Head of Press and Media in Birmingham

The newly created role will join a busy team dealing with around 150 media enquiries a month. From everyday council business to international stories - no day in the press office is the same! This role will report to the Assistant Director for Communications and will be closely linked to the Deputy Chief Executive. This role is vital in providing trusted guidance and advice to the Managing Director, Leader and Cabinet Members in the effective handling of high profile issues.

In addition to strategic guidance, you will provide operational grip: ensuring opportunities are successfully taken, and plans are successfully delivered with impact. This role offers unrivalled opportunity, of a scale and complexity, unlike any other UK City. The size and breadth of issues we face gives challenges and opportunities like no other. It will test your professional skills and your intellectual capability.

We are looking for innovative and passionate individuals who are energised by the opportunity to work in one of the most exciting dynamic and complex places in the UK. We require you to have a strong understanding of how to manage complex stakeholders and be confident to work in a senior role in a high-profile organisation. You will be vital in pushing forward improvement and change so therefore need to be credible at senior level and confident in your delivery.

We are relaxed in terms of your professional background and equally keen to appeal to a diverse and broad range of candidates from across sectors, so your experience may have been gained in the commercial or public sectors, and possibly across the two. You will identify opportunities to help share the city and the council's story through all forms of media. You will be someone with good connections, a strong track record in delivering engaging content and used to working in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

You will be a highly skilled professional, who wants to utilise all their skills and expertise, bringing innovation and guidance. You are a strategic, agile thinker with the vision and creativity to enable us to operate effectively and ethically. Birmingham is an exceptional city and requires officers who share our ambition and passion and have the skills and experience to help us get there.

Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city. The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence.

There is a clear vision which is ensuring that the Council is working for communities today and building for tomorrow, we focus our resources on five key priorities:

• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.

We see the Council's role as providing strategic leadership - that is being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision-making.

We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision. We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long-term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships. In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well-being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.