Glyndŵr University
Communications
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE
Media Communications Officer
GRADE
O & A4
SALARY
£23,620 to £27,329
HOURS OF WORK
37 Hours per week
LOCATION
Wrexham
ACCOUNTABLE TO
Media Communications Manager
PURPOSE OF THE POST
The role exists to support the University’s internal and external communications and
enable it to meet its strategic objectives and student recruitment targets. The Media
Communications Officer is a champion for good communication, with a keen and
sensitive appreciation of strategic priorities. The role is crucial to inspiring and
maintaining the flow of information internally throughout the University, and externally
to all appropriate audiences. The post-holder will work to ensure the reputation of the
University is developed and upheld and that all aspects of the University’s vibrant,
dynamic and varied activity are communicated effectively to stakeholder groups (not
least, to prospective students and business partners and political leaders).
The role is responsible for generating content for media communications to enable
conversations to take place internally and externally.
The post holder will operate as a ‘roving reporter’, scheduling regular contact with key
academics, operations staff and students to ensure proactive stories are sourced and
developed. A key part of the role is liaising with news desk and senior staff at local,
regional, national, online and sector press to discuss the use and placement of stories.
Implementing, producing and editing a new quarterly monthly newsletter aimed at the
university’s alumni, the post holder will also be involved in the production of a weekly
internal newsletter for university staff.
The Media Communications Officer will deputise for the media communications
manager on all media relations issues, including but not limited to acting as the
university’s spokesperson when responding to media requests; liaising with and
advising senior management and academics on media issues and approaches,
including those which are highly sensitive; representing the university press office at
internal meetings and networking events.
The post-holder will respond to internal and external requests for communications
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Communications
assistance in a timely and effective manner, as well as proactively seeking information.
The post-holder will act as deputy editor for the staff newspaper, Buzz, published three
times a year for staff, stakeholders and the community. Duties here include deciding
on editorial content, coordinating production of the newspaper with a local media
publisher and responsibility for distribution.
The post-holder will support and drive the generation of content (written, video,
photography, audio, graphics) for a wide range publications and media
communications channels i.e. the press office; the University website; social media;
publications such as newsletters and prospectuses.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
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Post holder should be prepared to offer training to colleagues as required.
This includes staff within the team and others including academic staff, student
representatives and members of the University’s executive group.
The post holder must ensure students and staff featured in communications
materials have consented to their use in this context.
Health and safety policies must be considered, especially when working off-site or
in potentially hazardous environments.
The post is based on the Wrexham campus and is office-based but requires
significant working at other university sites, external organisations and in the
community.
Requirement to maintain media monitoring database on all press, broadcast and
web coverage of the university. Monthly report to be provided to media
communications manager.
The role also requires a focus on other media stories which could impact on the
university, including but not limited to coverage of competitor institutions.
Analyse and interpret data for use in PR, for example trends in university guides,
Research Excellence Framework
Dealing with reticent or difficult subjects to ensure they take part in coverage at a
level which is comfortable for them but also of value to the University.
Managing sign-off process to ensure subjects are satisfied with their representation
in coverage while ensuring it remains as audience-focused as possible for
journalists (for press releases) and the public (for video content, social media posts
etc.)
Planning of working hours required.
The role can require some out-of-hours working to attend events etc.
Working pattern should take into account travelling time to different university and
external sites.
Urgent responses to requests from vice-chancellor’s office and senior team will
need to be managed alongside other priorities
Communications plans to be produced and implemented around specific marketing
campaigns and events. Plan to be produced in conjunction with media
communications manager
To make decisions collaboratively with media communications manager, with a
keen awareness of strategic priorities
Make independent decisions on media relations issues and when talking to media
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Communications
in the absence of the media communications manager; decisions will have a
significant impact on the university’s reputation among the general public.
To make independent decisions of priorities on a day-to-day basis, bearing in mind
strategic priorities and set deadlines
Provide a proactive, all-encompassing PR, media relations and communications
service to academic and operations staff. Feedback should be encouraged,
Key feedback, whether positive or negative, should be shared with line manager
at regular meetings. Decisions on whether service needs to be amended in light of
feedback should be taken jointly with line manager.
Build strong relations and network proactively with colleagues to ensure a regular
supply of news stories is fed to the press office.
Disseminate good communications advice across the university
To gain and maintain respect of work colleagues
To meet regularly with key staff at media outlets
External relations include those with journalists both locally and nationally and PR
agencies/freelance workers the university may engage to work on its behalf.
The post holder will organise and conduct media training with staff including
academics and the university’s senior team
Working as part of a team, the post holder will communicate regularly with all
members of the communications team; sharing information and motivating team
members
The role requires the post-holder to provide advice and planning assistance to
other team members, as well as to act on their requests for assistance
To have regular meetings with the media communications manager
The post holder will work proactively with the media communications manager to
drive and develop the university’s internal communications
To be highly motivated to work on own initiative and with others
To inspire best practice in communication, to have good interpersonal and social
skills
To take a team approach to working with external suppliers, freelance writers, PR
consultants
Regular, unsupervised work is an essential demand of the role
To write university press releases on all subject areas, from corporate news and
announcements to student successes, graduation and complex research or
funding stories
Respond in an efficient, timely manner to incoming requests for statements and
interviews from media organisations; liaise with staff internally to complete these.
Internally, written reports to be provided to line manager (see ‘Analysis and
research’ below) on all media coverage.
Reports on specific areas or campaigns may also be requested.
Writing for specific publications and a variety of different audiences, e.g. university
prospectuses, alumni newsletters, B2B communications, internal communications
newsletters
Prepare briefings for colleagues and senior management preparing for interviews;
collate facts, figures and media relations advice for them to use ahead of media
interviews.
Post holder will prioritise face-to-face and telephone communication with staff,
students and external partners, meeting, conversing with and interviewing
colleagues across the University.
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Communications
Oral feedback will be given to management wherever appropriate, and in particular
at regular meetings to discuss and monitor media coverage/content production.
Wider team meetings will require oral communication of current priorities, concerns
and key messages at all levels.
Be available and open to requests for information and ideas, from other teams and
personnel outside the marketing team
Act as official university spokesperson for media in absence/conjunction with
media communications manager, and provide leadership on media relations
issues.
Provide oral media training to colleagues, both formally through organised events
and bespoke with individuals; Carry out mock media interviews where requested.
Understand and simplify information on all aspects of higher education for
consumption by general audiences, including but not limited to stories on technical
scientific research; funding, fees and finance; higher education policies and
procedures.
GENERAL DUTIES
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Excellent personal communications and presentation skills.
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An approachable, customer-focused, polite and pleasant manner.
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Experience of shooting and editing video and photography is essential.
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Experience of working with design concepts and software highly desirable.
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Would be desirable if post holder held a first degree, preferably in journalism or
a media communications-related field, and/or a relevant professional
qualification.
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Post holder should have one or more years’ experience in a journalism or media
communications role. It is desirable that some or all of this experience should
have been in a daily newspaper environment.
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Post holder should also have experience of working in internal communications
or a press office.
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Welsh language skills (spoken and written) would be an advantage.
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A good command of both written and spoken English is essential.
Skills and Ability: Good interpersonal and social skills
The ability to offer a high customer service
The ability to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines
The ability to gain and maintain respect of work colleagues
The ability to delegate, gain and maintain respect and to motivate staff
Good organisational, communications and problem solving skills
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Personal attributes/Behaviours:A happy, polite and pleasant mannered individual who is trustworthy and honest.
Person Specification
Specified below are the skills and criteria that are necessary to undertake the post.
Only candidates who meet the essential criteria of the person specification will
be short-listed.
Essential Criteria
 Experience of photography for professional purposes
 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
 One or more years’ experience in a journalism or media communications role
Desirable Criteria
 The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh
 Experience of shooting and editing video
 Knowledge of the higher education sector and the challenges it faces
 Experience of working on a newspaper/online news platform or a degree or
professional qualification in a journalism or media communications-related
discipline
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