About the job

Summary

Join the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and have a future that matters: Be proud; Be challenged; Be unique.

Job description

The Challenge

The Corporate Communications team is at the heart of DIO, sharing news and information about the crucial role that DIO plays within the Ministry of Defence.

Made up of four key disciplines; Strategy and Planning, Internal Communications, External Communications and Campaigns and Marketing, we inform, engage and influence a diverse range of audiences.

We are looking for creative communications professionals to join our growing team, who will help us to continue to transform and modernise our approaches and channels.

Working to the External Communications Lead, the External Communications Officer plays an important role within the press office and will take a lead role in responding to media enquiries. They will use their knowledge and experience of media management to provide advice to the business and work with journalists to ensure DIO’s key role in supporting the UK Armed Forces is accurately represented

A passionate communicator, the post holder will also be responsible for planning and delivering communications campaigns and products that showcase DIO’s contribution to Defence across the world in an innovative way, and use the full mix of corporate and external channels to reach our audiences.

Working as part of a small, specialist team, further responsibilities will include the day-to-day management of DIO’s corporate social media channels and creating and sharing engaging digital content.

We employ approximately 4,900 staff from a very diverse range of professions, and we work across the world; in Germany, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands, Norway, Poland, Kenya, Belize, Nepal and Oman.

Responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

• Build relationships with regional and specialist media, providing press handling advice, planning and managing media events and interviews and responding to enquiries from local and national press.

• Build productive working relationships with partners across DIO, MOD and industry partners, and lead on the development of communications and content plans, and innovative products that support key projects and programmes.

• Develop, deliver and evaluate the effectiveness of creative content for multiple channels, including digital platforms and social media.

• Lead the development of reactive communications products such as Defensive News Briefs, briefings and lines to take.

• Monitor and manage DIO’s social media channels, sharing content and responding to comments and questions.

• Occasional out of hours work is required.

Post Location

The DIO corporate communications team is primarily based at Whittington Barracks in Lichfield (WS14 9TJ). We offer a flexible base location for this role and for candidates who wish to work more remotely, we will look to assign an alternative MOD establishment as their duty station. Some key Defence locations are listed but others will be considered.

Regular travel to the DIO HQ in Lichfield will be required, as well as visits to other Defence locations in the UK and occasionally overseas.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Experience of working in a busy press office environment, meeting challenging deadlines and leading on responses to high-profile media issues with confidence.

• Experience of creatively using a mix of channels to deliver innovative communications campaigns and content.

• Proven record of recognising emerging media issues and responding accordingly.

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Professional qualification (NCTJ/CIPR/PRCA)

• Membership of relevant professional body such as CIPR, CIM or PRCA

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Government Communications Service Framework - Ideas - Press & Media IO/ Level 2
• Government Communications Service Framework - Implementation - Press & Media IO/ Level 2