Job Description and Person Specification
Job Title:
Communications Officer (Realising Ambition)
Place of work:
London (Pear Tree Street)
Hours of Work:
Fulltime (37 hours per week)
Salary point:
Grade F £27,000 including ILW
Reports to:
Programme Manager (Realising Ambition)
Directorate:
Young People and Families Directorate
Effective from:
14 March 2016 (fix term contract to July 2017)
Summary of role
We are looking for a confident and articulate individual to deliver the communication’s
activity for the Catch22 led Realising Ambition Programme. This is an excellent opportunity
to engage with senior level experts on an exciting, national, large-scale programme in a fast
moving organisation.
The successful candidate will be expected to work across large a number of partnerships
both internal and external to the programme including the consortium managing Realising
Ambition and the 22 organisations delivering services in it. The post holder will be
responsible for a wide range of activities including seeking media coverage for the
programme, organisation of events, production of digital products and publications, updating
the website and social media engagement. This role also involves pursuing opportunities to
externally promote the learning from the programme.
About Realising Ambition:
Realising Ambition is a Big Lottery Fund supported UK-wide programme which replicates
evidence based and promising interventions to divert children and young people from
pathways into offending. We are: improving the evidence base of what works for whom and
why in avoiding pathways into offending; promoting learning about what it takes to replicate
evidence-based interventions and helping commissioners to ask the right questions about
evidence, practice and impact. Realising Ambition has an overall spend of £25 million over
a five year period and will run until July 2017.
Main Duties and Accountabilities
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Seeking external opportunities to promote learning from the programme (for example,
speaking engagements at events) and supporting the Programme Manager, Director
and Strategic Director of Young People and Families to engage with these opportunities.
Working closely with the Catch22 External Affairs Manager, seeking and securing media
coverage for the programme.
Writing, designing and marketing Realising Ambition’s products including case studies,
bimonthly briefings, presentations and blogs.
Coordinating the production of video case studies on consortium members and the
organisations delivering services in the programme (the projects).
Coordinating planned Realising Ambition events across the UK in close consultation with
the Big Lottery country leads and relevant projects.
Developing copy for Realising Ambition’s webpages and coordinating social media
engagement.
Acting as a point of contact for consortium partners and projects on undertaking
communication’s activities including brand protection and agreed key messages.
Working internally to ensure learning from the Realising Ambition is shared across
Catch22 and its wider partnerships.
Some administrative tasks including updating distribution lists, preparing materials for
events and notetaking at meetings.
Organisational Accountabilities
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Reports to the Realising Ambition Programme Manager and works closely with both the
Catch22 marketing team and the Young People and Families Directorate.
Participate in training and developmental activities as required.
Ensure the implementation of Catch22’s Diversity & Equality policy statement.
Comply with Health and Safety policies and procedures.
Ensure the implementation of Catch22’s policies and procedures.
Carry out other such other relevant duties, as required.
This post will travel across the UK including overnight stays.
Person Specification
Criteria
Personal qualities
Engaging and influencing; you’ll bring partners across the programme with you
and they want to work with you.
Decisive: you understand your remit and are able to assert your expertise,
diplomatically, at all levels.
Credible; you can interact with and influence senior management in a
professional, confident manner.
Motivated; you are driven and ambitious about what you can achieve.
Essential qualifications
Experience in a communications or information role.
Experience of writing and editing copy for a wide variety of audiences (e.g.
local authority commissioners, funders and the voluntary sector).
Experience in media engagement including producing press releases and
building relationships with journalists to secure media coverage.
Experience of publishing information in print and digital formats.
Experience of planning and managing events for a range of audiences.
How they will
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Desirable qualifications
A degree (or equivalent qualification) or relevant professional experience.
Experience of developing and managing key stakeholder relationships.
Experience of using digital marketing tools such as dotmailer, as well as social
media channels.
Experience of using desktop publication tools such as indesign and
photoshop.
Skills and Abilities
Excellent level of written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to translate complex information into clear messages, briefings and
reports for internal and external audiences.
Ability to write for and communicate with a range of audiences across the four
countries of the UK including commissioners, funders and the voluntary sector.
Advanced planning and organising skills.
Excellent attention to detail.
Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
A pro active approach and an ability to problem solve and work under own
initiative.
Strong ICT skills including Microsoft Office.
Able to travel including overnight stays.
*Key: A – Application Form
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