External Communications and PR Manager

Turning Passion into Purpose.

London South Bank University are excited to be recruiting for the post of External Communications and PR Manager to devise and deliver an engaging multimedia external communications approach that champions our strengths, protects our reputation, and generates better awareness among our key stakeholders, locally, nationally, and internationally.

As the External Communications and PR Manager you will line manage the Senior External Communications Officer whilst diving into Developing and managing delivery of a proactive media strategy and related annual media plan, drawing on LSBU’s strengths and which allows us to tell compelling stories. 

As a key member of the Major Incident Communications Team, you will support and advise on crisis communications, handling frontline media/social media enquiries, prepping, and briefing spokespeople and providing out-of-hours cover and advice as required.

As an expert at relationship building, you will build and maintain good relationships with key staff at all levels across the LSBU Group, including senior management and academic colleagues with strong research and teaching profiles, affording you the opportunity to build your own professional profile alongside.

About You:

We are looking to hear from candidates who have the following skills/experience:

• Degree qualification or equivalent work experience in communications, PR, journalism, or marketing. 
• Extensive experience across video content and production. 
• Excellent news sense and writing skills.
• Demonstrable experience of building effective communications campaigns. 
• Ability to create content for dissemination via press releases, social media, and other distribution channels. 
• Experience of acting as a trusted communications advisor to a Vice Chancellor or CEO and members of an Executive team. 

The ideal candidate will be an experienced self-starter, positive, and creative with a can-do attitude, adept at problem-solving, and calm under pressure. You will have an excellent network of press and media contacts, excellent influencing, and communication skills, and come with knowledge of the Higher Education sector.  

Benefits of Working With Us:

As a leading Higher Education Institution LSBU offers staff a highly competitive benefits package including holiday entitlement starting at 26.5 days per annum, professional development opportunities and flexible working. Full details on the range of benefits we offer can be found here.

How to Apply:

The person specification for this role alongside applicant guidance on what to submit within your application can be found within the candidate pack attached. Applications must be submitted via the "Apply Online" button below.

For an informal conversation ahead of applying, please contact the hiring manager for this position: Katherine Lakeland, Interim Head of Communications  katherine.lakeland@lsbu.ac.uk 

Key Dates:

• The closing date for applications is 23:59 Tuesday 27^th August 2024
• Interview/assessment – Tbc

We are happy to talk flexible working and reasonable adjustments and aim to make our recruitment and selection process accessible to all, please contact us to discuss any support you need. The diversity of LSBU’s staff and students is a source of our strength and the richness of ideas and perspectives that this diversity brings makes LSBU a unique place to work.

Depending on the individual circumstances of the candidate this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UKVI Skilled Worker route. More details on this can be found within the candidate pack.

If you have any questions related to your application, please email the recruitment team staffrecruitment@lsbu.ac.uk

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early, should we receive sufficient applications.

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