Press Officer (Maidstone)

Location of Role: Maidstone 

Advert Closing Date: 29/11/2024 

Starting Salary: £40,170.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time 

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri with occasional evening/weekends 

Weekend/Evening Working: Yes 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to join Kent Police in the role of Press Officer on a maternity cover basis for 12 months.

This versatile and challenging role is on the frontline of police communications for one of the largest forces in the country during a time of heightened scrutiny of policing and competing demands.

You will work in a key team at the heart of some of the most sensitive, serious and complex issues affecting the people and communities of Kent.

As a press officer you will be working with officers and staff from across the force to help prevent and detect crime and disorder. This is a vital role in a vibrant, innovative and busy department and you will be responsible for ensuring that accurate, appropriate and timely information is provided to the public about the force.

The role will require you to develop and maintain professional relationships with officers, staff and journalists from local, regional, and national media organisations, while responding appropriately to requests for information, promoting the good work of Kent Police and finding agenda-setting news. Successful candidates will also provide support to the force’s digital engagement and social media team as well as the wider Corporate Communications department.

You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills and a good understanding of policing locally and national is desirable.

This opportunity would suit a highly motivated and dynamic individual who is able to demonstrate consistently strong decision-making, integrity, and professionalism. You should be comfortable providing media advice to officers and staff of all ranks on complex and serious issues and dealing with journalists in what can be a highly pressurised environment.

Ensuring officers and staff are competent and confident when engaging with the media is a priority for the department and you will be expected to help provide comprehensive media training to the wider organisation.

Please evidence the following in your application:

• Excellent written communication skills,

• At least four years’ experience in a journalistic or press officer role,

• An ability to manage risk,

• Examples of gathering and analysing sensitive information.

A knowledge of policing is desirable but not crucial.

For further information about this role, please contact Adam Westgarth, Deputy Head of the Press Office at Kent Police on 07854 046916, adam.westgarth@kent.police.uk

Kent Police offers smarter working which allows some flexibility in terms of work arrangements. Due to the operational nature of this role, it will be predominantly office based.

Kent Police offer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of £45,591.00.

For the full job description please click here

Your application is shortlisted on the content provided within the 'reason for application' section, which is limited to 9000 characters. Within your answer please refer to the criteria stated in this job advert and include any experience, skills and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for the role. Please ensure you provide as much detail as possible as insufficient information may mean that you do not meet the shortlisting criteria. 

All of our posts require a level of vetting and security clearance.  During the recruitment process you will be sent vetting information forms to complete. 

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833.

Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

This post is open to:

• British Citizens

• Members of a European Economic Area (EEA) state who hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.  

• Commonwealth citizens or foreign nationals (who are not British citizens or European Economic Area (EEA) state members) who have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period that is free from restrictions.

All applicants (except those who have been serving abroad with the British Armed Forces) must have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years.

Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.