Senior Communications Officer

Job description

Job Type

Comms & Marketing

Location

London - Pimlico

Partnership Level

7

Closing Date

14/12/2024

Vacancy Type

Temporary

Salary

£45,400.00 - £68,100.00 Annual

Salary Frequency

Annual

Hours of Work

35

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We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where it is possible to do so. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.

Our Purpose

Working in Partnership for a happier world – our shared Purpose that guides us in everything we do and inspires 3 important principles; happier people, happier business, happier world. The John Lewis Partnership is a truly unique business, one that seeks to make a positive difference to the lives of everyone.

At a glance:

· 
Salary range - The budgeted salary range for this role is set at £42,200-£60,600

· 
Contract type - This position is a 12 month fixed term 

· 
Working pattern - This is a blended working role, therefore your time will primarily be split between working from home and the London Head Office. However, there will also be an expectation to visit other locations as the need arises. 

· 
The John Lewis comms team aim for around 2 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings but again, are flexible on this.
 

About the role:
 

The External Communications team is looking for a Senior Communications Officer to join the team who is an experienced specialist in lifestyle PR, specifically with experience in Christmas and Brand Comms for a 12-month fixed term role.

The External Communications team is responsible for all aspects of the external communications strategy for the Partnership and its two brands. Our clear ambition for communications: to be the conscience of the business and champion of the brands

As one of three Senior Communications Officers, you will plan and deliver multiple successful and proactive campaigns alongside being the first-line response to many incoming issues and opportunities in the team. Therefore you are required to work in a fast, busy and agile environment. Working closely with key internal stakeholders and the media is crucial in managing launches, features, and opportunities and delivering successful PR and influencer campaigns, whilst maintaining fantastic media and influencer relationships.

What will you be doing?

· 
Work with the Senior Manager to plan and develop PR activity across the John Lewis brand and categories within the Department Store side of the business.  Focusing on Christmas and Brand campaigns and when required taking on projects across Home, Fashion or Beauty, as well as all customer- facing activity and services.

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Collaborate across the business to ensure that we are telling a department store story and putting out the key category messages.

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Conceptualise, organise and deliver excellent media and influencer events with brilliant attention to detail

· 
Maintain an informed opinion and up to date knowledge of the external industry that impacts upon us, particularly in Christmas, Fashion, Beauty and Home. Support strategic planning by gathering external insight to build a media picture . Use awareness to make informed decisions and suggestions about communications risks and opportunities. 

· 
Creatively minded, able to come up with brilliant ideas for stories that can cut-through in a busy marketplace. Use awareness of the external landscape to make informed decisions about communications opportunities.

· 
Work with the Senior Manager to influence how John Lewis is perceived, identifying key knowledge of activity and driving success in these.

· 
Work within a culture of customer centric thinking across the whole team and cross functionally

· 
Working with the rest of the team, coordinate and lead press, community and influencer PR activities 

· 
Part of an out of hours, on call team to deal with journalist enquiries. Manage reactive media enquiries and issues when on rota across traditional and social media.

· 
Deliver an excellent, thorough and timely service to journalists in response to their enquiries and become a go to person for the media when responding to their queries.

· 
Manage the process of each campaign from brief through to evaluation, through close collaboration with the team

· 
Develop and maintain a network of external stakeholders including journalists, opinion formers, influencers and suppliers.

· 
Deputises for Senior Communications Manager and Communications Managers when necessary.
 

Essential skills you’ll need:

· 
Previous in-house or agency PR experience 

· 
An established pool of lifestyle media and influencer relationships

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Experience creating and delivering PR and influencer campaigns and running events

· 
Experience writing and negotiating influencer contracts and evaluation metrics 

· 
Experienced copywriter and confident in writing press releases

· 
Excellent attention to detail and ability to work at pace on multiple projects in a high pressured environment 

· 
Knowledge of products and trends across all categories - fashion, beauty and home
 

Desirable skills you’ll have:

· 
Experience using omniture and onclusive

· 
Excel skills and GPS trained 

· 
Experience with VIP dressing
 

Benefits of the Partnership and the role: 

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- Hybrid Working. 

· 
️ - Full - time working holiday entitlement 25 days holiday, plus public and bank holidays (this is pro-rated for part time hours).

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⚖ - Excellent work life balance, including focus on well being and flexible working and our marketing leading equal parenthood leave Policy

· 
- Defined Contribution pension scheme where your contributions will be matched by the Partnership (up to 8% of pay) and, after three years’ service, you’ll receive an additional Partnership contribution of 4% of pay, regardless of whether you pay in or not

· 
- You’ll get Partnership discount in store and online once you complete your Earning Membership period. That’s 25% off in John Lewis (12% off electrical products, some exclusions apply) and 20% in Waitrose (some exclusions apply) You’ll also be able to nominate someone you live with to share your discount.

· 
-  Simple cycle to work support scheme

· 
- We’re really proud of our exclusive hotels based in some of Britain’s most beautiful areas and once you’ve been with us for three months, you’re welcome to explore them

· 
-  Learn more about our extensive range of exciting benefits that you could enjoy when you join us, visit - https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/benefits/  

Next Steps: 

· 
The application form consists of a CV upload followed by application questions. Please ensure you refresh the page each time you complete a task to ensure you complete everything that you need to in time. (If internal, check your Workday notifications and see further guidance on the PDW under "Internal application process").

· 
Once you've submitted an application the next steps of the process, if successful, are likely to include a 1 stage virtual interview WC 6th Jan

· 
You'll be asked about any adjustments you might need to support the recruitment process. Let us know, and we'll be sure to discuss it with you. 

· 
Thanks for your patience in the meantime and for showing an interest in joining JLP. 

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we recommend you apply early ​

At the John Lewis Partnership, we embrace our differences. We want you to be you. Because, well, we know you're at your best when you're free to be yourself. Being a truly inclusive employer to us means creating an environment which celebrates your contribution, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion or belief. It's why we've set our own aim to become the UK’s most inclusive business - for our Partners (employees) and our customers. We firmly believe that our future success lies in diversity of thought from all Partners and it's integral in our mission to build a happier world. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us. And, once you're a Partner, your differences will make all the difference. Find out more about D&I in the Partnership here - https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/diversityandinclusion/