To achieve positive operational outcomes through creative, collaborative and innovative communications and engagement, that ensure everyone (communities, partners and our workforce) has trust, satisfaction and confidence in West Midlands Police. To provide an effective 24/7 service with the ability to respond to all major incidents and deliver hyper targeted, localised communications and engagement that build trust, satisfaction and confidence.
To be a highly skilled and trusted expert within the Communications and Engagement Department, being a proactive, outcome-focused professional, data-informed and insight-led to consult and engage with people and to design and deliver accessible, inclusive communications that problem-solve and positively influence behaviours to achieve force priorities.
Reporting to a Senior News Producer and the Head of News, this role will be responsible for:
- Producing creative, engaging and innovative content, both written and digital, for all of the force’s communication channels on a proactive and reactive basis
- Identifying new and emerging opportunities and trends to engage externally
- Monitoring media and social channels, assessing risk and opportunities, and evaluating the effectiveness of different approaches and activity
- Help to embed the force’s brand and identity through all communications externally
- Support senior spokespeople in media opportunities
- Track sentiment to identify shifts in the tone of coverage and provide early warning of emerging issues and trends.
- Being thematic lead/SPOC for identified organisational priorities and areas of focus, including for geographic identified Local Policing Area
- Organising and attend meetings and events when required and on occasion working outside normal hours if needed
- Produce high-quality communications plans that include key products: internal messaging and plans, stakeholder mapping, press notices, potential risks, core scripts/briefing, technical journalist briefings and Q&A packs
- Carrying out other duties which are consistent with the nature, responsibilities and grading of this role.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with media organisations, influencers and key internal and external stakeholders, seeking opportunities and managing risk and reputational threat to the organisation
- Engage with journalists proactively and have the confidence and ability to effectively brief to shape and contextualise stories, and prevent or correct inaccurate coverage
- Support the coaching and developing staff which includes social media training, video editing and filming
- Representing the department at meetings and offer guidance and expert advice
- Work in partnership with communications colleagues within the department to ensure consistent, creative, strategic external communications across channels and audiences.
- View and assess sensitive material for external release, seeking professional ways to bring information together in a format to publicly present that is accessible and informative
- Establishing effective monitoring and evaluation processes and using them to assess risk and opportunities, evaluate the effectiveness of approaches
A full detailed list of role responsibilities and competencies required for this post are detailed within the role profile here.
Prospective officers and staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, and that therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique position entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour we are required to uphold.
Vetting:
Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Counter Terrorism Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.
Medical:
Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and hearing test.
Interviews:
Interviews details to be confirmed.
West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Interview Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.
It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.
"Diversity and Inclusion Vision: Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities"
