Communications and External Affairs Officer - Central London Forward

About Central London Forward

Central London Forward (CLF) is a partnership of the 12 central London local authorities. We work together to support inclusive and sustainable growth across the sub-region—ensuring central London’s economy thrives and that residents benefit from the opportunities this creates. Our team leads initiatives that cross borough boundaries, delivering over £75 million of employment support and shaping policy across key areas such as skills, transport, the creative economy, and digital connectivity. We do this through innovative policy work and by enabling collaboration between boroughs and a range of partners—from universities and employers to national politicians and charities.

About the Role

We are seeking a Communications and External Affairs Officer to join our dynamic team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about local government, policy, and London’s future. You will lead and support communications activity that promotes CLF’s work to external audiences, including media, stakeholders, and political partners. This includes shaping press activity, managing media engagement, supporting events, producing high-quality communications materials, and advising senior leaders. You’ll help raise the profile of our work and play a vital role in building relationships that drive impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a communications and external affairs strategy, including Parliamentary engagement.
• Lead communications for individual projects, identifying key messages, press angles, target audiences, and appropriate platforms.
• Prepare briefing materials and speaking notes for senior leaders within CLF and member boroughs.
• Identify, plan, and support a programme of relevant external events.
• Monitor Government policy developments, including consultations, Bills, and White Papers, and brief colleagues as appropriate.
• Liaise with communications teams across boroughs and partner organisations.
• Monitor the media and political landscape for stories and developments relevant to CLF’s work.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is proactive, creative, and politically aware, with a passion for public service and a strong grasp of how communications can influence policy and deliver impact.

Essential:

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent.
• Experience delivering successful communications and media campaigns.
• Strong editorial and writing skills for different audiences and platforms.
• Familiarity with tools such as Canva, WordPress, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, Substack, and social media platforms like X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills and attention to detail.

Desirable:

• Experience interacting with the media and preparing colleagues for media engagements.
• Ability to write for and support senior leaders.
• Existing network of contacts in London and national media.

What We Offer

• Flexible part-time working (21 hours per week) with discussions welcome on how this is structured.
• A collaborative, ambitious team committed to making a difference for central London’s communities.
• The opportunity to shape how we communicate our work at a crucial time for the city and our boroughs.

Closing date: Midday 30th June 2025. Provisional Interview date: W/C 14th July 2025.

To apply online please click the Apply online button below. Alternatively, please contact 020 7332 3978 (24 hr answerphone) quoting reference number OOIG586 if you experience any difficulties. A minicom service for the hearing impaired is available on 020 7332 3732.

The City of London Corporation is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We reserve the right to close the advert earlier should we receive a high number of applications. Because our roles are so varied, we don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ policy for workplace attendance. How many days a week you’ll be required to attend your workplace will depend on the requirements of your role. It’s important that you understand the requirements before applying to ensure you are able to meet them. We are committed to considering requests to work flexibly and job share. Requests will be considered by the recruiting manager in line with our policies and business needs.

For more information on our categories for workplace attendance, please view our guide. We will be reviewing this policy and approach at regular intervals to ensure we’re meeting our attendance needs.