CLOSING DATE: March 20, 2017
Old Perth Road, Inverness
Grade E: £24,690 – £29,115
Ref no: R123/16
POLICE Scotland is the national organisation for policing with the purpose of improving the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland.
The service is the second largest in the UK and covers over 28,000 square miles with a workforce of 23,000 officers and staff.
Effective communication is essential to the organisation and we are currently seeking an experienced and enthusiastic communications officer to join our busy North of Scotland News team based in Inverness.
As part of the team you will be responsible for providing a professional and effective frontline communications response, proactively and reactively, in support of the priorities of Police Scotland.
You will serve as the first point of contact for the media on policing issues and help to deliver communications products in support of the policing purpose, Keeping People Safe.
You will be expected to manage daily media enquiries at divisional/regional level, briefing the media and producing effective, accurate and clear written responses to enquiries.
You will manage all aspects of proactive communication work in relation to policing priorities, portfolios, local campaigns and operational activity, to include press conferences and events as appropriate.
You will require a good knowledge of the use of social media to convey public information and messages and be able to provide accurate, relevant and engaging information for the Police Scotland website and social media platforms, ensuring consistency of standards.
You will be expected to help build and manage effective relations between local media and divisional policing teams and Commanders, promoting the work of Police Scotland through local policing activity.
You will also play a role in the wider communications delivery especially around warning and informing/civil contingencies/major incident response/major investigations which will require a good awareness of inter-agency communications relationships.
You will be qualified to professional diploma (or equivalent qualification) level in a corporate communications related subject, and have relevant proven experience within a related discipline OR, where no formal qualifications exist, have significant relevant experience in a corporate communications environment, with the ability to assimilate information quickly and accurately.
This full-time post is temporary for 12 months and requires standard recruitment vetting.
The following essential competencies will be used for the selection process:
* Effective communication
* Job knowledge
* Service delivery
* Problem solving
* Team working
* Partnership working
We offer a competitive benefits package that includes:
* Competitive salary and guaranteed allowances
* Annual salary increments
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* 24 days annual leave and eight public holidays on appointment
* Wide range of family-friendly policies
* Employee Assistance Programme
* Access to range of staff associations
* Scottish Police Recreation Association
* Scottish Police Credit Union
* Cycle 2 Work Scheme
* Childcare vouchers
Please refer to the relevant competencies when completing your application form.
Please be aware that the interim SPA pay and grading structure may be subject to future change.
Individuals working, or applying for, a flexible working arrangement who wish to apply for this post will have their flexible working arrangement considered in line with current policy, as well as both personal and organisational needs.
The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland are committed to promoting a diverse workforce and to achieving and promoting an organisational culture where staff and officers are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete and submit the Equality and Diversity monitoring form, which will be separated from your application form, prior to the selection process. The information you provide will be treated as sensitive data under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Applicants must be a British citizen, a member of the EU or other states in the EEA, a Commonwealth citizen or a foreign national free of restrictions. You should also have been resident in the UK for a minimum of three years immediately prior to application.
For an application pack, visit http://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/police-staff/org-current-vacancies, http://www.spa.police.uk/work-with-us/current-vacancies/, e-mail recruitmentcentre@scotland.pnn.police.uk or call 01355 566350.
Please quote reference number R123/16.
Closing date: Monday 20 March 2017 by 4.30pm
Interview date: To be advised
No CVs please – full application forms must be completed.
Our purpose: To improve the safety and well being of people, places and communities in Scotland
Our focus: Keeping people safe
