Media Relations Manager

At National Highways, we are proud of our purpose - to deliver a better service for road users and to support a growing economy. Millions of people rely on England's motorways and A roads every day, and we want everyone who uses and works on them to get home safe and well.

To help tell our story we need to deliver communications and engagement activity that showcases the positive impact of roads investment, and increases awareness and driver confidence about how to travel safely on our roads.

As a Media Relations Manager within our Press Office Team, you will be responsible for protecting, building and enhancing the reputation of National Highways by providing strategic media handling advice to the organisation, liaising with the media, and providing a proactive and reactive media relations service in line with the communications strategy.

You should be an experienced communicator with a strong news sense and excellent judgement.

Hybrid role, with main office Piccadilly Gate - Manchester - (40% office based) Some travel will also be required occasionally for team meetings or to facilitate media events within the region.

What you'll be leading on

• Delivering high quality written material, media briefings and communications activity to promote National Highways and enhance our reputation.


• Providing media handling advice, including developing and implementing communication plans to ensure that the most appropriate communication solutions and channels are being used.


• High profile and often complex issues which will require you to use your specialist expertise to achieve balanced and accurate coverage for National Highways.


• Responding to media enquiries and briefing spokespeople, maintaining effective forward planning, and delivering and managing media events/activities.


• Developing relationships with colleagues across the business and journalists, and coordinating activity with the Department for Transport and other external stakeholders.


• You will also participate in an out of hours duty rota to help ensure road users are informed about traffic conditions and to respond to media enquiries.
  
  A strategic thinker with political awareness


• Experience of working with teams across an organisation to engage with the public via the media


• Outstanding stakeholder relationship skills


• Experience in producing creative and impactful communications activity for a range of media outlets


• Experience of working with the media, and providing high quality written material
  
  At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this. We're proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.
  
  We offer many different ways to work flexibly and we're open to discuss part-time working, job shares, and flexible start and finish times.


Please wait until the interview stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what is possible.

Our benefits package

• Our total reward package includes basic salary, the potential for a performance related bonus


• Contributory pension scheme with employer contribution of up to 10%


• Annual Leave starting at 26 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising by 1 day each year up to 31 days (plus Bank Holidays)


• Flexible hours and an approach driven by connected and sustainable working which includes hybrid working


• Life assurance of 4 times annual salary


• Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7 365 days and network of mental health first aiders. Plus access to a wellbeing app to enhance your self-care 24/7, Occupational health service and flu vaccines


• A cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment for healthy, low carbon travel


• Significant investment in your career development, through learning and development, talent management, coaching, mentoring and on job experience


And we are

• Family friendly with enhanced maternity leave and pay, paternity leave (15 days), shared parental leave, adoption leave. Plus access to financial support for holiday play schemes and paid special leave (up to 5 days pa), eg for caring responsibilities


• Money friendly with access to a discounts platform including over 3000 discounts for supermarkets, eating out, leisure, holidays. Alongside a financial wellbeing programme


• Community friendly - offering paid leave to volunteer, 3 days basic/year


If you are successful, it is key to know all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory completion of our pre-employment checks which include:

• Right to work check


• 3 year employment history references


• DBS criminal record check


• Social media and adverse journalism check


• Driving licence check (if applicable)


• Fit to work questionnaire (for all), followed by a medical check (if applicable)


• Qualifications and/or professional membership check (if applicable)