Summary
WE ARE HIRING!

About the Department

The Communications News Team provides a service to journalists and the National Church Institutions, aiming to share the story of the Church's work and mission across the country and facilitate truthful, open, accurate and informed coverage of the life of the Church in the media.

What you'll be doing

The postholder will get the chance to be part of a dynamic team, supporting the Church of England's mission while developing your skills in a key role within our national communications team; providing high quality organisational and administrative support to deliver the objectives of the Church of England's News Team serving a wide variety of stakeholders.

Summary of main responsibilities

• Media Enquiries: Act as the first point of contact for media enquiries, triaging requests and ensuring timely responses. This includes monitoring the shared inbox and incoming calls, providing day-to-day support, including occasional out-of-hours duties.
• Press Releases: Publish press releases and maintain the Media Centre section of the Church of England website.
• Platform Maintenance: Maintain key platforms for news planning, monitoring, mailing, and contacts.
• Account Management: Manage relationships with platform account managers for news monitoring, journalist databases, and licensing services.
• Media Conferences: Plan media conferences, send invitations, handle media accreditation, and manage logistics.
• General Synod Support: Assist with media support for General Synod, including media accreditation and pass preparation.
• Event Logistics: Manage logistics for other conferences, training, and events.
• Coverage Monitoring: Monitor story coverage, transcribe interviews, and share with stakeholders.
• Daily Media Digest: Assist in producing the Daily Media Digest and compiling content.
• Coverage Reports: Help produce one-off press and broadcast coverage reports.
• Content Production: Support content production for the website and social media channels. This includes assisting with research for press releases and media briefings.
• Project Communications: Support communications for national church projects and stakeholders.

Key role requirements

• The post holder is expected to work from the Church House 2-3 days per week.
• This is a fixed term contract to cover a period of maternity leave expected to last between 10 - 12 months or when the substantive holder returns from maternity leave.

About You

The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be/have:

• Familiar with various digital media tools, encompassing file transfer portals, email software, rudimentary online graphic design or image editing tools (e.g. Canva), or a willingness to undergo training.
• Proficient in content management website systems, including the uploading and editing of content and assets, or a readiness to partake in training.
• Exemplary project management capabilities, with a proven ability in stakeholder engagement.
  • Basic understanding of media relations and experience in drafting press materials is advantageous (Desirable).
  • Some familiarity with professional application of social media platforms (Desirable).

Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.

What we offer

Your Salary

• A salary of £40,572 per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.

Your Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus eight bank holidays and three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
• We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario, and if this fits within the department's needs. We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
• We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.
• Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK's leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.

• Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme 
• Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
• Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
• Opportunity to join the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies.

ABOUT NATIONAL CHURCH INSTITUTIONS

The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder.

We Include. You Belong.

Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.

Living out our values in all that we do, we:

• Strive for Excellence
• Show Compassion
• Respect others
• Collaborate
• Act with Integrity

We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values. Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we're looking for then we would like to hear from you.

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role.