Senior Communications & Partnerships Officer (Planning & Growth)

Why Southwark?

Southwark Council runs a wide range of communications campaigns to support services, inform residents and encourage engagement with council initiatives. The Communications team, within Strategy and Communities, leads the council’s approach to communications, campaigns, media relations and digital content.

The team works across the organisation to ensure that council priorities are communicated clearly, residents can access information about services and initiatives, and communications activity supports meaningful engagement and impact.We are seeking a Senior Communications and Partnerships Officer lead the development and delivery of communications campaigns, working directly with the Planning and Growth team.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead on communications for Planning and Growth including major new developments including Elephant and Castle and Canada Water; inward investment in major local projects like health centres and leisure centres; Southwark’s employment support services, and town centres.
• Lead on strategic communications messaging and planning and relationships for both areas both internally eg with Cabinet, Directors and service heads, and externally eg with development partners, Transport for London and housing associations.
• Deliver excellent communications to local people and stakeholders that tell the story of Planning and Growth projects, including major developments, across all communications disciplines.
• Work closely with the wider communications team to ensure agreed, accurate and consistent messaging across all channels including digital and media.
• Use data and insight to inform strategic planning for all communications and to evaluate campaign results.
• Lead on and deliver other projects and duties as directed in line with the overall communications objectives and needs of local people and the council.
• To understand and provide expert advice on how all communications can be tailored and directed to the diverse community that lives, works in or visits Southwark.

What We're Looking For

Extensive experience leading integrated communications across campaigns, digital, marketing and media. Strong expertise in digital and social content creation, with the ability to tailor messages for different platforms. Proven experience advising and briefing senior managers and elected members.

Able to deliver high-quality communications in fast-paced environments and meet tight deadlines. Experienced in proactive media relations, pitching stories and managing enquiries or issues. Uses insight and data to develop communications plans and evaluate impact, including during organisational or public-sector crises.

Strong problem-solving skills, using digital, media and internal channels to address communications challenges. Good understanding of local government, council services and responsibilities to residents. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to produce clear, engaging content for varied audiences and build effective relationships at all levels.

Additional Information

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans

• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care

• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Redeployees will be prioritised for vacancies and interviewed first.

Interim staff are eligible to apply for internal vacancies and include agency workers and those on fixed term contracts.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Attachments

• Senior Communications and Partnerships Officer (Planning and Growth).pdf