Media Relations and External Affairs Lead

Job summary

SLC plays a vital role in enabling access to higher and further education by delivering financial support services on behalf of government partners across the UK. As part of our Communications and External Affairs team, you'll be at the centre of high-profile communications activity, leading media engagement and managing relationships with journalists across a wide range of issues. You'll respond to complex and often sensitive enquiries, provide trusted communications advice and help shape our response to emerging issues in a fast-moving environment. Working closely with senior leaders and colleagues across the business, you'll support communications during periods of significant public, political and media interest.

Job description

This is a role for someone who can quickly assess situations, identify potential reputational risks and provide clear, practical advice when it matters most. You'll balance competing priorities, maintain exceptional attention to detail and produce high-quality written communications for a range of audiences. Alongside media relations activity, you'll support wider external affairs work, building effective relationships with stakeholders and helping communicate SLC's role and impact.

Success in this role will require strong judgement, resilience, collaboration and the confidence to work across organisational boundaries. We're looking for an experienced communications professional who can build trusted relationships, provide credible advice and deliver high-quality work in a complex and fast-moving environment. You'll join a supportive team with ambitions to strengthen how communications and external affairs contribute across the organisation

Person specification

• Educated to Degree-level with significant experience in Communications, Public Affairs, Politics, Journalism, Business or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstratable experience in communications and media relations, with evidence of shaping media coverage.
• Understanding of public affairs, external affairs or stakeholder engagement.
• Membership of, or willingness to work towards membership of, a relevant professional body such as CIPR or the Government Communications Service.
• High level of understanding of UK media landscape, and emerging trends in digital communication.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy into clear and accessible content. Highly developed drafting skills with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to develop professional relationships with media and stakeholders, including influencing and networking.
• Research, analytical and problem-solving abilities. Ability to analyse complex information and present it clearly and concisely.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, under pressure.
• High level of attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• An advanced understanding of the media landscape.
• Work effectively under pressure and to tight deadlines.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,642, Student Loans Company contributes £11,773 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

You can expect more from a career with SLC. We support colleagues to unlock their potential through our Career Pathways development programme and offer an excellent benefit and rewards package that includes:

• 28 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays
• Option to buy/sell annual leave
• Flexi-time and enhanced flexible working options available
• Option to join the Civil Service pension scheme
• Life insurance cover for 4 x annual salary
• Enhanced company sick pay and family leave including maternity, paternity and adoption
• Contributory lifestyle benefit options including discounts at hundreds of retailers, cycle to work scheme, access to the Civil Service Sports and Leisure Club for discounted gym memberships, and an optional dental insurance scheme
• To find out what’s it’s like to work at Student Loans Company click here SLC Careers

Student Loans Company – Why Choose SLC , Civil Service Careers

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.

The Legal Bits

We’ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If we offer you a job and you accept, there are some background checks we need to complete before you can start with us. This will include employment history, criminal record check, credit reference check and fraud check.

EDI

As a proud Disability Confident Leader, we’re committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience that empowers people of all abilities. Our team actively promotes accessible hiring practices, supports candidates with disabilities throughout their employment journey to help build a diverse equitable workplace at SLC.

SLC will make reasonable adjustments for those who consider themselves to have a disability or long-term condition in line with the Equality Act 2010. Our application process provides candidates with the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments but if you would like to discuss this in more detail, please email ask_recruitment@slc.co.uk.

Use of AI in Job Applications

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see Candidate Guidancefor more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : ask_recruitment@slc.co.uk
• Email : ask_recruitment@slc.co.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : ask_recruitment@slc.co.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact ask_recruitment@slc.co.uk in the first instance.

https://slc.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SLC_Careers/job/Glasgow-Clyde-Place/Media-Relations-and-External-Affairs-Lead_JR7829