Communications Business Partner

at  BCP Council

Job Introduction
BCP Council’s Corporate Communications team is undergoing some exciting changes.
We’re looking for some seriously creative and solutions focussed Communications Business Partners to help us lead and drive this exciting change.
Confident and adept in campaign planning and delivery, you will inspire the work of the wider team. The use of audience and data insights will be second nature in your planning, as will the use of behavioural science to inform your creative briefs. Continuous improvement will be an intrinsic part of your approach.
You will pride yourself on building long term, productive and professional relationships as much as on your ability to produce impactful work; and above all, your work will help us to improve how we engage with our key audiences – especially our residents. No two days will likely be the same.
We are looking for someone with experience in managing complex communication challenges and who can advise senior leaders on contentious issues.
If you thrive in a fast-paced environment; have an ability to work to tight deadlines, respond to changing priorities and can establish credibility easily with key stakeholders then we’d love to hear from you.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a passionate and high-performing communications team at an exciting time for BCP Council. We operate in a fascinating politically nuanced environment. Our Three Towns Alliance is just over a year in post with a recently published Corporate Strategy; there’s been a seismic shift in our MP representation and we continue to transform after local government reorganisation. We navigate this political environment with great care and use our expertise to advise, manage and deliver communications on issues that have real impact on the people, communities, place and environment we serve.
We find our work exciting and professionally stimulating: the challenges are real, but so are the opportunities and our determination to succeed. We aim to be the best Communications Team in the country, and we have a plan to improve the way we work to help us get there. If you share our enthusiasm for the dynamic issues we juggle, our passion for thinking differently, innovating and putting our audiences first, then we want you to join us on our journey.
You’ll be based in the vibrant coastal towns of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and have access to all the area has to offer – from beautiful beaches to cultural highlights and a thriving urban social scene. We’re open to flexible working arrangements and operate a hybrid working environment, with an office at Bournemouth Civic Centre.
You will support colleagues across the team which means there will be a requirement to work some weekends and evenings as part of the team’s out of hours rota. You may also have to cover the occasional evening council meeting.

ROLE PURPOSE

To partner and support internal clients to ensure that the council’s reputation is protected and key business objectives supported, through excellent marketing communications activity. Providing advice to directors, elected members and senior officers on issues management, reputation management, and campaign proposals, sourcing full-service professional support from within the communications team and externally as appropriate.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement communications and marketing strategies and plans for directorates, to include creative and innovative communication activity in line with the council’s corporate objectives
• Ensure all activity is audience focused and linked to strategic priorities and outcomes, with commercial acumen applied in terms of measuring results and return on investment
• To provide and co-ordinate effective media relations and to lead on responses to high level and contentious media enquiries
• Create / commission engaging content to support communications, campaigns and reputational issues suitable for a mix of audiences and channels
• Support strategic plans and make professional recommendations to senior management on campaign development and the marketing mix
• Keep abreast of professional and public sector developments which have implications for service delivery and present threats or opportunities
• Ensure that all communications activity is in line with national best practice and in keeping with the latest developments in technology.
• Responsible for identifying and maximising income opportunities for the team and making contributions towards our income target
• Must prioritise discharging the council’s warning and informing duties, as part of the team’s incident response requirements