Media & Communications Lead

The Talent Set are delighted to be working with Barnardo’s to find their Media & Communications Lead in Northern Ireland. This is a part time role (job share) working 2.5 days per week.

Barnardo’s offer a flexible working environment, ideally working 1 day per week from their Belfast office, and the ability to travel around Northern Ireland occasionally.

The Media & Communications Lead will work collaboratively within the media team, other departments and localities to promote the work of Barnardo’s across the UK Celtic nations and English Regions, including to generate coverage to support our core children’s services delivery; fundraising, retail, and commercial activity; and policy and influencing messaging to help deliver the national media strategy. 

You will develop and implement an integrated media communications strategy, using a range of communications channels including regional/local media, online, social media and video. As well as delivering high quality proactive and reactive communications to promote and protect the profile and reputation of Barnardo’s, working closely with locality leads and the regional/nation director.

Key Responsibilities:

·       Secure positive coverage on broadcast, in print and online media outlets within the region/nation.

·       Provide media and PR communications support to English regions/Celtic nations in line with the overall approach set by national leads including: acting as brand guardian.

·       Take a creative and innovative approach to communications, actively considering all channels when story planning, particularly online.

·       Work with media colleagues, other teams and localities staff to co-ordinate media messages.

·       Develop and maintain relationships with local/regional/nations key journalists to create a positive image and raise awareness of Barnardo’s.

·       Actively gather case studies across strategic priority areas with a focus on ensuring usability in multiple formats (e.g. written, broadcast, video, audio).

·       Write media statements to use reactively as appropriate.

·       Use the media team’s reputation management process to prepare for potentially critical or damaging news stories.

·       Draft media releases, statements, letter to the editors and other articles for publication to support Barnardo’s key campaigns and strategic priorities.

·       Deliver an efficient press office, responding to journalist enquiries and requests in a timely, precise and appropriate manner, participating in a regions’ and nations’ media team rota system to support the flow of reactive media enquiries.

Person Specification:

·       Knowledge, experience and understanding of issues affecting Northern Ireland.

·       Knowledge of the media and proven success in achieving positive coverage in a range of relevant media.

·       Experience in a high profile, fast-paced media team, press office or public relations function. 

·       Excellent experience writing press releases, stories, and communications plans.

·       Proven ability to handle sensitive, confidential issues. 

·       Excellent oral and written communications skills. 

·       Familiarity with a range of IT systems.

·       A clear and in-depth understanding of social media.

·       Strong writing skills for the web.

·       Able to use social media channels and contribute to social content across a variety of platforms.

·       Able to combine off and online methods of contacts to build relationships and contacts with relevant print, broadcast and online journalists (e.g. communicating with journalists via Twitter).

To be considered for this position please apply with your CV as soon as possible, regrettably please note we may not be able to reply to each and every application.

We are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practises that ensure equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and will happily make reasonable adjustments to always ensure a fair process.