Communications and Engagement Officer

The post holders will be responsible for delivering communications and engagement activity to support the Council's corporate plan including some of its transformation programmes. This will involve delivering a range of external and internal communications, ensuring both staff and our external stakeholders are aware and engaged with the programmes. You will use audience insight, behavioural science and digital innovation to help deliver your communications and engagement work.

The role will involve:

• Supporting in planning, delivering and evaluating effective communications and engagement campaigns to raise awareness, change perceptions or change behaviour, using behavioural science and other citizen insight methodologies to support this work.


• Being able to draft copy for a variety of different channels - social media, press releases, newsletters, community events.


• Designing materials using canva for various social media channels and e-newsletters


• Supporting the planning and delivery of a variety of formal and informal consultation and engagement activities.


• Evaluating communications and engagement activity to understand impact and the outcomes they achieved.


• Supporting and delivering in all areas of project delivery and management including budgeting, reporting and scheduling.


About Us 1

Based in the Council's Customer, Transformation and Strategy Division, the Communications and Engagement team is responsible for ensuring the Council speaks with one voice, seeks out and listens to all opinions and concerns of local people, delivers on its commitments and responds honestly. The team is made up of the following key areas:

• Campaigns


• Marketing


• Internal communications


• Digital communications


• Consultation, engagement and participation


• Press & media relations


• Leadership office


• Public affairs., We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums, and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.


The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.
Important Information - Criminal Records
This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory result to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).


• Some experience of working within a complex, political environment with practical understanding and experience of the challenges facing the public sector.


• Experience of working on projects to meet quality, time and cost deadlines.


• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating communications and engagement campaigns and projects as appropriate.


• Experience in building relationships with managers and working collaboratively.


Skills and abilities

• Ability to work proactively and to organise a personal workload to meet competing demands and tight deadlines.


• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships and influence a wide range of people.


• Demonstrable understanding of communications and engagement campaign and project delivery and management.


• Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative information, presenting it in such a way that it is clear and easily understood.


• A high level of ICT literacy


• Be able to write copy for a variety of difference channels and audiences.
  
  Looking ahead, there are plans for the delivery of new homes and new schools and the London Cancer Hub is being developed, while the Council is also seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment.


All of this demonstrates a good track record and an authority that is ambitious and set to deliver more improvements for the borough. We've set out our vision for the future of Sutton in our corporate plan - Ambitious for Sutton. This strategic plan will shape the outcomes we achieve, the services we provide, and the impact we have on residents, to make Sutton a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Situated in Zone 5, Sutton is less than 30 minutes by train from central London, and south and south west London are easily accessible by public transport. There are 10 train stations which serve key neighbourhoods within the borough providing direct connections to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Blackfriars and St Pancras International. Sutton also has direct rail connections with Epsom, Dorking, Guildford and Horsham, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and West Croydon for the London Overground. There's also an extensive road network which provides close and easy access to the M25 and M23.

As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we're committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We're constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across - however big or small - will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.

In addition, we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff, supported by our IT infrastructure, including Google Chromebooks and Google Apps. Our Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme embraces new ways of working. It provides improved work life balance for our staff as it allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week.

Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)


• Flexi-time (Please note, this applies to roles at grades 1-9 only)


• Three volunteering days per year in Sutton


• Comprehensive learning and development programme


• Local and national discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure activities


• Interest free season ticket loans


• Local Government Pension Scheme


• Car parking scheme


• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme


• Zip car scheme


• Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses


• Confidential wellbeing and counselling support


• Subsidised gym membership