Interim Senior Communications Officer (England)

Starfish Search is working with a local authority to recruit an Interim Senior Communications Officer. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering a refreshed communications strategy and shaping how the organisation communicates both internally and externally.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior stakeholders across the council to embed a strategic, coordinated, and future-focused approach to communications.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver strategic communications plans, ensuring they are proactive, responsive, and aligned with organisational goals.
• Draft press releases and briefings, and manage media relations
• Build strong relationships across internal teams
• Provide communications input into events and projects
• Help embed effective communications within the broader council strategy, ensuring it supports service delivery and long-term objectives.

About You

• A confident communications professional who can operate at a senior level and deliver high-impact work in a fast-paced environment
• An experienced relationship-builder, ideally with a background in local government or the wider public sector
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement and change communications
• Able to work independently and provide trusted support to senior leaders
• A strong writer with excellent planning and media-handling skills

This is a 6-month interim opportunity, requiring 1–2 days per week in the office in the South East.