A trade association within the financial services sector is looking for an experienced Press Officer to join them on a three - six month remote contract.

The Press Officer Manager plays a vital role in the organisation’s busy Press & Campaigns team, acting as a public voice for the organisation and the UK’s banking and finance sector, helping to promote the industry to media, consumers, government and external stakeholders while providing a high quality service for members’ press teams.

This is a fast-paced, dynamic environment with significant media interaction offering the successful candidate the opportunity to form relationships with leading national, personal finance and trade media who you will speak with on a daily basis, responding to their queries. The role has aheavy media relations focus with reactive, press office response taking up approximately 80% of the workload.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work alongside the Director of Communications and Head of Press & Campaigns on industry-wide campaigns, from raising consumer awareness of fraud, to promoting the industry’s work on access to cash across the UK, highlighting the support the banking sector provides to small businesses or working with policy teams to launch various reports and white papers ensuring alignment with the wider membership and the overall policy and engagement strategy.

This role will support and act as ‘second’ to the Head of Press & Campaigns. This will include overseeing and coordinating day to day press office services including the team’s response to media queries and delivery or key BAU outputs, acting as the ‘go-to’ person for junior colleagues within the team as well as ensuring all team quality standards are met.

This role has an immediate start so do get in touch if it sounds of interest and you can start a new role swiftly.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Head of Press & Campaigns and press team in handling reactive day to day media relations: overseeing and coordinating day to day press office services, responding to press calls and drafting reactive lines, coordinating broadcast media birds, preparing press releases and press briefing for the CEO and senior colleagues
• Oversee press office services including the team’s response to media queries and delivery of key BAU outputs, acting as the go-to person for junior colleagues within the team as we as ensuring all team quality standards are met
• Deputise for Head of Press & Campaigns in their absence
• Represent the organisation and act as a spokesperson for the organisation to al media outlets and provide an out of hours media service as part of a rota systems; monitoring news and breaking stories and flagging to relevant internal teams
• Overall responsibility for ensuring the press team proactively monitor news, breaking stories, developments online and social media, flagging to relevant internal teams
• Oversee and maintain the organisation’s long germ strategic forward look grid to ensure it is up to date and the Press Team is prepared for reactive responses
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists across national and trade publications
• Ensure editorial standards are met and maintained in print and online

Experience and skillset required

• Financial services experience is essential
• A passionate and enthusiastic communicator, with excellent command of written and spoken English
• A team player with proven substantial experience in a high pressure, fast moving PR agency or in-house press office
• Proven experience of supporting and overseeing media relations specialists, acting as the go-to person for junior colleagues
• The ability to go above and beyond for team members, colleagues and members
• Resilient and willing to work longer hours when required