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Vacancy Information

Division / Department - Media and Communications
Grade - Grade 10
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £34,329 - £37,692
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance - No
Politically Restricted - Yes
Location - Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes

The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time. 

Chief Constables' Message

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.

We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.

We wish you all the very best with your application.

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer & Chief Constable Jo Shiner

The Role & Key Responsibilities

If you’re an experienced communicator who thrives on variety and compelling news content, then we have a fantastic opportunity to join our award-winning communications team as a News and Media Officer.

As a News and Media Officer you’ll be engaging with the public to protect communities, catch criminals and deliver outstanding services.

Creating compelling news packages online, through social media and news media, you will promote the wide variety of work Sussex Police undertakes, enhancing public understanding and confidence in our service.

Responsible for providing a reactive and proactive news service, your creative multi-media content will support the operational needs of the force, promote positive outcomes and prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks.

As an integral part of the News and Media Team, and the wider Media and Communications Department, you will share ideas and work closely with communications professionals in our other teams.

You will provide advice and guidance to officers and staff at all levels, working closely with partners on a range of issues and events, including high profile and major incidents.

Importantly, you will maintain and enhance relationships with national, regional and local media organisations, providing opportunities for positive and supportive coverage about our service.

If you’re looking for a rewarding, exciting and challenging job and can confidently manage a range of demands on your time, then this may be the opportunity you have been looking for.

News and Media Officer key responsibilities:

  • Liaise with local policing districts and departments to create proactive news stories, with engaging multi-media content (including image, audio and video) that supports the operational needs of the force, creates positive outcomes and addresses how we prevent and respond to emerging issues and risks.
  • Access information, through the monitoring and researching of databases, attendance at meetings and at the scenes of incidents, building relationships with officers and staff, partners and media to provide accurate and relevant proactive and reactive material.
  • Manage public confidence issues, monitoring coverage in social media as well as traditional and web-based media outlets, to assess opportunity, issue and risk and respond in a timely and appropriate way.
  • To ensure the force is aware of current, emerging and anticipated media issues/public sentiment issues and takes appropriate action.
  • Manage media enquiries and foster positive media relations, prioritising and challenging inaccurate or misleading content where appropriate to support operational needs and to help build public confidence in the force.
  • Write and implement communications strategies to support operational requirements (criminal investigations, incidents, events) providing advice to the senior investigating officer concerned, briefings, media and public FAQs, to support the operation and enable greater understanding of the force’s work.
  • Act as a Bronze Media Officer in the event of a major/critical incident or planned policing operation, developing and implementing tactics to manage the communications issues relating to such incidents in liaison with Senior Investigating/Command Officers, departmental colleagues and where appropriate other agencies involved in the incident.
  • Deliver multidisciplinary communications as required including the production of multimedia content for digital communications, the delivery of internal communications and campaigns, and assisting the wider business in the implementation of its communications and engagement strategies that builds positive community engagement.
  • Take part in the out-of-hours on-call system for the Media and Communications Team.

Skills & Experience

  • Degree level qualification and NCTJ certificate or equivalent professional experience in PR/media relations.
  • Experience of media relations and/or PR in a busy and fast-paced news environment; able to demonstrate how media coverage can be achieved with evidence of achieving this on behalf of an organisation.
  • Evidence of writing effectively for multiple channels including news releases/articles, online audiences and multi-media social media posts.
  • Sound knowledge of media law as applied to off and online information.
  • Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including the ability to turn complex material or jargon into plain English.
  • Negotiating and influencing skills and experience of advising people at a senior level and from a range of backgrounds.
  • Evidence of publishing and engagement on social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and X.
  • Ability to balance and manage conflict between short and long-term priorities and reactive/proactive work under pressures.
  • Ability to demonstrate excellent communications skills and team working.
  • Ability to negotiate, persuade and influence. Ability to coach others in interview techniques and media work.
  • Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel and SharePoint.

Why Work With Us?

We take pride in looking after our people and offer a variety of benefits;

  • career progression
  • contributory pension scheme (LGPS)
  • generous annual leave allowance
  • discounts for everyday spend
  • on-site gyms and a range of sports clubs
  • generous and supportive parental leave
  • financial and mental wellbeing guidance and support
  • discounted contributory healthcare scheme

Please use the following links for more information on the benefits of working with Surrey Police or Sussex Police

Further Information

The department operates on a seven day a week basis and staff are required to work approximately one weekend out of eight. You will also take part in the 24/7 on-call rota on an eight-week rotational basis.

When working a weekend shift, you will be given days off in lieu either side of the weekend. Weekday working times will be agreed by the Head of Media on a shift pattern basis between the hours of 7am and 5.30pm.

We support hybrid working with the role able to be undertaken from our Lewes Headquarters (your contractual working location), local police sites and from home. There is an expectation that all team members work from Headquarters or another police site for a minimum of three days per week.

News and Media Officers who have a portfolio of a local policing division will be expected to work alongside their local command team during the week, building relationships and identifying opportunities to use positive media relations to enhance operational outcomes and highlight the work of local policing teams.

This is a politically restricted position, to view the Political Restrictions Policy for Police Staff click here.

This role requires travel to meetings and locations across Surrey and Sussex, occasionally at short notice or outside of usual working hours when part of the on-call rota. The post-holder must therefore have a full driving licence and access to their own transport.

Interviews will be held in the week commencing 29 July at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Maria Newstead, Head of Media: maria.newstead@sussex.police.uk. 

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people.  It's important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach, and the skills that diversity brings; all of which help us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.

We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of Disability Confident, hold Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status, are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and are aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We are committed to being an anti-racist police service. We promise to challenge injustice, ensure fairness and to uphold anti-racist principles in both our organisation and our communities. For more information, you can read our full anti-racism statement here.

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Please use the following links to find out more on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Surrey Police and Sussex Police

Additional Information

Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly.  You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.

This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes.  Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference.  This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.

Please note that not all jobs are available for internal candidates across both Forces, the current agreed recruitment principles are;

  • vacancies in collaborated units are available to all officers and staff across both Forces
  • vacancies in non-collaborated units are only available to officers and staff within the Force with the vacancy unless it is advertised externally
  • if the vacancy is advertised externally and an officer or member of staff from the other Force is successful it will result in a transfer of employment

Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.