Senior Communications Manager - Media Relations

Background:
Senior Communications Manager - Media Relations. Our Central Government client is currently going through a restructure which aims to transition functions from various different business units into one. As part of this transition the communications and media functions from two parts of the business will be brought together to form a new single communications and media function. At the present time another departments media team provides front line support for all media enquiries and they work with relevant programme communications managers when necessary in order to provide a service for the media. From April 2013 this department will no longer provide this support and the new media team will be picking up responsibility for fielding all media enquiries for the new organisation. As such work needs to be done to understand the specific needs and requirements of the programme communications team so that a smooth transition can be effected. This needs to take place alongside the media team's existing responsibilities to ensure a smooth transition.

Main Duties/Responsibilities:
You will be based in the media relations team in Leeds and will need to liaise with colleagues in the programme communications team and the media relations team at other locations to ensure that the new media relations team are ready to take on responsibility for handling media enquiries from April the 2nd. Duties will include. Liaise with the two different departments to understand how the current media relations function works on a day to day basis and get to grips with current processes for logging, tracking and closing media enquiries. Working with programme communications managers to gain a greater understanding of the volume and type of media enquiries that they have been handling over the last 12 months. In conjunction with current programme comms managers, generate media FAQs and lines to take for each of the programmes. Ensure that the existing media relations team processes are suitable for the influx of media relations enquiries for the transitioned team and work with the work with the team to amend processes as necessary

Outputs/Deliverables to be achieved:
The key output is the smooth and successful transition of media handling responsibilities for the programme and a transition of corporate communications from the current media team to the transitioned team. This includes ensuring that colleagues are aware of the media handling processes, that the new media team are suitably well briefed on the details of the client's programmes and are prepared to handle the kind and nature of media enquiries that these programmes have tended to generate. Deliverables include. An agreed set of processes for receiving, logging, tracking and closing media enquiries. A complete set of media FAQs and lines to take for each programme. A clear methodology for obtaining management sign off on media statements for each programme. An assessment of how any future programme communications crises will be managed and documentation to support this

Skills/Experience Required:
Essential
1) A detailed understanding of how a press office should operate including experience of having set up and initiated working practices and processes for logging, tracking and closing media enquiries
2) Experience of creating and implementing crisis management processes
3) Extensive experience of working with and providing media handling guidance to senior management
4) Thorough understanding of health and social care policy
5) Experience of working with health sector media

Desirable
1) Understanding and/or experience of the health informatics and IT sectors
2) Experience of liaising with central government media teams

Formal Qualifications Required
Essential
1) Educated to degree level

Desirable
1) Relevant degree in public relations, marketing or business studies
2) Professional qualifications eg CIPR diploma

Capita Resourcing welcome applications from all suitably qualified people regardless of gender, race, disability, age or sexual orientation.

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