Senior Press Officer

at  Met Office

Job Introduction
We’re looking for an exceptional Senior Press Officer to help us make a difference to our planet.
As our Senior Press Officer, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in the office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and the location advertised will be your contractual place of work.
Our opportunity is part time, 24 hours per week. Our people are at the heart of what we do and we’ll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Expert by nature – Experience and understanding of the news media and social landscape, having worked successfully in a role that includes regular contact with the media.
• Better together with evidence of excellent interpersonal and team working, and negotiation skills that enable delivery of effective working relationships at all levels of an organisation.
• Live and breathe it – Demonstrable experience of dealing with fast-moving situations, being able to make good judgement in difficult situations.
• Expert by nature – Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, being able to communicate with impact.
• Keep evolving – Experience of developing engaging online, social media, and news content across a spectrum of distribution channels, which successfully deliver increased reach or manage reputation.
• Expert by nature – Experience of communicating complex subjects to a public audience.
• Expert by nature – Ability to develop and deliver multi-channel PR plans (including consistent messaging) to successfully promote, position or protect a topic with an agreed audience, demonstrating a successful outcome.

• Lead team resources day to day to plan, create and deliver media and social media communications projects especially across weather, climate, and industry/Government Sectors to exploit and maximise media coverage that promotes and protects the brand and reputation.
• Work across the whole of our media and digital offering to contribute to a consistent voice and good consumer experience across all our channels and with colleagues to continuously improve the service provided to internal and external audiences.
• Handle news media enquiries in an appropriate, timely manner, including using social media channels, to promote and protect the Met Office’s reputation in line with the communications and engagement strategy and programme plans.
• Proactively identify up-and-coming media and social media opportunities and threats and ensure that the Met Office is aware of and prepared for all key issues that may impact our reputation and take advantage of opportunities.
• Create and develop meaningful internal and external contacts, to cultivate beneficial relationships widely with the media and partners, and across the Met Office and our stakeholders.
• Ensure that reputation management, and when necessary, crisis management, is conducted throughout all media and comms channels, including social channels, providing consistent lines for all stakeholders.
• Provide direction, guidance and advice to the Executive, senior management and to other Met Office staff to help them maximise opportunities with the news media, and to identify and manage risks.
• Draft lines to take, media plans, narratives, messages, press releases, Q&A, blogs, and other digital content, including social media, in collaboration with appropriate colleagues, and ensure that all Met Office communications are co-ordinated in a way that benefits the Met Office.
• As necessary, deliver media interviews in the press, on radio and occasionally on TV.
  There may be opportunity/necessity to become part of an out of hours on-call roster in this position.