News Producer
Job purpose:
Corporate Communications is building upon our reputation for speedy, accurate and well-produced information to continually engage with the public, our partners and our staff supporting the force’s vision of preventing crime, protecting the public and helping those in need.
This role will manage daily delivery of reactive and proactive communications engagement for WMP seeking opportunities and dealing with highly complex issues and threats to confidence in the police service.
The role can be extremely challenging and complicated with strict time constraints and staff regularly having to deal with very disturbing cases and issues. The team regularly interact with victims of crime – providing help and guidanceon dealing with the media.
The team is held in high regard by other police force communications teams as well as local, national and international social media and media professionals.
Duties and responsibilities:
As part of the specialist news production team:
Manage media and all operational communications activity for WMCTU operations across West Midlands Police, West Mercia Police, Warwickshire Police and Staffordshire Police regions:
-Producing and managing communications strategies
-Communicating and engaging with stakeholders
-Applying and advising on relevant legislation
-Representing WMCTU regionally, nationally and internationally
-Identify and manage reputational risk and threats
Manage the delivery of speedy, accurate and well produced information to engage with the public, media, partners and staff.
Represent the department to provide specialist advice and guidance on daily pace setting across the force.
Represent the force at external meetings, national conferences, events, exercises - offering advice and guidance on policies and information.
Challenge and influence senior staff and stakeholders.
Effectively manage performance of communications officers – including recruitment, attendance and development through regular liaison.
Manage effective logging, assessing and prioritising demand of the news function and elevate issues to senior management/Force Executive Team as appropriate.
Maximise/minimise opportunities and managing threats to the force’s reputation, manage consequences of output appropriately with key stakeholders.
Crisis management - first point of contact for officers and staff and specifically Force Incident Managers to provide specialist advice and guidance on a 24/7 basis.
Identify and manage the provision and support of senior spokespeople on force reputational issues and communications activity based on professional judgement.
Manage a proactive communications schedule to ensure that WMP force priorities are supported by relevant proactive comms campaigns and messaging.
Provide filming and editing function for real-time visual content on the force website and social media channels – creating imagery and video content to support news and campaigns.
Engage directly with members of the public across social media channels acting as the administrator for 300 plus force accounts – resolving issues andmanaging output to effectively address negative impacts onthe force’s reputation.
Provide advice and guidance on media law; actively use expertise in daily work to ensure work is lawful.
Review and assess performance and activity for their team within the weekly Corporate Communications Briefing document for the Executive Team.
Produce and manage appropriate media training for a range of officers and staff.
Manage opportunities to promote the effective work of the force, crime prevention messaging and take opportunities to build trust and confidence to reinforce the force’s vision through:
-Source, research and produce proactive communications opportunities for traditional and social media to reassure the public, promote WMP and combat crime. Create new proactive communications opportunities to engage the public.
-Work creatively to promote the force through original editorial content using numerous media methods.
-Manage engagement with NPUs, centralised departments, Force Executive Team to deliver proactive news and information on behalf of WMP.
-Manage development and maintenance of effective relationships with media, partners, and key stakeholders.
Manage communications support for Gold/Silver groups to manage the delivery of timely messaging to support significant investigations, operations, NPU objectives or Gold activity:
-Deliver a media intelligence package throughout events/operations/investigations
-Provide strategic guidance on style, tone and timeliness of effective information to influence operations
-Be the communications lead across partner agencies to ensure effective messaging
Manage immediate media and communications activity for the Central Motorway Police group across West Midlands Police, West Mercia Police and Staffordshire Police regions.
Manage and prioritise own workload in agreement with the Head of News.
To carry out other duties which are consistent with the nature, responsibilities and grading of this role.
Specialist Skills, knowledge and experience:
Essential:
Extensive working experience within a busy news and media environment
Proven written and communications skills gained as a senior journalist
Experience of using social media and other digital based engagement effectively
Experience of dealing with major initiatives/events/campaigns
Discretion and understanding of confidentiality
Management, leadership or supervisory experience
Communications strategy creation and delivery
Media law, data protection legislation and copyright
IT skills
Desirable:
Recognised journalist or PR qualification
Understanding of policing environment
Supervisory Responsibility – communications officers as required.
Line Management – this role will be managed by the Head of News