Junior Communications Officer

This role has a starting salary of £31,262 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week.

This is a 12-month fixed term contract which may be reviewed near the end of the contract.

We are hiring a Junior Communications Officer to join Surrey County Council's (SCC) Communications and Engagement team.

This role will support Surrey Fire and Rescue Service's (SFRS) communications and is offered on a hybrid basis with both office and home working. You will work with your SFRS communications team from our Woodhatch office in Reigate 1-2 days per week.

SFRS is an award-winning communications team. We work alongside fantastic colleagues from SCC's wider Communications and Engagement team. We work as one team to successfully communicate with Surrey residents on the important issues!

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Blue Light Card- for a huge range of discounts

About the Team

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service communications team is responsible for internal and external communications for the service. A key element of this is content creation. Members of our team have a range of skillsets. These skills include videography, writing, social media and internal communications.

We create and deliver safety and awareness campaigns throughout the year. We also handle press enquiries and update the public on incidents we are supporting.

Internal communications also forms an important element of our team. We create a fortnightly staff newsletter and support with the crafting of important messages to staff!

About the Role

In this role you'll find yourself at the forefront of our communication efforts.

On an average day you might be crafting social media content or writing a press release on our new state-of-the-art equipment.

No two days are the same. You will support the team on filming projects, creating story-boards and scripting, and even taking on a more hands-on role. (We can provide some in-house filming training!)

You will have the opportunity to lead on some of our campaigns, with autonomy to come up with content ideas. You will ensure our messaging aligns seamlessly with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service's Core Code of Ethics.

If you would like a role where each day brings a new storytelling opportunity, then we would love to hear from you.

Shortlisting Criteria

• To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:
• Experience of content creation (Can include blogging, photography, social media content creation or video)
• Excellent knowledge of social media platforms
• Understanding of media relations
• Excellent written communication skills

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 31/03/2024 with interviews planned for week commencing 08/04/24.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.