This role has since been recruited

Media and Communications Executive
Westminster
Salary and benefits commensurate with experience

Us

The Portman Group is the social responsibility body and regulator for alcohol labelling, packaging and promotion in the UK. In 1989 we were founded by alcohol producers to help them to reduce the harmful use of alcohol; they still lead us today and we are accountable to them to ensure that the whole sector is responsible.

We have a lot to shout about and we want an exceptional Media and Communications Executive to tell our story. You will enable the Portman Group to build on its purpose to reduce harmful drinking and ensure that the drinks industry apply the highest standards to their alcohol marketing through the industry’s Code of Practice. We need to hire the best and we hope that this is you.

The role

With a great deal of exposure to the CEO, you will be accountable to the Director of External Affairs for ensuring that PG’s web presence and media engagement is professional, engaging and accurate. You will be an exceptional story-teller, able to work with the team and weave imaginative copy for proactive and reactive content. You will find challenge in the needs of demonstrating a balanced position for the Group in a contested environment where precision is essential. You will be engaging and focused on building and maintaining PG’s relationships with journalists in order to demonstrate the value of PG as the social responsibility body for alcohol producers in the UK utilising industry initiatives and our drinking trends/behaviours information. Equally you will be able to demonstrate the value of the regulatory activities and the decisions of the Independent Complaints Panel.

You

We believe in supporting the development of new talent. We want to support you to build on your existing responsibility for media communications, social media platforms and website content. You are likely to be a media executive for a consultancy, industry body, charity or corporate seeking a chance to develop a position of authority within the alcohol sector. You are most likely to be a graduate with a communications, journalism or PR qualification, or someone with a body of work that demonstrates your ability.

You will:

• Be experienced in media and social media communications, with an understanding of how to appeal to nationals and broadcast.
• Be a burgeoning, or proven, exceptional writer, knowing that you will need a high degree of accuracy and a love of the written word. You will be imaginative, creative and apply this to your copy writing in order to create precise material which people enjoy reading.
• Likely have experience of managing, or inputting, into digital media programmes and experienced in managing core corporate platforms.
• Likely have experience managing web content and be capable of managing WordPress and other common web tools.
• Become immersed in the sector and have the personal presence to engage with journalists and PR/comms colleagues in the industry.
• Have enthusiasm for being a team player in a small organisation having strong self-motivation to take the initiative to drive the web presence and media agenda.

Desirable:

• CIPR/PRCA or other recognised industry qualification.
• Web design and / or design experience or having some level of study in this specialism.
• Knowledge of the drinks industry and of policies and practices concerned with the social aspects of alcohol. An existing network among health and business journalists would be an exceptional advantage.

Now worried that you aren’t the right person – keep reading

We are motivated to build the very strongest team and hold that success is more likely when there is diversity of thought, opinion and background. This is not your standard claim. We are taking action to make the changes we want to see. Our senior team have been involved in organisations specifically to improve diversity, whether as the founding Chairman of the Women in Communications Career Network or as a board member of the Brilliant Club.

We know that candidates (and research tells us especially women) are often put off applying for a job unless they can tick every box. We also know that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t always doable, and while we can’t accommodate every flexible working request we are happy to be asked.  So if you are excited about being our go to policy lead and you believe that you can do much of what we are looking for but aren’t sure if you are 100% there yet… why not have a go?

How to apply

Please send your CV and a brief cover note explaining why you are interested to people@portmangroup.org.uk. We hope to start interviewing in June, so please apply sooner rather than later.

Good luck!