Director of Policy and Communications
Our ‘One Coventry’ plan is a powerful and inspiring statement of our vision and priorities for the city, rooted in residents’ priorities.
We play a key role in improving our already flourishing city, and ensuring that Coventry continues to be a great place to live and work. We aim to be globally connected, locally committed, deliver our priorities with fewer resources whilst effectively managing our performance and measuring our progress.
As our new Director of Policy and Communications you’ll develop and deploy a strategic approach to communicating complex messages to a full range of audiences. It’s the complete ‘comms and ideas’ job – you’ll make sure that everyone who needs to can understand our strategic vision, values, and priorities, as well as the challenging context in which we operate, and encourage them to actively engage with the council on key issues. You’ll be responsible for promoting the strengths and reputation of the city, in order to attract investment, influence policy and develop new partnerships of purpose. You’ll encourage a creative, inclusive and self-improving culture within your team and exemplify the highest standards of public service.
Substantial senior experience of leading and managing a full-spectrum communications function, ideally in a public sector setting, is essential. As a key spokesperson for the Council, you will be a confident and credible advocate in every setting. With an impressive track record of shaping and delivering effective multi-platform communications and engagement strategies, including deriving insight from data analytics, you must also have strong writing and content skills. You’ll be a resilient and calm leader under all circumstances. Politically astute, highly organised and with a deft approach to managing complex or sensitive situations, you’ll quickly become a respected and valued member of the senior team.
For more information about this role, please read the Candidate Pack below.
For an informal conversation, please contact:
Dawn Faulkner
Email: dfaulkner@faerfield.co.uk
Phone: 0121 312 3755
Helen Sawbridge
Email: hsawbridge@faerfield.co.uk
Phone: 0121 312 3755
Indicative Timetable
Closing date for applications: Thursday 7 November 2024
Longlist meeting: Thursday 14 November 2024
Preliminary interviews (via Microsoft Teams): w/c Monday 18 November 2024
Shortlist meeting: Thursday 28 November 2024
Assessment Centre and Final Interviews: Thursday 12 and Thursday 19 December 2024
To apply:
To apply for this job please visit the Coventry City Council Jobs portal. Please note: you can only submit one application through the portal - we strongly advise you speak to our advising consultants before submitting.
In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.
Our Values are:
