Vacancy Information
Division / Department - Operations Command
Grade - M1
Status - Part Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £42,207 - £46,437
Working Hours - 22.5 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance -
Politically Restricted - No
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.
The Role
Keeping people and our local communities safe from crises that threaten our way of life is at the heart of what we do. Whether flooding, pandemic, major fire or cyber attack, your skills could help Sussex prepare, prevent and respond effectively to the next emergency.
Sussex Resilience Forum (SRF) is the partnership of local agencies working together and with central Government to reduce risk in communities and prepare for emergencies, bringing together emergency services, health, local authority, environment, transport, voluntary and utilities sectors.
The small business management team is central to the SRF’s governance and co-ordination and is currently recruiting into a number of new and exciting roles that will enhance and accelerate an ambitious programme of work.
We are seeking an experienced communications professional to lead, nurture and facilitate the multi-agency communications efforts of the SRF, ensuring information is effectively co-ordinated to engage the right people, at the right time and in the right way, maximising public safety.
You will be equally comfortable working at a strategic level across the multi-agency stakeholder network as in devising and delivering evidence-led communications across a range of channels. The role will matrix manage resources across partner agencies and, as such, influencing and negotiating skills will be key.
Key Responsibilities
Support SRF partner agencies to ensure that effective, tested, up to date arrangements, distribution lists, templates and protocols are in place in the event of a major or critical incident requiring multi-agency response, in line with the agreed SRF warning and informing model and processes.
Build and maintain relationships with SRF partner communications leads, including via the Sussex Warning and Informing Group (SWIG), and with government and other stakeholders, to coordinate and support the development and delivery of effective warning and informing communications.
Contribute as a member of the SRF Delivery Group to provide expert communications counsel and challenge, agree and ensure the delivery of actions, and advise and support SRF working groups as required.
Contribute as a key member of the SWIG Executive Group, providing a point of liaison with SRF Business Management Team, Delivery Group and working groups, ensuing that appropriate communications advice and support is provided and MIG decisions are actioned are delivered.
Manage the SWIG on a day-to-day basis, maintaining relationships and distribution lists, providing a point of contact for queries, managing meetings, and arranging events, exercises and training as agreed with SWIG Exec and SRF delivery and working groups.
Work within the SRF and partner communications teams to support the coordination of comms and engagement activities that align with the SRF’s agreed approach to building whole society resilience.
Produce regular content that the SRF and partners can use to assure stakeholders about the role and effectiveness of the SRF.
Provide additional support as required to incident comms cells, enhancing communications resilience across the partnership.
Contribute as a member of BMT to provide additional management-level support and resilience, undertaking any other activities to support the BMT and SRF as required.
Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character or work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser graded post.
Skills & Experience
Degree and NCTJ qualification or equivalent professional experience in media relations or PR Professional experience in one or more communications disciplines: PR, media relations, strategic communications, marketing, digital – working in a multi-agency or public sector environment would be beneficial
Experience in directly or matrix managing a communications team in a high profile and fast paced environment – working in a political environment and developing political briefs beneficial
Experience of developing and implementing effective and impactful, integrated communications strategies using OASIS and AMEC frameworks – working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite desirable
Experience of crisis communications including planning, response and/or recovery Proven ability to negotiate and influence at all levels – including at Exec level, among external stakeholders and peers – with an ability to persuade under time or other pressures Excellent formal and interpersonal communications skills, both verbal and written
Ability to balance short-term and long-term goals and competing planned and unplanned demand Experience in effectively stakeholder communications across multiple channels.
Good working knowledge of Microsoft products including Word, Excel, and SharePoint
Applicants will be required to obtain and maintain vetting status for the required level of this post.
This role requires some travel to meetings and locations, sometimes at short notice or out of hours, for which public transport may not be suitable. Therefore, the post-holder must have their own means of transport and be insured for business use.
Where the transport involves the driving of police vehicles, you must have a full driving licence and the ability to attain a Force Police Driving Permit.
Further Information
Additional roles are also being recruited into this team to include two full-time Resilience Leads and part-time SRF Resilience Coordinator (Thurs/Fri).
We recognise that our people are balancing demanding careers with commitments and interests outside of work.
We welcome applications and discussion with candidates who want to work flexibly. For further information, please contact Beth Durham (Head of Media and Communications) at Beth.Durham@sussex.police.uk.
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 success 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.
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really 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 skills that diversity brings; all of which help us 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 the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
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 beliefs, we would love to hear from you.