COMMUNICATIONS
Job Title: / Director of Communications
Reporting to: / Chief Executive Officer
Location: / London
Responsible for: / London-based Communications team of 14plus 4 Regional Press Officers
Summary
The Communications Director leads a team of 18communications staff covering media relations, media campaigns, celebrity engagement and publications. He/she is also a member of the team of Directors working with the CEO to advise and shape the overall strategy and direction of Dogs Trust.
The Communications Director will define and deliver the charity’s communications strategy, ensuring it supports and enhances our brand, our charity campaigns priorities and our fundraising and marketing
Duties
  • Draft the PR strategy in line with Dogs Trust brand, messaging and core valuesand agree it with the CEO
  • Devise and implement annual plans in support of the strategy
  • Work across functions to develop and maintain a thorough understanding of the charity’s work, and the issues facing us, and to ensure that external communications support our charity campaigns messages, the work of the rehoming centres and all aspects of our fundraising activity
  • Effectively use examples of the work of rehoming centre and campaigns staff on the ground to enhance our brand and brand image, working with the Marketing Director who is responsible for brand management
  • Devise and deliver effective short, medium and long term communications campaigns
  • Maintain strong professional relationships with key media contacts in support of the charity’s work
  • Ensure the appropriateness of all reactive and proactive output to the media
  • Ensure that our key publications, the members’ magazine WAG and the Annual Report, are well-written, designed and produced on time and to budget
  • Prepare the CEO for media interviews, including via written briefings as required
  • Attend Directors and Execs meetings and prepare briefing documents as necessary
  • Provide communications advice and counsel to the Board of Directors and Trustees
  • Report on communications activities and present at Trustee meetings as required
  • Evaluate communications campaigns and coverage output and adapt annual plans accordingly
  • Provide professional communications advice to the CEO and Directors on crisis management issues
  • Work with the Head of Public Affairs to provide appropriate responses to current affairs and legislation affecting dog welfare in the UK and abroad as required
  • Work with other Dogs Trust Departments on communication matters. This includes Campaigns and Marketing, the digital team to develop the blogger and Champions outreach programme, and the HR team on employee engagement
  • Lead, manage and develop the Communications team in head office and the regions, ensuring their work aligns with the strategy and annual plans and that they deliver their KPIs
  • Attend external events and meetings on behalf of Dogs Trust as required
  • Where appropriate, carry out TV, radio or press interviews
  • Manage the communications budget, including annual budget preparation and ongoing monitoring of expenditure
  • Develop the ability of Dogs Trust frontline staff to represent the charity through their work
  • Deliver training for internationaland industry delegates as required
  • Any other reasonable duties as required

Person Specification
  • A strong track record of success in a senior Communications role including PR campaign management and media relations
  • A demonstrable strategic approach
  • Results-oriented
  • Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, with a well developed network of national media contacts
  • Ability and experience of working with colleagues at all levels and across functions in pursuit of organizational aims
  • A high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to influence others
  • Inspirational leader with extensive experience in managing teams
  • First-rate written English, experience of writing and editing media copy and strong proof reading skills
  • Ability to remain calm in a crisis and to inspire confidence in others
  • Understanding of the charity sector and the importance of brand management
  • Experience in giving media interviews
  • Excellent organisation and time-management skills, with an ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
  • Highly creative and/or the ability to nurture these skills within the existing Communications team
  • Sympathetic to the aims of Dogs Trust and comfortable around dogs
  • Willing and able to travel on Dogs Trust business, including to the annual international conference, and to work outside normal office hours as required

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