The ideal candidate will have previous experience within a Marketing and Communications role.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Programme Communications Officer to join Essex County Council’s (ECC) Digital Connectivity team. You will need to be a creative, organised individual with excellent attention to detail and be able to demonstrate your knowledge of the full marketing mix.

Using a variety of channels, including e-newsletters, the website, press releases and social media, you will produce and deliver content – that aligns with the Council’s strategic objectives in the context of the Digital Connectivity programme – to our target audiences.

You will work collaboratively with the whole programme team and its stakeholders and benefit from a flexible working environment. The role is predominately working from home full time, with 1 day required in the office per month and attendance at events.

Working Style: remote working, with a monthly office day

ECC recognises that digital connectivity is a key foundation for the future of our county. ECC’s Digital Connectivity programme has already boosted connections to over 140,000 homes and businesses as part of the Superfast Essex broadband improvement programme and we are now driving further expansion of digital infrastructure and the widespread adoption of digital technologies.

Accountabilities:

• Help develop the programme’s presence on social media, leading on content creation to increase reach and engagement across all platforms.
• Produce written content for other channels such as press releases, website and e-newsletters.
• Respond to customer enquiries received by the programme from members of the public and external stakeholders.
• Organise and attend stakeholder and business engagement events, both face-to-face and virtually. This will include an element of evening and weekend working.
• Assist with keeping the programme website’s content up to date and maintaining the events list.
• Manage the stakeholder communications distribution lists and ensure contacts remain up to date and regular communications with key stakeholders and groups is maintained.
• Assist with idea generation and delivery of the programme’s overall communications and marketing activity plan.
• Take responsibility for small projects or campaigns, including research and costing different options and providing recommendations to the Communications Manager.
• Undertake administrative tasks on an adhoc basis, to support the programme’s governance activities including the organisation of the quarterly Steering Board.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Previous experience within a Marketing and Communications role, with demonstrable skills in copywriting, campaigns and social media.
• Excellent skills in written and in-person communication. Confident in engaging with a broad variety of stakeholders at different levels via a range of channels.
• Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint knowledge and experience at an intermediate level. An understanding of other relevant software applications, such as image or video editing software would be desirable.
• Competent user of social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn). Experience of paid-for social media advertising would be desirable.
• Brilliant organisational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise workloads within a fast-paced programme team.
• Educated to diploma/degree level or equivalent by experience and evidence of continuous professional development.
• Full driving licence and access to a car and availability for occasional work at weekends and evenings by prior arrangement.

To read more about us please visit: Place & Public Health: https://www.workingforessex.com/role/place-public-health/

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us here.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here pay and reward. To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this link.

What you should do next. If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community here. If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk