Communications and Engagement Officer

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 415976

**Salary**:

- £32,220
- A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

**Job grade**:

- Executive Officer

**Contract type**:

- Permanent

**Business area**:

- VMD Communications Team

**Type of role**:

- Communications / Marketing

**Working pattern**:

- Full-time

**Number of jobs available**:

- 1

**Contents**:

- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know

**Location**:

- This role will be contractually based at the VMD, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS. This is a fixed location; the VMD does not use hubs located elsewhere in the UK.

You will be expected to spend at least 60% of your working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Organisation workplace includes the VMD office as well as time spent at other locations for meetings, conferences, and field-based activities. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

This role is not suited to a homeworking contract.

**About the job**:
**Job summary**:
**About the VMD**

You may not have heard of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), but have you ever:

- eaten meat, eggs, fish or honey
- drunk milk
- owned a pet or animal
- taken antibiotics

If you said yes to any of the above, you are directly affected by what the VMD does.

The VMD is the regulatory and policy lead responsible for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.

Our aim is to protect public health, animal health, and the environment, and promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines.

Find out more at: About us - Veterinary Medicines Directorate - GOV.UK

**About the**Job**

To provide support the communications team deliver our communications strategy by managing our public facing mailbox, and analysing trends in order to improve our external communications.

As part of the implementation of our new communications strategy the post holder will play a key part in developing new processes and tools to deliver against our strategic communication priorities, such as a new case management system. The postholder will also play a key part in improving our complaints process and implementing a new feedback strategy.

**Job description**:
To provide efficient business support in the following areas:

- In the management handling of general enquiries and complaints, including phone calls into our mainline.
- Ensuring accurate booking records are maintained with analysis of issues and trends in order to improve our external communications. You will oversee the administration of the postmaster mailbox and call handling for our main phone line using MS Teams telephony.
- Line Management of 1 Administrative Officer.
- Oversee the management of our stakeholder contact records.
- As part of the implementation of our new communications strategy, and working with teams, play a key part in developing new processes and tools, including a case management system.
- Play a key part in improving our complaints process and implementing a new feedback strategy.
- Updating and improving upon the SharePoint Intranet pages owned by the Communications team. Controlling the integrity of our site structure and provide support for page owners.
- Adhoc tasks relating to internal communications, such as updating PowerPoint slides for the Reception TV.
- Responsibility for our weekly Roundup staff bulletin; including ensuring articles are clear, accessible and engaging.
- Publishing website editor for VMD content on GOV.UK and VMD Connect ensuring adherence to the style guides.
- Comply with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27001 (information security) standards, and GDPR and record management requirements.
- Act corporately - meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives set by the VMD.

**Person specification**:
**We’re looking for you to have experience**:

- of creative communications with knowledge of delivering user-centred content.
- of following style guides and using best practice to deliver content utilising the most effective channels.
- of working with websites and content management systems, as well as knowledge of accessibility standards.

You are someone who enjoys working collaboratively with different business areas, you can build rapport quickly with both internal and external stakeholders. This enables you to build solid working relationships and demonstrate an understanding of your audience and how to communicate with impact across the business.

**We’re looking for someone that**:

- has excellent organisational skills and attention to detail. You will be able to prioritise your work to maximise productivity and achieve all deadlines. You will be highly adaptable and flexible, adjusting to the requirements of the role. You will be team player