This is an exciting time to join the busy corporate communications shared service for Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service. As Head of News you will play a key part in helping both services to make Staffordshire safer for local communities and building public trust and confidence.

This role will lead the development and delivery of proactive and reactive media and communication strategies that achieve organisational priorities and deliver measurable outcomes. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing a busy newsdesk to ensure the effective delivery of strategic and tactical priorities and activity on a 24/7 basis, ensuring this is transparent, effective and accurate in line with relevant professional guidelines.
• Building effective relationships with key stakeholders and contacts including media and opinion formers to ensure accurate and informed reporting.
• Leading the media response to a range of major incidents and high profile/sensitive issues to mitigate risks and maintain public trust and confidence. This will involve building effective relationships with counterparts in partner organisations and working through a Local Resilience Forum structure where appropriate.
• Providing strategic advice and support to senior leaders on a range of media issues and incidents.
• Working as part of the communications management team to continuously improve performance and service delivery, and build team capability.

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a challenging news environment with a proven track record of successfully developing and delivering communication and media strategies, managing a range of complex issues and influencing senior stakeholders. They will also have indepth knowledge of digital, broadcast and print media and the ability to lead and develop teams.