Sorry, applications for this job are no longer possible

Vacancy Information

Division / Department - Media and Communications
Grade - Grade 10
Status - Full Time or Happy to Talk Flexible Working
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

Do you love social media so much that you have made it your career? Are you creative, innovative and looking for an exciting new role?

We’re on the hunt for a Social Media Officer to help us engage our online communities and create compelling content that helps catch criminals and keeps our communities across Sussex safe.

You’ll have an abundance of topics and stories to work with, from crime appeals, to major investigations, behind the scenes access and public safety campaigns – with the autonomy to curate and create your own content.

You will need to have experience using social media in a business capacity and to achieve specific objectives, including understanding how to use data, trends and exploit channels, to maximise reach, engagement, and views.

We’re a fast-paced organisation that utilises Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn as our core channels, with some Snap and X content, with growing video content and plans to diversify.

We use a blend of organic and paid media and, at times, work with other police forces and external agencies to complement our campaign development and distribution, giving you a broad career building experience.

We’d love it if you had some experience of using a social media management platform to publish, schedule and report on content but equally, your experience of scheduling, publishing and reporting through native tools (such as Meta’s Business Suite), is just as valuable to us.

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.

Social Media Officer key responsibilities:

  • Help develop and deliver the force social media content plan, ensuring alignment with organisation and communications strategies.
  • Provide specialist and tactical support and advice that increases the effectiveness of Force social media channels, its content and public engagement via social media, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.
  • Create, and support the production of, quality multi-media content for online channels and train others in basic techniques.
  • Analyse performance force data and industry trends to maximise reach and engagement across social media channels, utisiling data insights to recommend ways to improve.
  • Help develop and deliver training and coaching to social media users across the force to enable best practice and risk awareness.
  • Provide direct public engagement via Force social media channels, in line with the force’s Social Media Community Management processes, the NPCC’s Target Operating Model, and other relevant force policy and guidance.
  • Be familiar with the major incident communications structure and be available to pivot into temporary roles as required.

 

Skills & Experience

  • Minimum 3 A Levels or BTEC at grade C or proven experience in a similar role.
  • Proven skills and ability to manage key social media channels in a business environment including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat, You Tube.
  • Skills in image and video creation using social media or mobile apps or Adobe or similar products.
  • Evidence of delivering communications in a range of formats and to a range of different audiences.
  • Excellent online storytelling and innovative content creation skills to adapt topics into engaging and high performing social and digital articles.
  • Demonstrable skills in interpreting data analytics for multiple social media platforms using the findings for continuous improvement/maximised opportunity.
  • Knowledge and experience using social media channels natively for direct publishing, scheduling, engagement and reporting in a business environment.
  • Awareness, or knowledge, of social media management platforms (SMMP) such as Sprinklr, Orlo, Hootsuite, Sprout Social or other relevant management platform.
  • Proactive, self-disciplined approach to tasks, with an ability to be flexible and work under pressure with minimal management direction.
  • Ability to negotiate, influence and persuade stakeholders where required, including under time pressure.
  • Strong formal and interpersonal communications skills, both verbal and written.
  • Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

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 link for more information on the benefits of working with Sussex Police

Further Information

The department operates on a 7 day a week basis and staff are required to work approximately one weekend out of 10.

When working the weekend you will be given a day off the week before and a day off after the weekend worked. Weekday working times will be agreed by the Head of Social Media and weekend working shifts take place between 10am-6pm.

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

Interviews will be held in the week commencing 24 June at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes.

For more information and an informal discussion about the role, please contact Clare Baldock, Head of Social: clare.baldock@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.