Senior Media Officer

Pensions Regulator

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 3 weeks

Communications

Flexible

£63,089 per year

Job summary

Role title: Senior Media Officer

TPR grade & pay group: Principal – G6

Directorate: Strategy, Policy & Analysis

Salary: £63,089 per annum, plus excellent benefits package

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Brighton / hybrid (6 days per month in the office)

Closing date:18 March 2026

Job description

The role and responsibilities

As a Senior Media Officer, you’ll play a pivotal role in enhancing and defending The Pensions Regulator’s reputation through proactive media engagement. You’ll tell a compelling story about how TPR protects savers, enhances the pensions system, supports innovation in savers’ interests and is responding to a rapidly changing landscape of fewer, larger schemes.

Acting as Deputy to the Media Manager, you will be influential across TPR’s communications functions, shaping high‑impact content and contributing to strategic decision‑making. You’ll lead on complex, high‑profile media activity, developing powerful press notices, blogs, articles, speeches and social media content that influence debate and promote understanding of TPR’s regulatory approach.

You’ll build strong relationships with journalists, prepare senior leaders for media interviews and play a key role in delivering integrated communications plans. You’ll also contribute to TPR’s social media strategy, support crisis communications planning, and embed evaluation and insight into everything you do.

This role is ideal for an experienced media professional and self-starter who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, demonstrates sound judgement under pressure, and wants to shape narratives that directly impact outcomes for millions of savers.

Person specification

This role is ideal for someone who:

Thrives in a fast‑moving environment where priorities can shift.
Enjoys turning complex information into compelling stories that grab the attention of journalists, stakeholders and commentators.
Wants to make a positive difference to savers and the wider pensions system.
Builds positive relationships and works collaboratively to get the best results.
Communicates confidently and with impact to influence industry behaviour and the wider debate.

Essential Criteria

Proven experience in media relations or PR, with excellent news judgement.
In‑depth knowledge of media‑handling principles and best practice in fast‑moving media environments.
Excellent writing skills with the ability to turn complex information into clear, engaging content across multiple channels.
Practical understanding of media and PR monitoring, evaluation and analytics to demonstrate impact and continuously improve.
Ability to identify and analyse reputational risks as well as spot opportunities for the organisation and shape media‑handling strategies in response.
Strong understanding of social media and its role in managing an organisation’s public profile and influencing behaviour.
Skilled in influencing and persuading internal and external stakeholders.
Experience producing high‑quality verbal and written briefings for senior leaders, including Board, CEO and Executive Committee.
Ability to identify and analyse reputational risks as well as spot opportunities for the organisation and shape media‑handling strategies in response.
Knowledge of pensions or financial services sectors is desirable.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,089, Pensions Regulator contributes £18,276 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The team

The Public Affairs team is at the heart of TPR’s external communications, helping to shape how the organisation is understood by journalists, strategic stakeholders and industry influencers. The Media team ensures TPR’s voice is clear, evidence‑based and trusted, telling the story of our work to protect savers, enhance the pension system and support innovation in savers’ interests.

TPR offers:

Genuine opportunities for learning and development.
A values‑led, inclusive environment.
Hybrid working and flexible shift patterns.
A vibrant workplace with active employee networks (Disability, Family, LGBT+, Minority Ethnic, Mental Health, Women’s).

Reward and benefits

TPR offers 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, hybrid working, a 35‑hour week, flexible working patterns and flexitime. You’ll also have access to competitive parental leave and a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. Our benefits portal (Edenred) provides retail, tech, gym and leisure discounts, including cycle‑to‑work schemes.

Our culture

TPR is dedicated to being a high‑performing, inclusive organisation where people can thrive. We emphasise learning, development and flexibility, and our modern Brighton workspace is designed with accessibility at its core.

We are proud of our supportive staff networks, inclusive culture, and commitment to diversity, equality and wellbeing.

About The Pensions Regulator

With a career at TPR, you’ll join an organisation with a clear purpose — protecting more than £2trn of pension savings. Our Corporate Strategy sets out an ambitious vision for how regulation must evolve as the pensions landscape changes. We are committed to diversity, good decision‑making, and ensuring our work delivers positive outcomes for savers.

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

Applications

We encourage early applications as vacancies may close once a high volume is received.
Current TPR employees should speak to their line manager before applying.

We welcome applications on a part‑time or job‑share basis.

Selection and interview

If shortlisted, we will contact you shortly after the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 21 days, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.

As a Disability Confident Employer, candidates who meet the essential criteria and declare a disability will be offered an interview (subject to volume criteria).

Diversity and inclusion

TPR is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, creating an environment where everyone can be themselves and do their best work. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

Further information

Visit our website to learn more about TPR, our culture and our recruitment process.
If you have any questions or need reasonable adjustments, please contact recruitmentteam@tpr.gov.uk.

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

Security

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

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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

Salary range

£63,089 per year