Digital Communication & Engagement Officer

This is a Full Time Permanent Position. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Michael Berriman, Digital Communications Lead, at michael.berriman@hullcc.gov.uk. This is an exciting opportunity to work within the council’s Corporate Communications Team. The successful applicant will have experience of managing a wide range of digital channels. This includes creating engaging content, scheduling social media/digital campaigns and content, engaging positively with residents and users online and reporting social media and digital performance/trends to senior management. The role also includes the management of news websites and email delivery platforms. The successful applicant will have a flair for creativity and a passion for digital communications.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

• Reporting to the Digital Communications Lead, to formulate, deliver and evaluate digital communications and engagement strategies and campaigns designed to:
• Raise awareness of the Council’s services, policies, priorities, and plans
• Encourage behaviour change to meet city and council objectives
• Provide opportunities for citizen, stakeholder, and influencer engagement
• Maintain and enhance the reputation of the Council, its partnerships, and the city.
• To manage the Council’s key corporate digital/social media channels alongside managing the reputation of the authority and its services in the digital arena.
• To provide specialist digital communications advice and support to key decision makers, including chief officers, the Cabinet and other senior members and officers, partners, and services, where appropriate.
• To maximise the use of low cost/no-cost digital media channels to support the Council’s overall communications and marketing/customer contact strategies, providing effective and impactful digital communications to inform and engage with citizens and stakeholders, transforming their experience of the Council.
• To act as a champion for digital communications within the organisation and its partnerships, encouraging and facilitating innovation and continuous improvement.
• To manage relevant professional networks and ensure keeping pace with new developments, platforms, channels, and best practice.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Formulates, delivers, and evaluates digital communications and engagement campaigns and strategies for a wide range of policies and service initiatives. Social media management, including the development of creative multi-media content using a variety of techniques, tools, and platforms. Carries out social listening research and monitoring and to identify issues and to advise on/deploy organisational responses. Develops and implements strategies for utilising and managing social media and other digital channels in a crisis, including out-of-hours responses and support. Develops corporate responses to manage reputational issues in the digital arena. Influences and advises senior members and officers within the Authority and partner organisations on media issues, including the Chief Executive, Corporate Strategy Team and Cabinet. Ensures that the Council’s social media channels are used appropriately and comply with agreed corporate/platform-specific standards and best practice for editorial content, tone of voice, branding, engagement, and inclusivity. Contributes to wider communications planning and delivery working with and assisting with the work of Media and Marketing teams as required.
2. Customer Focus Engages, builds, and maintains sustainable and constructive relationships with local, regional, national audiences, stakeholders, and influencers (including the media) in the digital arena to safeguard and enhance the reputation of the Council and the city. Develops and delivers social media guidelines and training to members and officers through formal training sessions and, on an issue-by-issue basis, through day-to-day contact and advice. Influences and advises members and senior managers within the organisation and partner organisations on digital communications. Generates and shares insight on new and relevant social media and other digital platforms and developments with the wider Media, Marketing & Communications Team, Customer Services and with services/senior officers across the Council.
3. Performance Management Evaluates digital campaigns and activity to assess effectiveness, impact and value and uses the results to influence future strategy.
4. Statutory Obligations None.

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

Please ensure that you complete and submit your application by midnight prior to the closing date. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as listed in the job description. We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage. We reserve the right to amend the dates associated with this advert, which may include closing the advert early where required. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.