Media & communications officer

We are welcoming applications for the role of Media & communications officer with Dorset Police based at the following location(s): Police Headquarters, Winfrith, Dorset  

Salary: Scale F - Starts at £31,755 rising by yearly increments to a maximum of £36,996 per annum 
Please note that the above salary is based on working 37 hours per week. If this role is part-time or you are appointed on a part-time basis your salary will be prorated to reflect this. Exceptions to starting salary may apply if you are an existing Devon & Cornwall or Dorset Police Staff employee substantively posted to a role at the same Scale.

Type of employment: Permanent 

Type of working arrangement: Hybrid Worker -  Hybrid working is a form of flexible working where workers spend some of their time working remotely (usually, but not necessarily, from home) and some in the employer's workspace.
Hours per week: this role is 37 hours per week. However, we welcome applications from individuals wishing to work on a part-time basis and we are willing to consider flexible working patterns subject to business need.
Allowances: This role attracts no allowances.

Can you help us tell a story that supports police and our communities?

As a media and communications officer, you’re at the heart of policing. Whether that’s keeping the public informed during major incidents, seeking the public’s help with appeals to crimes and incidents, helping local policing teams engage with their communities, supporting officers at court as they bring criminals to justice or working with local and national journalists on policing issues, it’s fair to say no two days are the same.

You need to be prepared for anything and you’ll have the confidence and skills to deal with any incidents that come your way. Although part of the role requires you to work on your own, including at weekends and out of hours as part of an on-call rota, you’ll be part of a supportive team dealing with officers and staff of every rank and from any department within the organisation. You will also have regular involvement with colleagues from other emergency services and partner agencies.

Using your creative skills and previous experience in communications, journalism or a PR role, you’ll create engaging content to tell our story about what we are doing to keep people safe through exceptional local policing, the relentless pursuit of criminals and keeping victims informed. This will include planning, developing and implementing two-way communications on digital and traditional channels, often dealing with live incidents and juggling competing demands and priorities.

If you have the right skillset, experience and temperament, and are passionate about supporting police and local communities, then this could be the job for you.

The assessment process will include practical tasks as well as the structured interview.

Want to know more about this role?

Further detail regarding this role and the essential requirements can be found within the job description attached below.

If you think this may be the role for you and would like further information, please contact: 

Hiring Line Manager: Janka Hartwell - Media Manager 

Email Address: Janka.Hartwell@Dorset.PNN.Police.uk 

Telephone Number: 01202 223893 

What you get if you join us:

If you work for us, you will get access to:

  • A competitive salary with yearly increments.
  • Access to heavily subsidised gym membership that will provide you access to police site gyms throughout the counties.
  • Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme for discounts and services (requires a one-off payment of £5).
  • Company sick pay.
  • Competitive local government pension scheme.
  • Job related equipment supplied, as required.
  • Free onsite parking at many police sites throughout the counties.
  • Access to Group insurance scheme (via salary sacrifice scheme).
  • Support networks, free Employees' Assistance Programme, Occupational Health and wellbeing services.
  • Development and training opportunities available.
  • Supportive and flexible training plan, including regular check-ins throughout your initial period of joining us to ensure you are up to speed with the role and getting the support you need.
  • Flexitime, with the ability to undertake your hours flexibly and in line with business need.
  • Hybrid working, with the ability to work remotely at times throughout the working week (once signed off the training plan).

Annual Leave Entitlement:

25 days a year leave entitlement, with an increase to 30 days after 5 years continuous employment, plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time employees).

Media & Comms Officer JD.docx – 144KB
Converted File Media & Comms Officer JD.docx.pdf – 133KB

Additional Information

Political Restrictions: Under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 this post is politically restricted.  A politically restricted post prevents an individual from having any active political role either in or outside the workplace and will automatically be disqualified from standing for or holding elected office.   They are also restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or a person who is or seeks to be a candidate and speaking to the public at large or publishing any written or artistic work that could give the impression that they are advocating support for a political party. For more information, please visit our website or see Alliance PSD20 Working Practice via SharePoint.

Recruitment Process

Application Stage:

To apply for this role, click the 'apply' button below, you will then be taken to a registration page. Please complete this registration form to create an account, once created you will be taken to the application. 

Already have an account? If you have previously created an account, please click 'login' at the bottom of the page next to the 'submit registration' button. Once logged in, you will be taken to the application. 

Once registered, you will have to complete an eligibility form to apply. If eligible, you will move to the application form stage where you will evidence your suitability for this post. The closing date for applications is 04/10/2024, 12:00.

Selection Stage: 

The selection for this role will consist of Shortlisting, Interview, Assessment.

Applications will be anonymised and then shortlisted by the shortlisting panel.  Following the shortlisting you will be notified of the recruitment decision via email along with feedback on your application. 

If successful, you will then be invited to an interview. This will be based on the essential criteria outlined within the job description. The interview process is due to take place week commencing 14 October 2024.

Some roles may also require an assessment and / or fitness test. Further information on this will be provided following the shortlisting process. The assessment and / or fitness test date will be and  if applicable, otherwise N/A.

Pre-requisites:

If you are successful through the selection stage of the recruitment process, we will make a conditional offer of appointment and commence pre-requisite checks. These checks can include: 

  • Vetting checks,
  • Reference checks,
  • Medical assessment,
  • Qualification review,
  • Right to Work checks.

A formal offer of appointment and start date will not be agreed until all checks are satisfactorily completed. If you are successful at the selection stage your conditional offer will outline which of these checks are applicable to you. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

The application system only remains active on a single page for a period of 60 minutes.

Please ensure you allow time to complete your application fully as part complete pages do not save.  

If the role has evidence questions you are required to complete in the application form, you may wish to complete these remotely and then paste your answers into the boxes at time of submission. Please note, each evidence criterion is set to a maximum of 2000 characters. 

This opportunity is closed to applications.