonstrates determination and an ability to deal with competing priorities effectively and calmly.
Focusing on stakeholders
• Experience of building successful relationships with colleagues and stakeholders at a senior level.
• Excellent inter-personal skills, managing relationships in order to deliver successful outcomes.
• Matches communication to audience.
Communicating
• Confident speaker who also writes clearly, concisely and accurately.
• Provides accurate well-researched advice, presenting information effectively.
• Has a clear understanding of the purpose of strategic communication and long term planning.
• Promotes effective information sharing.
• Chairs or contributes to meetings to help achieve clear results and move business forward.
• Excellent news judgement.
• Sound understanding of the current political landscape in the UK and Israel.
• Crisis communications experience and a track record of providing communications advice to deal
with fast-moving, high-profile news stories.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Experience of delivering successful communications strategies matching communications to
audience and pictures to words.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and cover letter to Thais Portilho on thaisp@bicom.org.uk
Deadline: 5pm, Friday, 18th December 2015