"Communications Planner"

Reference Number

PRS00356

Faculty / Department

President’s Team

Salary

£38,977 - £43,360 per annum

Location / Campus

South Kensington Campus - Hybrid

Contract Type / Work Pattern

Full time - Open ended

Closing date

01-Aug-2024

Job summary

We are looking for a creative, hard-working, person to join our Communications Division’s Operations, Planning and Network Management team. If you’re looking for an exciting and challenging job, where you can develop with support from experienced communications professionals, keep reading.

You will be working as part of our core planning team, liaising with senior communications colleagues to coordinate news announcements and scan for future opportunities to showcase Imperial’s world-class research to a range of audiences.

You will lead on the grid planning process; working with media, social and internal communication teams to plan how our work can have maximum impact.

If these challenges sound exciting, you have experience in media relations, communications or journalism, and you enjoy the buzz from working in a busy environment – apply now to be a Communications Planner at Imperial. You are exactly who we’re looking for.

We want someone who can do the day-to-day planning of communications activity and see the bigger picture, using horizon scanning and insight to effectively sequence announcements. You will need to spot opportunities and risks and think strategically – ensuring long-term plans align to our communications priorities and wider Imperial narrative.

You should be able to build effective relationships, use them to influence others and negotiate diplomatically. In addition, you’ll need to demonstrate you have the confidence and aptitude to deal with senior staff members, leadership and deliver under pressure.

Using excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, the Communications Planner will provide smooth- running administrative assistance to support the Operations, Planning and Network Management team’s day-to-day running and our work on key projects. You will be able to problem solve and use initiative and creativity to spot opportunities to improve our team processes and our divisional offering.

The Communications Planner role sits within the Operations, Planning and Network Management team but offers support and liaises regularly with other teams in the Communications Division and across Imperial.

Duties and responsibilities

Planning and evaluation

• Lead and manage Imperial’s central communication planning process, including by establishing, maintaining, and sharing planning documents that set out communication activity in the short, medium, and long-term.
• Identify and act upon developing opportunities and manage risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to build strong relationships and effective information sharing, including close coordination with the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office, and other key internal partners.
• Coordinate material and write for a wide variety of internal and external audiences, taking every relevant opportunity to enhance Imperial’s reputation and to progress important messages. 
• Prepare documentation for meetings, coordinating material provided by others or producing material personally; prepare notes/action plans as necessary and ensure follow-up and prepare and coordinate presentations on behalf of the Communication Division. 
• Monitoring communication activities by collecting, analysing and evaluating output and outcome measures.
• Consolidate and share learning from previous communications to shape future activity.

Administrative duties

• Assist with the coordination of financial tasks, including record keeping, purchasing, and managing subscriptions.
• Make bookings and travel arrangements for staff attending conferences or meetings off campus and liaising with Facilities Management over the Division’s requirements for car parking on campus.
• Provide support for other colleagues in the Communications Division as may be reasonably required.
• Coordinate with the Operations Manager to facilitate the overall smooth running of budget management. 
• Coordinate media visits and tours to Imperial locations.
• Assist with filming logistics. 

Essential requirements

Experience

• Experience of working in a communication or press office or journalism environment, gained in roles such as Communications Assistant, Communications Coordinator, Press Assistant, Press Office Coordinator, Media Relations Assistant, Junior Communications Officer, or as a journalist
• Experience of providing administrative support on media or communications projects

Knowledge

• Excellent IT literacy (including Microsoft Office and website content management systems)

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent organisational skills and an ability to work under pressure, to strict deadlines and budgetary controls
• Strong research and analytical skills, and ability to summarise findings clearly, including conveying messages in a clear and compelling way, tailored according to the audience
• Ability to exercise initiative and problem solve
• Outstanding interpersonal skills

Further information

To apply for this role candidates will need to complete an online application.

Should you require any further details on the role please contact: Gemma Sutcliffe -g.sutcliffe@imperial.ac.uk

Hybrid working may be considered for this role. Staff working in roles that are suitable for hybrid working will normally be expected to work 60% of their time onsite. The opportunity for hybrid working will be discussed at interview.

Available documents

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

• download: Communications Planner job description.pdf