MINI UK Press Officer
Posted on June 12th, 2024 by
Farnborough
Type of Job: Temporary
Staffline is currently recruiting a MINI UK Press Officer to work for our premium automotive client, MINI/BMW.
This exciting opportunity will allow you to work for one of the biggest car manufacturers, onsite at their headquarters in Farnborough.
This is a full-time role working fixed shifts, Monday to Friday, hours a week. The hours of work are:
- 8am to 4:15pm
Experience in a similar role is required.
Your Time at Work
As a MINI UK Press Officer you would be required to influence the reputation of the company and its products, proactively and reactively, through positive, effective relationship development and management with the media, supporting the Media Relations Manager, and leading specific media-facing projects. Your duties will include:
Media Relations:
- Identify, research, create, and place positive news stories in the media to enhance the reputation and exposure of the company and its products with the media and so prospective/ existing customers through the coverage generated.
- Maintain a program of lifestyle media activations, working with the Media Relations Manager and external agency to maintain high levels of coverage.
- Develop and maintain strong and productive media relations with the UK media, including automotive social media influencers.
- Respond to and handle media queries in a timely and professional manner; have strong product knowledge to answer high-level media queries.
Media Events:
- Provide key support to Media Relations Manager in the planning and organisation of product launch events to ensure product information and attributes are communicated effectively.
- Close liaison with PR Events Manager in developing the program for product launch events, to maximise message delivery, efficiency, and effectiveness from a communicative perspective.
- Create innovative ideas: event concepts, press materials, invitations, and key visuals.
- Take a leadership role in the organisation and delivery of certain media events, where the events team is not involved.
- Participate in, and co-ordinate the UK media in BMW AG International Launch and ad-hoc activities to maximise positive media impact for new MINI products and services.
- Act as MINI press spokesperson for BMW Group UK at selected motor industry events (SMMT; Regional media events, Industry award events, etc).
Media Resource Management:
- Write and edit product press releases for national distribution.
- Manage end to end liaison of written press materials where they are produced by an external agency.
- Prepare Q&As for product communications.
- Work closely with Product Marketing to ensure information communicate to media is consistent with key messages and always technically accurate.
- Manage press release distribution agency and corporate communications' media monitoring agency, ensuring media coverage and monitoring results are communicated effectively and press releases distributed efficiently.
- Collate and distribute significant media coverage for company-wide management to ensure senior representatives are aware of media issues.
- Tracking of earned social media content secured by the press team.
- Create, develop, and manage effective use of new communications media.
- Satisfy photographic and video requirements of a wide and diverse range of media outlets, and work with photographers and videographers to deliver these elements.
- Provide critical analysis of a wide range of media outlets for company intelligence - print, broadcast, online, social media, bloggers, and forums-report on risks that could be potentially damaging to the business.
- Ensure MINI PressClub UK is up to date with the latest press releases, videos, images, and spec sheets.
Internal Communications:
- Support the Internal Communications Manager with creation of internal communications including new product announcements, group news and wider topics.
- Manage re-write of communications to be shared across MINI Plant Oxford, BMW Group Plant Hams Hall, and BMW Group Plant Swindon for relevant topics.
Our Perfect Worker
Our ideal MINI UK Press Officer would have previous experience in a similar role.
Essential Skills:
- Exceptional communication skills - verbal and written - with a proven track record of both.
- The ability to prioritise effectively is a must and flexibility is essential. Situations can change rapidly, and this person must be able to think clearly under pressure, remaining resilient, calm, and composed.
- Must have the ability to stand in for the Media Relations Manager when he/she is absent.
- Positive outlook and energetic personality. Able to communicate correctly and personify the brands and the company to this highly influential target audience. Must possess the confidence and credibility to act as a spokesperson on product issues.
- Needs excellent organisational skills and an ordered mind, with the ability to take leadership of selected media events. Sometimes this will mean the job holder is the only company representative on a media event and so bears full responsibility for its smooth running and the positive impression it gives.
- Credibility and personal impact to represent the department in internal, high-level meetings (including director level discussions)
- Solid record of having established a range of media contacts. Positive feedback from journalists about the individual will carry significant weight.
- Sound judgement and sensitivity is essential as the job holder will frequently have access to sensitive and/or confidential information, as to what is and is not communicated externally. The person must also be able to manage difficult and high-pressure situations calmly, tactfully, and diplomatically. Failing to do so can have an immediate detrimental effect on the company reputation.
- Willingness to work unsociable hours. The media works seven days per week and sometimes so must this role.
Desired Skills:
- An inquisitive and creative mind is desired to explore and develop new ways to communicate messages and to have a full understanding of the competitive product and corporate landscape.
- Show an enthusiasm for and dexterity with social media. This role is expected to take a proactive approach to working with the social media team and generating suitable content for owned social channels.
- Ability to understand and communicate sometimes highly technical topics.
Key Information and Benefits
- 27 days holiday entitlement for the first full year, increasing to a maximum of 30 days.
- All employees are eligible for an annual bonus (subject to terms & conditions).
- Career progression opportunity.
- Salary depending on experience.
- Flexible/Remote Working.
Job Ref: 1BMWF
About Staffline
Staffline is the UK's leading provider of flexible, temporary and permanent workforce solutions, enabling over 28,000 people into good work every day. We operate at more than 350 customer sites across England, Scotland and Wales.