Communications Manager - Media Relations

SIA - Communications and Stakeholder Engagement - The SIA is the organisation responsible for the regulation of private security. It is an independent, arm's length body (ALB) of the Home Office, reporting to the Home Secretary, under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA's purpose, This role will provide strategic communications support in communicating the work of the SIA to key stakeholders in the Private Security Industry, including government, the media, and the public, helping to improve standards and support public safety.

Build relationships with national, local and trade press journalists across all sectors our work covers.

As a member of the External Communications Team, you will play a key role in raising the profile of the SIA and its role in regulating the industry across a range of channels with an emphasis on regional/national print, broadcast, trade and specialist media.

What you will be doing:

• Write press notices, pitches to journalists, op-eds and blog posts to explain our work.


• Brief journalists on the work of the SIA to secure in-depth accurate and positive media coverage.


• Organise and manage press briefings and media interviews.


• Engage with industry stakeholders, government departments, key partners such as the police, local government press offices.


• Help prepare spokespeople for media interviews by conducting practice interviews and developing support materials.


• Respond to enquiries from journalists accurately and in a timely manner.


• Drafting lines to take and briefings SIA spokespeople and the media.

Respond appropriately to questions and comments on social media about our work.

• Build relationships with national, local and trade press journalists across all sectors our work covers.


• Provide a full range of specialist communications to colleagues across the SIA from strategic planning to execution. To include, identifying measurable communications objectives, defining target audiences, advising upon the most appropriate channels, setting evaluation methods, and contributing to wider strategies.


• Ensure the most appropriate and cost-effective channels mix and maximise the potential of digital channels in developing plans, resources, and budgets.


• To work across the SIA to drive best practice and ensure consistency of messages.


• Focus on results and strive to consistently meet and exceed communications standards.


• Keep commercially aware considering best practice to deliver best in class communications.


• Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested from time to time, within the job-holder's capabilities., This vacancy is using SIA Competency Framework and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.


• Interviews will be held WC 4th March and will be in person at our office in Canary Wharf, London.


• Start date will be determined based on security clearance checks, and the successful candidate's notice period.


The SIA is committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. Our approach: do more than just our duty. We explain this in more detail in our equality, diversity and inclusion policy. We actively promote equality, take positive action to redress inequality and build a culture that champions diversity and inclusion. By doing this, we will ensure that we build equality, diversity and inclusion into the way we think and work. As an employer, the diversity of our employees enriches us and enables us to better carry out our role as a regulator. We value the skills and qualities each employee brings with them into the organisation. And we improve representation wherever we need to foster a culture of inclusion that our employees lead, own and champion.

If you'd like to know anything before applying such as more on the location, salary, or our recruitment policies etc, please just let us know and we'll be happy to help. You can contact the recruiter for this role at (Recruitment@sia.gov.uk )
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.,
• UK nationals


• nationals of the Republic of Ireland


• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK


• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)


• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)


• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020


• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  We are seeking a skilled and passionate Strategic Communications Specialist to join our External Communications Team. In this role, you will communicate the work of the SIA to the media, Private Security industry and the public. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, a previous experience in journalism or communications. Experience in generating interesting news stories, managing briefings and building strong relationships with journalists is essential as well as a strong understanding of marketing strategies. You must be motivated, organised, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Apply now to make a positive impact on public safety and shape the future of our industry., Excellent communication skills and the ability to convey messages to a range of audiences using various techniques.


• Strong diplomacy skills and confident when speaking to journalists on a proactive and reactive basis.


• Excellent writing skills and the ability to produce compelling media products such as key messages/speaking points, Q&A's and feature articles.



• Ability to take communications briefs and establish communications requirements and recommend and deliver communication solutions.



• Ability to translate complex information and translate in to clear and accessible communications.


• Previous experience working as a journalist, or in a press office or communications team.


• Experience of implementing and managing marketing strategies - covering the entire communication mix. Maximise the potential of digital and low-cost channels in developing plans, resources, and budgets.


• Strong stakeholder management skills


• High sense of creative awareness and good organisational abilities.


• Strong project management skills.


• High levels of drive, determination, and commitment.


• Ability to understand complex situations and interconnected matters, prioritise urgent issues whilst achieving outcomes to agreed deadlines.


• An uncompromising approach to outstanding customer service (for both internal and external customers).


• Ability to act under own initiative and constantly to strive to deliver excellence in work.


• Confident and articulate in personal interaction at any level.


• An understanding and commitment to equal opportunity and diversity issues and an ability to recognise and welcome individual diversity, both among staff and others.


Desirable

• Good I.T skills.


• Membership of a professional communications body, such as CIM or CIPR., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

£38,400 - £41,900
(The SIA's policy is that for all new starters are expected to start at the bottom of the grade.)
A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%, Alongside your salary of £38,400, Security Industry Authority contributes £10,368 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• A welcoming and innovative work environment.


• Continued support and development opportunities.


• Access to training for attainment of recognised qualifications.


• Flexible working arrangements.


• Annual leave entitlement will be 27.5 days, rising by one additional day for every two years of service up to a maximum of 32.5 days.


• A variety of discounts including Gymflex,


• Civil Service Pension Scheme - Employee contribution between 4.60% and 7.35% and Employer contribution between 26.60% and 30.30%


Things you need to know

Selection process details

What can you expect from us?

• A welcoming and innovative work environment.


• Continued support and development opportunities.


• Access to training for attainment of recognised qualifications.


• Flexible working arrangements.


• Annual leave entitlement will be 27.5 days, rising by one additional day for every two years of service up to a maximum of 32.5 days.


• A variety of discounts including Gymflex,


• Civil Service Pension Scheme - Employee contribution between 4.60% and 7.35% and Employer contribution between 26.60% and 30.30%