Head of Communications and PR – part time

At Allies Group our focus is on content creation, publishing, and digital marketing for our diverse client portfolio. This is an exceptional opportunity to join us at a key time in our growth and development, to lead strategic communications and PR for Allies Group and our clients. You will be supported in the role by our talented team of journalists and content writers, creative designers, and digital marketing specialists.

Our group focuses on five industry sectors: education, hospitality and leisure, professional services, retail and e-commerce, and public and not for profit. We represent some of the top names in each of these sectors across the North East and further afield. With strong year-on-year growth, you can be confident that you will be joining an ambitious business with a reputation for delivering creative and innovative results.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Benefits

• Salary: £38k – £40k per annum (pro-rata and dependent on experience)
• Part time: Three days a week (flexible)
• 25 days holiday (pro-rata), plus public bank holidays and your birthday day off
• Contributory pension scheme
• An integral member of a friendly, hard working team, based in Team Valley, Gateshead, which is easily accessible by public transport and offers access to free parking

Role purpose

The Head of Communications and PR is responsible for internal and external communications within Allies Group, providing strategic advice on reputation management, stakeholder engagement, PR and media relations, to the Board of Directors and our clients.

As Head of Communications you will develop and communicate the organisation’s messages, ensuring broad team awareness and engagement. As the communications lead you will also maintain excellent relationships with media, clients, and stakeholders.

In leading the content and PR teams, you will be responsible for creating, delivering and evaluating campaigns and activities that lead to the effective positioning and promotion of Allies Group and its clients, from initial scoping to achieving outcomes and evaluating effectiveness. You will also support the content team with production of publications including in-house lifestyle magazine Luxe, as well as contract publishing projects as required.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop Allies Group’s communications and PR, supporting its establishment as a content and digital marketing specialist
• Manage Allies Group’s content and PR teams
• Grow the traditional and digital PR revenue lines
• Devise and deliver comprehensive communications and PR strategies for Allies Group and its clients
• Feed into tender opportunities in collaboration with colleagues and Board members
• Be a valuable member of Allies Group’s senior team, sharing ideas and providing support and guidance as required

Success measures:

• Implementation of Allies Group’s communications and strategy
• Delivery of effective proposals and tender responses
• Growth and retention of the PR and content clients across the year
• Delivery of communications strategies for Allies Group’s key accounts

Ideal candidate:

With proven experience of leadership in a PR or communications role, you will have relevant and current knowledge of developing and delivering communications, PR and digital marketing strategies to achieve outcomes. We are looking for a skilled team member, able to write effective media releases and statements, respond to media enquiries, and evaluate the effectiveness of all activity. As an experienced PR professional you will also know how to manage media in the event of an incident, providing guidance and advice to senior colleagues as required.

Highly organised, you will be able to handle multiple, diverse projects at once – and prioritise in response to shifting deadlines as required.

You will report to the Board of Directors and develop excellent working relationships with team members across Allies Group, clients and external agencies, to successfully deliver multi-channel campaigns.

Requirements:

• Proven agency or in-house experience leading the delivery of strategic PR and communications for multiple clients or areas of a business
• Experience of leading and developing teams
• Journalism qualification or equivalent
• Ability to write audience-focused content for print and digital media
• Good contacts with regional and national news media
• Able to apply innovative ideas and creativity to solve problems, and identify opportunities with proven positive outcomes
• Confident targeting journalists, writers and publications in specific sectors
• Able to handle media incidents / manage communications in response to a crisis
• Commitment to maintain professional conduct at all times, respecting confidentiality and financial propriety, working alongside colleagues, clients and fellow professionals with integrity and honesty
• Trained in SEO and digital marketing / willingness to learn

Skills

• Sound news sense, able to translate often complex or detailed information into newsworthy content
• Ability to develop and deliver effective PR and communications campaigns
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, targeted to specific audiences and channels
• Able to lead and develop team members
• Able to apply creativity to communications projects and brand enhancement
• Highly organised, with the ability to prioritise and adapt to manage and deliver multiple concurrent projects and channels to meet deadlines
• Adaptable, resilient and driven to deliver high-quality outcomes
• An effective and supportive team player, able to manage own time and workload

How to apply

If you are interested in this opportunity please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining how your skills and experience meet the requirements of this role to [email protected]

Closing date: Thursday 16 February

To arrange an informal conversation about this role contact Chris March, Allies Group CEO: [email protected]