British Transport Police have an excellent opportunity for a Media Relations Manager to join the External Affairs and Media department. As a Media Relations Manager with us, you will be the voice of BTP; managing the force’s media response to significant incidents and finding new and innovative ways to tell our stories and engage with the communities that we serve. You will be vital in supporting the Force to prevent and detect crime and build and protect lasting public confidence.

Responsibilities:
Drafting and releasing high-level press releases, statements, and media strategies.
Managing the day-to-day running of the press office and having direct line management for four Media Relations Advisors.
Owning national portfolios such as County Lines, Violence against Women and Girls, or Counter Terrorism, and acting as a lead for the Force on traditional and social planning for those issues nationally.
Acting as a dedicated manager for Senior Investigating Officers during criminal investigations, supporting the investigative team by devising and implementing communication plans and strategies.
Building and maintaining relationships with the media, including local, national, specialist, and trade journalists, and ensuring BTP is a key voice.
Being the first point of escalation for social media content that is considered a Media Relations concern by the Social Media Engagement Officers or the Force Contact Centre.
Participating in the 24/7 on-call rota, responding to incidents and enquiries out of hours, and making decisions on responses to a wide range of complex issues and critical incidents.

Essential Skills:
Educated to degree level or able to evidence equivalent work experience in a relevant field.
Significant experience within a busy newsroom, press office, or similar environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with high attention to detail and the ability to write in a variety of styles.
Previous line management experience.
Ability to deliver high-quality content to tight timescales and under pressure.
The confidence and gravitas to offer advice to Senior Management and challenge when necessary in the Force’s best interests.
Ability to act swiftly and make decisions individually, particularly out of hours on breaking incidents and incoming media queries.