Group Head of National Media - London, United Kingdom - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Verified Company
London, United Kingdom

4 weeks ago

Tom O´Connor

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Tom O´Connor

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Description

Details:


Reference number:


Salary:

- £73,000-
Job grade:
  • SCS Pay Band 1
    Contract type:
  • Permanent
    Type of role:
  • Communications / Marketing
  • Senior leadership
    Working pattern:
  • Flexible working, Fulltime, Job share
    Number of jobs available:
  • 1Contents
Location

About the job


Benefits:

Things you need to know

Location

  • London with some travel to other Defra group hubs.
About the job


Job summary:

Everyone is affected by the work that Defra does. We deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people's lives.

We are responsible for our environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards.

We are looking for an exceptional person to join the leadership team as our Group Head of National Media.

This is a very exciting time to join Defra.

Defra's mission is to restore and enhance the environment for the next generation, leaving it in a better state than we found It.

Communications is at the heart of this mission.

The Group Head of National Media will be critically important to achieving our vision and integral to supporting our work across the Defra group.

You will be joining at a unique time of change in the department and across its agencies and ALBs.


Job description:


This is an exciting opportunity to take on a key leadership role in Defra's group Communications team at a time of significant change.


Reporting to the Group Director of Communications, you will be responsible for leading an integrated press and media team providing high quality advice and media relations support across the Defra Group family of organisations - from frontline operational activity to delivery bodies and ministerial level.


The communications challenge across the Defra group is one of the most complex and exciting opportunities in public sector communications.

This is a challenging role.

You will be expected to lead the team in handling a complex policy and operational delivery agenda across the full range of media channels.

The work will range from fast-moving incident support during flooding and animal or plant health disease outbreaks, to Defra group policy priorities such as improving the environment, levelling up the rural economy, delivering new opportunities for fishing as an independent coastal state post Brexit and delivering the biggest changes to farming and land management in 50 years.


The post-holder will ensure that Defra is able to communicate these priorities effectively and accurately across all relevant media with real impact.

The post holder will have experience of leading a team of media officers and running a high quality, proactive and reactive media management and news planning service, monitoring news across all platforms on behalf of the department.

Responding rapidly to fast-moving events and providing senior cover in an out-of-hours duty rota.

The role requires strong internal leadership to build on the successful reputation of Defra group communications.


Person specification:


  • The ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines.
  • An inspiring, confident and empowering leader who is able to provide visible, strong leadership that can motivate, engage and get the best out of people.
  • The ability to work effectively across organisational boundaries at a senior level and having the confidence and credibility to balance priorities, challenge constructively to achieve the desired outcomes.
  • Highly effective negotiating and influencing skills up to the most senior levels, as well as a highlycollaborative, team playing approach.
  • The personal resilience to work under sustained pressure and scrutiny and lead effectively through ambiguity.
  • Experience of leading and managing high performing teams and building their capability.
  • The ability to remain calm and offer effective judgement under pressure.
  • Can demonstrate the ability to absorb complex policy very rapidly and is able to respond to Ministers, senior internal figures and journalists with authority and credibility;
  • Can demonstrate leading a highperforming team through a significant programme of change.
  • A track record of driving a culture of excellence within a communications team that creates recognisable confidence from diverse stakeholder groups.
  • Strong people management skills with the ability to inspire and motivate a team and fostering strong engagement with the wider organisation.
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills, presence, resilience and the ability to build trust and relationships quickly.
  • Proven sound management of resources, including identifying and realising no
- and low-cost ways of delivering communications through, for example, skills development, stakeholder engagement and partnership working.

  • Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
**What we are looking
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