Media Relations & PR Officers
- by HMRC
- Location Birmingham, West Midlands (County), UK
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Salary
£30,880 - £34,310 / year
1187 days ago
Job Description:
About the job
Summary
HMRC is the UK’s tax, payments and customs authority, and we have a vital purpose: we collect the money that pays for public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support.
HMRC Communications has a crucial role to play in getting tax right for everyone. Our work supports HMRC's customers, engages our 59,000-strong workforce and tackles the few who cheat the tax system. We're one of the biggest and best communications teams in government - and our actions help fund the UK's hospitals, schools and other vital public services.
Our press team runs one of the biggest 24-hour news operations both in Government and the UK. We set and respond to the fast-paced news agenda on tax. Whether it's tax avoidance by global corporations, offshore tax evasion, or the huge operation of the Self-Assessment and Tax Credits systems involving millions of individuals.
HMRC Communications has a crucial role to play in getting tax right for everyone. Our work supports HMRC's customers, engages our 59,000-strong workforce and tackles the few who cheat the tax system. We're one of the biggest and best communications teams in government - and our actions help fund the UK's hospitals, schools and other vital public services.
Our press team runs one of the biggest 24-hour news operations both in Government and the UK. We set and respond to the fast-paced news agenda on tax. Whether it's tax avoidance by global corporations, offshore tax evasion, or the huge operation of the Self-Assessment and Tax Credits systems involving millions of individuals.
Job description
Over the last year we have been integral in delivering the Government’s response to COVID 19, having produced extensive media campaigns to support the Job Retention Scheme, Eat Out to Help Out and Self Employment Income Support Schemes. We continue to deliver the ongoing schemes whilst communicating how the UK’s departure from the EU impacts our customers.
We have a proactive approach to media and stakeholder engagement and are taking innovative steps into digital and social news management.
No other government department offers the chance to be part of an external comms team of what is essentially a major corporation, and few others so directly affect the lives of every citizen in the UK.
The team is made up of media relations and PR officers, managers and support staff based in each country and region of the UK. All are remotely managed, and most work in offices on their own.
The successful candidates will be responsible for managing the media and stakeholder relations for the region they are based in, as well as working across all aspects of HMRC’s press office as and when needed.
We are advertising two roles. The first is to cover the West Midlands and will be based in Birmingham. The second can be based in either Cardiff or Bristol and will cover Wales and the SW of England.
Although the successful applicants will work on their own most of the time, you will demonstrate an outstanding team working ethos. The team is dispersed across the four corners of the UK, so rely heavily on the support of colleagues given some of them work alone.
Much of this role is about building relationships with colleagues within HMRC, other government departments, external stakeholders and journalists to ensure that we can accurately promote and explain HMRC’s policies. A dedication to building solid relationships with HMRC communications colleagues based around the UK is a must. You will need good interpersonal skills with the ability to present your ideas for compelling communications strategies to senior leaders.
These roles require someone with excellent writing skills, as much of your time will be spent writing news releases, briefings, lines to take etc. Your application form will be carefully scrutinised for grammar, punctuation and spelling as well as content and only those who demonstrate the required standard will be invited to interview. You will also be tested at interview to ensure that you have these skills.
Being able to drive is essential as this role involves regular travel. Sometimes locally with investigation teams to take photos and video footage and on other occasions further afield to meetings with policy colleagues as well as with other team members.
The roles involve some overnight stays away from home as well as late nights and early mornings when our work dictates it. Experience has shown that given the nature of the role and the small size of the team, this job is not suitable for job sharing or alternative working patterns. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available, agreement will be subject to business need, and any request to work an alternative working pattern should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
These roles require someone with excellent writing skills, as much of your time will be spent writing news releases, briefings, lines to take etc. You will be tested at interview to ensure that you have these skills. Your application form will be carefully scrutinised for grammar, punctuation and spelling as well as content and only those who demonstrate the required standard will be invited to interview.
Before you take up the role you will need to go through a security clearance process. If you do not pass the security vetting, you will not be confirmed into the position.
Responsibilities • Work with lines of business communications teams to identify external communication requirements
• Seek opportunities to promote HMRC activity in the local media and with local stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with relevant journalists and stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues in HMRC Communications and lines of business
• Commission appropriate briefing to allow provision of relevant and accurate answers to questions from the media in writing or verbally
• Write news releases which accurately reflect HMRC policy and ensure the HMRC press office style guide is adhered to in all external products
• Carry out evaluation of media coverage
• Deliver proactive media strategies to enable HMRC to set the news agenda
• May be required to join the press office out of hours rota
• Very occasionally carry out local TV and radio interviews
Essential Criteria:
• Has the ability to collaborate across the department/Civil Service/external partners to deliver the best results for the team and HMRC
• Is able to make effective decisions, often under pressure
• Has superb writing skills, including grammar and punctuation
• Has excellent organisation skills to ensure work is delivered accurately and on time
• Is innovative and open to new insights to improve our work and the way we work
• Is a real teammate who motivates, engages and supports others
• Has experience of working as a journalist or as a press officer in a government or similar organisation
• Has the ability to act as an ambassador for Press Office and HMRC Communications both internally and externally
We have a proactive approach to media and stakeholder engagement and are taking innovative steps into digital and social news management.
No other government department offers the chance to be part of an external comms team of what is essentially a major corporation, and few others so directly affect the lives of every citizen in the UK.
The team is made up of media relations and PR officers, managers and support staff based in each country and region of the UK. All are remotely managed, and most work in offices on their own.
The successful candidates will be responsible for managing the media and stakeholder relations for the region they are based in, as well as working across all aspects of HMRC’s press office as and when needed.
We are advertising two roles. The first is to cover the West Midlands and will be based in Birmingham. The second can be based in either Cardiff or Bristol and will cover Wales and the SW of England.
Although the successful applicants will work on their own most of the time, you will demonstrate an outstanding team working ethos. The team is dispersed across the four corners of the UK, so rely heavily on the support of colleagues given some of them work alone.
Much of this role is about building relationships with colleagues within HMRC, other government departments, external stakeholders and journalists to ensure that we can accurately promote and explain HMRC’s policies. A dedication to building solid relationships with HMRC communications colleagues based around the UK is a must. You will need good interpersonal skills with the ability to present your ideas for compelling communications strategies to senior leaders.
These roles require someone with excellent writing skills, as much of your time will be spent writing news releases, briefings, lines to take etc. Your application form will be carefully scrutinised for grammar, punctuation and spelling as well as content and only those who demonstrate the required standard will be invited to interview. You will also be tested at interview to ensure that you have these skills.
Being able to drive is essential as this role involves regular travel. Sometimes locally with investigation teams to take photos and video footage and on other occasions further afield to meetings with policy colleagues as well as with other team members.
The roles involve some overnight stays away from home as well as late nights and early mornings when our work dictates it. Experience has shown that given the nature of the role and the small size of the team, this job is not suitable for job sharing or alternative working patterns. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available, agreement will be subject to business need, and any request to work an alternative working pattern should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
These roles require someone with excellent writing skills, as much of your time will be spent writing news releases, briefings, lines to take etc. You will be tested at interview to ensure that you have these skills. Your application form will be carefully scrutinised for grammar, punctuation and spelling as well as content and only those who demonstrate the required standard will be invited to interview.
Before you take up the role you will need to go through a security clearance process. If you do not pass the security vetting, you will not be confirmed into the position.
Responsibilities • Work with lines of business communications teams to identify external communication requirements
• Seek opportunities to promote HMRC activity in the local media and with local stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with relevant journalists and stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues in HMRC Communications and lines of business
• Commission appropriate briefing to allow provision of relevant and accurate answers to questions from the media in writing or verbally
• Write news releases which accurately reflect HMRC policy and ensure the HMRC press office style guide is adhered to in all external products
• Carry out evaluation of media coverage
• Deliver proactive media strategies to enable HMRC to set the news agenda
• May be required to join the press office out of hours rota
• Very occasionally carry out local TV and radio interviews
Essential Criteria:
• Has the ability to collaborate across the department/Civil Service/external partners to deliver the best results for the team and HMRC
• Is able to make effective decisions, often under pressure
• Has superb writing skills, including grammar and punctuation
• Has excellent organisation skills to ensure work is delivered accurately and on time
• Is innovative and open to new insights to improve our work and the way we work
• Is a real teammate who motivates, engages and supports others
• Has experience of working as a journalist or as a press officer in a government or similar organisation
• Has the ability to act as an ambassador for Press Office and HMRC Communications both internally and externally
Licences
Candidates are required to hold a full UK Driving Licence
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Job Type
Permanent, Full Time
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Work Authorisation
No
- Industry Sector Public Sector & Services