Job Description

Location:

University House

Closing Date:

23.59 hours BST on Wednesday 04 October 2023

Interview Date:

Wednesday 11 October 2023

Our Senior External Relations Officer will play a key role in how we tell our distinctive story to a host of external audiences, developing the reputation of Birmingham City University as a place to study and an institution making a significant impact on the city, region and beyond.

We are seeking a self-motivated and driven external relations professional who can support us to gain maximum awareness and attention for the work of the University and successes of its students and staff through media relations, public affairs and stakeholder events.

The senior officer will support the External Relations Manager in implementing ambitious external communications strategies, all aimed at developing the reputation of the University.

You\'ll be as comfortable in teasing out the best angles from stories of our academics\' work to pitch to media as you will liaising with key University stakeholders and partners to increase their knowledge of our work. And you\'ll understand the value of an event to showcase our stories to an even wider audience.

Your skills will help us to deliver an exciting range of high profile events aimed at drawing the attention of the media and a range of influencers to the University. And you\'ll be adept at keeping up-to-date with the news agenda of the day, enabling you to promote expert comment from our academics as swiftly as possible.

The successful applicant will have proven experience of driving proactive and creative media relations engagement, or extensive event management, as well as responding effectively to crisis situations.

You will also be able to:

• Track and predict the news agenda with a view to identifying specific opportunities to place BCU within the national media, promoting key messages and opportunities for reputational gain.
• Provide authoritative and clear expert briefings to academics and senior University leaders ahead of media appearances/interviews.
• Support the External Relations Manager in generating ideas for broadcast packages and support the External Relations Officers in setting up interviews and filming opportunities.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of crisis communications plans and offer briefings to journalists if required.
• Regularly evaluate media relations activity, using coverage monitoring to determine trends.
• Support the External Relations Manager and Head of Communications and Public Affairs in developing events aimed at promoting the University, for example, City Talks and alumni/stakeholder events, on or off campus.

You will have:

• Degree or equivalent (PR, Communications, Marketing or other related subject is desirable)
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Evidence of a diplomatic and confident approach to handling stakeholders through negotiation, conflict resolution and presentation capabilities
• The ability to prioritise competing demands
• Operating at a more senior level within an external relations environment
• An ability to understand complex subjects and making them accessible to wide audiences
• A genuine and specific interest in news and current affairs across the spectrum from serious to lighter issues

Further details:

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University.

\xc2\xa336,421 to \xc2\xa339,591 per annum

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