PR and Communications Officer in Liverpool

PR and Communications Officer in Liverpool

Liverpool Full-Time 27598 - 29911 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
The City Of Liverpool College

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Create engaging stories and manage media relations to elevate the College's profile.
  • Company: Join The City of Liverpool College, a vibrant educational institution.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous leave, and extensive wellbeing support.
  • Other info: Flexible working options and excellent professional development opportunities await you.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by showcasing student and staff achievements.
  • Qualifications: Strong writing skills and experience in PR or communications are essential.

The predicted salary is between 27598 - 29911 £ per year.

We’re looking for a PR and Communications Officer to join our Marketing and Communications team at The City of Liverpool College. This is a new role for the team, created to strengthen how we tell the College’s story externally and build our profile with the media, partners, and wider stakeholders.

You’ll develop and pitch news stories, manage media relations activity, and produce content that puts our students, staff, and achievements in the spotlight. You’ll also work closely with our Business Development and Employer Engagement team, supporting their communications with partners and employers — including a regular stakeholder email produced through our CRM. This is a great opportunity for someone who can write confidently, build relationships with ease, and wants a role where they can genuinely raise an organisation’s profile.

Key Responsibilities
  • Media relations and PR
    • Draft and distribute press releases, news stories, and statements to local, regional, and sector media
    • Act as a day-to-day point of contact for media enquiries, escalating to the Head of Marketing and Communications as appropriate
    • Proactively identify and develop stories that raise the College’s profile, including student success, staff achievement, and community impact
    • Build and maintain relationships with local, regional, and sector media contacts
    • Support the coordination of media interviews, briefings, and filming requests
    • Monitor media coverage and flag reputational risks or opportunities to the Head of Marketing and Communications
  • External content and storytelling
    • Produce high-quality written content for external audiences, including press features, case studies, award submissions, and partnership materials
    • Interview students, staff, alumni, and partners to develop stories and testimonials for use across external channels
    • Ensure all content reflects the College’s brand standards and tone of voice
    • Repurpose stories and content effectively across external platforms, including the College website, social media, and partner communications
  • Partner and stakeholder communications
    • Work closely with the Business Development and Employer Engagement team to plan and deliver communications that support employer and partner relationships
    • Produce and distribute a regular stakeholder and partner email using the College’s CRM, ensuring content is relevant, accurate, and well-targeted
    • Support the development of external-facing materials for employer engagement activity, including events, campaigns, and partnership announcements
    • Help maintain accurate contact and engagement data within the CRM to support effective stakeholder communications
  • Reputation and profile
    • Support the development of reactive statements and holding lines where required
    • Assist with crisis communications as directed by the Head of Marketing and Communications
    • Contribute to award submissions, sector publications, and other external profile-raising activity
  • Collaboration and planning
    • Work closely with colleagues across the Marketing and Communications team to align external stories with wider campaign and content activity
    • Build strong working relationships with curriculum teams, student services, and senior leadership to identify and develop communications opportunities
    • Contribute to team planning and reporting, sharing coverage and performance data to evaluate the impact of PR and communications activity
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
  • Essential Criteria
    • Experience in a PR, communications, or marketing role, ideally within education or the public sector
    • Strong writing skills, with the ability to produce accurate, engaging copy for a range of audiences and purposes
    • Experience writing and distributing press releases, statements, or media pitches
    • Confidence interviewing people and developing compelling stories from conversation
    • Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines across multiple workstreams
    • Strong relationship-building skills and the confidence to work with senior stakeholders
  • Desirable Criteria
    • Experience producing stakeholder or partner communications, including email campaigns
    • Familiarity with CRM systems or email marketing platforms
    • Understanding of media relations principles and experience building press contacts
    • An understanding of the further education or public sector landscape
    • An understanding of GDPR and data handling in a communications context
    • Qualification in communications, PR, journalism, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Please Note: This role may close earlier than the advertised deadline if we receive sufficient applications. Early submission is strongly encouraged.

Benefits

Why Join The City of Liverpool College? Benefits of working at the College include:

  • Pension Scheme: You'll be part of the Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 20.20%, one of the best pension packages in the sector.
  • Leave entitlement: Up to 30 days annual holiday allowance, plus 1 wellbeing day. You’ll also benefit from 5 to 7 days statutory closure and 2 further days closure at Easter.
  • Employee Benefit Platform: Access to the COLC Employee Benefits Platform, a hub for a wide range of perks designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and everyday savings.
  • Health and Wellbeing: Access to the Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – a confidential support service available 24/7, 365 days a year.
  • Travel: Interest-free loans to help you buy annual travel passes from Merseytravel and Merseyrail.
  • Flexible Working: Flexible working options depending on business need to support our employee's work-life balance.
  • Professional Development: A mix of formal and informal professional development opportunities.
  • College Benefits: Access to excellent sports and fitness facilities, discounted hair and beauty treatments, and a staff discount at our Academy Restaurant.

PR and Communications Officer in Liverpool employer: The City Of Liverpool College

The City of Liverpool College is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that prioritises flexibility and professional growth for its staff. With a commitment to high-quality education in the travel and tourism sector, employees benefit from generous holiday allowances and tailored development programmes, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a meaningful impact while advancing their careers.

The City Of Liverpool College

Contact Details:

The City Of Liverpool College Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land PR and Communications Officer in Liverpool

Get Involved in PR Events

Dive into local PR meetups and workshops. Events like these are perfect for getting your face out there, chatting with industry pros, and spotting potential job openings at companies like The City Of Liverpool College. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to learn about trends and make lasting connections.

Showcase Your PR Skills

Start building your personal brand as a PR ace. Use platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to share your thoughts on current events or PR campaigns you admire. Tagging companies you want to work for, like The City Of Liverpool College, can catch their eye—especially if your insights resonate!

Leverage Your Network

Reach out to friends, family, or connections in the PR field. Even a casual chat can lead to opportunities. If you've got mutual contacts, ask for introductions when applying. Personal recommendations can give your application a nice little boost!

Tailor Your Approach

When applying for a full-time PR role, make sure to research The City Of Liverpool College inside and out. Understanding their campaigns, values, and style allows us to directly align our application and impress during interviews. Don't hesitate to apply through our website—going direct can make a real difference!

We think you need these skills to ace PR and Communications Officer in Liverpool

Media Relations
Press Release Writing
Content Creation
Storytelling
Stakeholder Engagement
CRM Proficiency
Interviewing Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Get Your Story Straight:In public relations, storytelling is everything! Make sure your CV highlights your experience in crafting compelling narratives and managing media relations. Share specific examples of campaigns you've worked on, and don’t forget to include any press coverage you've generated—it's impressive proof of your skills!

Show Off Your Communication Skills:Since PR is all about communication, we want to see your best writing samples. Include pieces like press releases, blog posts, or social media content that you've created. This gives us a taste of your voice and your ability to convey messages clearly and effectively, which is crucial for a role in this field.

Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter should be more than just a recap of your CV; it’s your chance to shine! Emphasise why PR excites you and how your background fits with the mission of The City Of Liverpool College. Show us that you’ve done your homework and speak to why you’re passionate about the work we do.

Connect the Dots:When you’re writing your application, think about how your past experiences link to the responsibilities of the role. Mention any internships, volunteer work, or projects that involved public speaking, event planning, or strategic communication. This will help us see how you can seamlessly bring your skills into a full-time position at The City Of Liverpool College.

How to prepare for a job interview at The City Of Liverpool College

Master the Art of Storytelling

In public relations, storytelling is key. We should prepare compelling narratives about past campaigns or projects we’ve worked on. Think about how we can illustrate our impact and creativity in those stories—be ready to discuss specific examples that showcase our skills in managing media relationships and crafting messages.

Know Your PR Tools Inside Out

Familiarity with PR tools like Cision or Meltwater is crucial. We need to be able to discuss how we’ve used these tools in past roles or projects. If we've worked on media lists, press releases, or analytics reports, let’s have those experiences ready to share along with metrics we’ve achieved to back up our claims.

Stay Current with Industry Trends

We’ve got to stay sharp on the latest trends and events impacting the public relations field. Having a few insights ready about recent campaigns or shifts in media landscapes can show that we’re engaged and knowledgeable. This will also help us make connections between our experiences and the current state of the industry.

Showcase Our Versatility

As full-time PR professionals, we need to demonstrate our adaptability. Be ready to talk about how we've handled challenging situations, managed crises, or adapted strategies on the fly. Employers will appreciate our ability to pivot and find solutions under pressure, so let’s have those scenarios at our fingertips to discuss.