Job Description

Press Officer

£41,747 per annum - Grade 7

Leeds / Hybrid

Fixed term foe 12 months Full time - 37 hours per week

Closing date: Sunday 14 June at 11:55pm

Please note that the Combined Authority will consider requests for part-time working and/or job share. We currently have a vacancy for a Press Officer to join our press team.

Joining at a time when the Combined Authority is moving towards deeper devolution, the successful candidate will work as part of a team of seven, identifying proactive press opportunities, and protecting the reputation of the organisation by managing reactive enquiries effectively.

This role is a great opportunity to use your creativity to identify opportunities for great story telling, coming up with new ideas to talk to the public about how the Combined Authority and the mayor are delivering for them. You will get to work closely with the wider communications and marketing team, as well as building strong relationships with policy colleagues, senior members of the organisation and the mayor.

Our Offer

· Work your way – From flexible and agile working options, including a generous flexi-time scheme to help you balance your personal life and career.

· Time to recharge – Enjoy 28 days of annual leave (with increases based on length of service), plus all Bank Holidays.

· Free greener travel across West Yorkshire – Cover your commute sustainably with unlimited free bus and rail travel using the MCard (Zones 1–5).

· Secure your future – Benefit from a highly competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.

· Investing in you – Take advantage of fully funded professional development, regular training, and up to 3 paid volunteering days per year.

· Grow with us – Incremental salary progression for most roles and annual cost of living increases.

· Family first – We offer enhanced parental and bereavement leave, plus other family-friendly policies to support you when it matters most.

· Your wellbeing, our priority – Access 24/7 free confidential counselling services and the Headspace app for you and up to 5 family or friends.

· Modern workspace in a prime location – Work in bright, contemporary offices just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station, fully equipped with the latest tech.

The Role

Reporting into the Senior Press Officer your key responsibilities will include:

· Managing incoming press enquiries within the busy press office of the Combined Authority.

· Creating new and innovative ways of sharing Combined Authority news and stories.

· Leading on press briefings for the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s media opportunities.

Please review the Role Profile for more information about the responsibilities.

About You

You will have the following key skills, attributes, education and experience:

· Educated to degree level or equivalent experience, confident working in a media, PR, or communications environment.

· Understanding of media, politics and current affairs, having worked in a busy newsroom, press office or communications team.

· Working with colleagues to deliver effective, proactive and reactive media relations, including crisis management, in a fast-paced environment.

· Experience of successfully identifying appropriate communication channels to deliver information.

· Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including journalists.

To Apply

If this sounds like your next role, please complete the application form on our website and tell us within the supporting statement why you would be a great fit for our role and how your skills, knowledge and experience align with the requirements within the Role Profile. Please visit our Advice for Candidates webpage and review the guidance on this page for support in completing your application form.

Further Information

The Combined Authority is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro divergent. To find out more about inclusivity at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority please visit our dedicated webpage.

Under the Disability Confident Scheme, applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met. Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, which is the salary stated above, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases on an annual basis