About the Role
Are you a seasoned communications and marketing professional, with strong organisational skills and a flair for events?
We have a fantastic opportunity available for someone to lead and manage our busy communications, marketing and events team, leading marketing, public relations, events and internal communications for an innovative and forward-thinking local authority.
You will help to protect and improve Maidstone Borough Council’s reputation while developing and implementing plans to keep stakeholders engaged and informed about the council and its services.
You will be required to advise senior colleagues across the council on responses to media enquiries, press statements, (including our emergency plan), and if required, mentor colleagues on media relations and interviews.
This is a full time position on a permanent contract.
About You
You will be a confident, professional experienced communications leader who enjoys managing different projects and priorities and working with a wide range of people.
You will enjoy working on your own initiative as well as leading and managing a small team who are at the heart of everything we do.
You will need first rate communication and influencing skills, along with a good understanding of the sensitivities of working in a political environment and the challenges currently facing local authorities. You will also have extensive experience of working with the media and formulating communications plans. You will need experience of using a range of marketing tactics including social media.
You will be working closely with councillors, officers across the council and partner organisations so you will need to be confident, well organised and have strong people skills.
We are looking for someone with a passion for communications, who is articulate, upbeat and professional. If that sounds like you, we would be very happy to hear from you!
About Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with a mission to balance the needs of people and environment with our economy. We strive to make the borough a green and attractive place adapted for climate change.
We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.
At Maidstone Borough Council we recognise the importance of flexible working and the benefits this can bring to both our staff and the Council. We know that by offering employees a range of flexible working opportunities we can positively impact their wellbeing and engagement, and drive productivity in return. As such we have developed a highly flexible hybrid working policy, alongside our flexi time and flexible working policies, enabling staff to shape their working patterns around building a greater work life balance.
Our Offer
A range of benefits including:
• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
• Free parking
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role
Selection Process
Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.
Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.
Maidstone Borough Council has a Sponsor License which enables successful candidates in eligible roles to be sponsored for work Visa purposes.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Angela Woodhouse on 01622 602620.
To apply for the position please click apply on our website and complete the online application form or by phone on 01622 602555.
Closing Date: 9th March 2025
Interview Date: TBC
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .