Executive Officer - Bradford, United Kingdom - Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Verified Company

Bradford, United Kingdom

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Head of Communications

WEST YORKSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
***
Executive Officer (EO)

£54,775 per annum rising to £57,623 per annum after a qualifying period.

Full-time

1 x 37.5 Working hours per week

Permanent

Based at Birkenshaw/home

Are you a strategic and creative thinker who is passionate about making a difference to people's lives? Then we want to hear from you as we seek a talented Head of Communications to join our Senior Management Team.

Working with us at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service you will be making a difference to people's lives every day; whether that's preventing fire tragedy through engaging behaviour campaigns, by promoting our innovative organisation or managing media at major incidents.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, you will lead the Corporate Communications team and be responsible for all forms of communications, marketing campaigns, media management, digital communications, and social media engagement.

You will also provide guidance on all communications and public affairs matters to colleagues throughout the organisation.

You will be a strong and inspiring leader with a proven record of proactively managing impactful campaigns, crisis communications, internal change communications and promoting positive culture.

You will have a strong team ethic and outstanding leadership skills.

Strong people skills, resilience and an organised approach are essential as the role demands pragmatism in a challenging and changing environment.

So, if you have a talent for leading communications and public relations to change behaviours for the better, and are driven by championing equity, diversity, and inclusivity, then please come and help us achieve our goals here.

About our organisation:

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has been rated as 'Good' at our most recent HMICFRS inspection.

We are one of the largest metropolitan brigades in the country - serving communities in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and beyond.

We cover urban inner-cities through to some of the most spectacular wild moors and countryside in the UK.

As we stride towards our vision of making West Yorkshire safer by developing an emergency service which is fit for the future, we are undergoing the biggest ever service-wide transformation and modernisation.

This includes digital and data transformation, culture and behaviour change, and an innovative rebuilding programme which is putting inclusivity at the centre of our estate.

A fundamental change programme is also underway in how we deliver corporate communications and engagement to build trust and confidence in our communities.

Communications as a strategic function now sits at the heart of the organisation and is aligned to the first ever standard for public sector communications where measuring data and impact is central to all that we do

See:
Fire Standard for Communications and Engagement.

A recent review of the communications function, undertaken by industry leading communications specialists, has resulted in a raft of recommendations as the service continues its transformation in this area.

It will be the remit of the new Head of Communications to build on these recommendations, including our planned restructure of resources.

There is now a service-wide recognition of the need for an inclusive approach to communications and engagement and the role it plays in contributing to our service's positive culture and working environment.

What the job entails:

As Head of Communications, you will play a crucial role delivering and embedding our communications and engagement strategy to support the work of WYFRS.

Key to this role is ensuring WYFRS' vision, strategic objectives, and any information it needs to share are delivered in a way that is understandable and accessible to all through tailored communications and engagement approaches to suit our multiple audiences.

Insight and engagement are now driving our community risk management planning so we can better understand and engage with the most vulnerable and in need in our communities.

Our communications' activity needs to add value here by using effective techniques to connect with our communities, enabling our services to target those who most need our help, as we work to prevent and protect people from danger.

To achieve this aim, you will develop clear strategic messaging; maximise our reach; and energise our stakeholder network and audience engagement through impactful campaigns.

These will be delivered through a mixture of events and strategic partnerships including with other public sector organisations, the voluntary and community sector and engagement with media/trade press.

As with all roles in the service, there will be a focus on working collaboratively, both internally and with colleagues and stakeholders locally and nationally.

You will have the chance to collaborate closely with