*JOB OF THE WEEK* communications officer, cotswold district council

Communications Officer

Cotswold District Council

Salary Details: £34,272 - £34,352 Per Annum

Location: Trinity Road

Vacancy Type: Fixed Term

Hours Per Week: 37

Closing Date: 3 Jul 2026

Telling our stories, shaping our future

Clear, trusted communication has never been more important. In a fast moving digital world, we need to ensure our messages cut through - helping people feel informed, supported and connected to the place they live.

Currently, Cotswold District Council is collaborating with other councils across Gloucestershire as part of an exciting, once in a generation programme of Local Government Reorganisation, bringing new challenges and opportunities to engage our residents, staff and stakeholders.

But as we prepare for this future, we continue to deliver vital services that matter to our communities today from planning for sustainable growth and improving recycling and waste services, to tackling climate change, supporting residents through the cost of living, and working with partners to promote health and wellbeing. Strong, creative communication is essential to in bringing this all to life.

We’re now looking for a proactive and creative Communications Officer to help tell these stories producing engaging, high-quality digital content that connects with our audiences.

About the role

As a Communications Officer, you’ll play a hands-on role in supporting the delivery of effective, engaging communications across a variety of channels. This will include a strong focus on digital content creation - including video, social media and visual storytelling.

You’ll work with colleagues across the council to support campaigns, create high-impact content, support media activity and deliver communications that promote the council’s priorities and keep our audiences informed.

This is a varied and rewarding role in a supportive team, ideal for someone who enjoys working at pace, has a strong creative instinct, and is confident bringing stories to life through digital formats.

This role is full time but for a fixed term up until March 31st 2028.

You will be:

• A proactive self-starter who enjoys turning ideas into engaging content

• A clear and effective communicator, both written and verbal

• Creative, with a strong eye for visual design, storytelling and audience engagement

• Confident working across digital platforms, with a strong understanding of what works online and experience creating digital content, including video and social media assets

• Curious about audiences and motivated to continually improve how we communicate

• Comfortable managing a varied workload and delivering to deadlines

• Collaborative, with the ability to build positive working relationships

What you’ll be doing:

• Supporting the delivery of communications plans and campaigns

• Creating engaging digital content, including video, social media and web content

• Planning, filming and editing video content to support campaigns and storytelling

• Managing and growing engagement across digital channels

• Supporting media relations, including drafting press releases and handling enquiries

• Supporting internal communications to keep staff informed and aligned

• Working with colleagues and partners to promote key projects and services

• Assisting with events and campaign activity, including digital coverage

• Monitoring performance and using insight to refine and improve content

You’ll need:

• The ability and skills to create engaging digital content, including video and social media

• Strong storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt content for different platforms and audiences

• Good technical skills in content creation tools (e.g. video editing, social media platforms)

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities

• An understanding of digital channels, analytics and audience engagement

• Good stakeholder and relationship management skills

• The ability to use insight and data to improve communications activity

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• A genuine interest in how creative communications can support communities and services

Why join us?

This is a great opportunity to develop your communications career in a team where your ideas are valued and your work has real impact.

You’ll be part of a forward-thinking organisation, working on projects that matter locally, while contributing to wider change across Gloucestershire.

If you’re looking for a role where you can build your skills, work on a wide range of activity, and help people stay informed and engaged - we’d love to hear from you.

For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

Interview Date - Friday 10th July and Monday 13th July
 
Special Conditions

•  Use of a car for work purposes

• This post designated as politically restricted in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Politically restricted post holders are restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or for a person who is, or seeks to be, a candidate for election to a local authority, the House of Commons, or the European Parliament
  

What can we do for you

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working

• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)

• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays, which increases to 30 days after five years of service

• An extra two volunteering days per year to support a charity of your choice

• A health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care

• Generous contributory local government pension scheme

• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues

• Cycle to work scheme

• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars

• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements 

  About Us

  We are rightly proud of the businesses, communities and residents who live in this beautiful part of the world, putting them first and at the heart of everything we do. We’re busy recreating a council set up for success, which can deliver for the needs of our communities in a fast-changing environment. That means we need to be ‘fleet of foot’ and look for innovative and creative ways to deliver against our Corporate Plan priorities.

  
  That plan focuses on a range of important priorities including delivering good services for residents, responding to the climate emergency, supporting strong local communities, and evolving the district’s vibrant economy.

  Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email. 

  Our organisation is committed to meeting its statutory and moral duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people under 18 years of age and adults at risk who are the recipients of its services and/or activities.

  Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references;  proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.

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*JOB OF THE WEEK* senior communications officer (LGR), eastleigh borough council

Senior Communications Officer (LGR)

Eastleigh Borough Council

Fixed Term Contract (2 years)

37 hours a week

Salary £38,142 per annum (Band 6)

Closing date: 29 June 2026

Do you want to make a difference?

Here at Eastleigh Borough Council we are committed to making a positive difference for all the residents, businesses and visitors to Eastleigh and we are proud to be delivering on our promise to create sustainable and healthy communities and increase employment and wellbeing opportunities for all.

Eastleigh Borough Council is looking for a Senior Communications Officer to help lead our staff and programme communications for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

LGR will reshape how councils are organised across Hampshire. For Eastleigh, this means clear, timely and trusted communication has never been more important.

About the role
You will lead and deliver internal LGR communications for the Council. You will make complex updates simple. You will support managers to brief their teams with confidence. You will help staff feel informed, listened to and supported through change. This role will help make sure staff, residents and partners hear clear and consistent updates across council boundaries.

Your duties will include:
• Running a clear rhythm of staff updates, briefings and intranet content
• Keeping the staff LGR hub up to date as the main “single source of truth”
• Writing plain English explainers, FAQs, manager packs and staff messages
• Supporting LGR workstreams with simple, practical communications plans
• Working with HR and Legal on clear and accurate workforce messages
• Planning staff Q&A sessions and “you asked, we answered” updates
• Reaching non-desk colleagues through printed updates, huddles and briefings
• Tracking questions, themes, rumours and feedback
• Working with partner councils on shared lines, joint FAQs and aligned timelines
• Helping EBC play a constructive role in the delivery of future local government arrangements
• Work with the Corporate Communications Manager, Head of Communications and Marketing, LGR programme team, HR, Legal, senior leaders, managers and partner council communications teams.

About you
We are looking for someone who can bring calm, clarity and pace to a complex programme. You will be organised, proactive and able to manage several priorities at once. You will be comfortable working in a fast-moving environment where some answers are not yet known.
Most of all, you will understand that good communication during change is about trust. That means being factual, clear, honest about what is still uncertain, and focused on people.

Skills & Experience:
• Strong experience in internal communications or employee engagement
• Experience of change or transformation communications
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to explain complex issues simply
• Confidence advising senior colleagues and programme leads
• Good judgement on tone, timing, risk and message discipline
• Experience producing manager toolkits, FAQs, briefings and staff updates
• A collaborative approach, especially when working across organisations
• A clear understanding of staff listening, feedback loops and rumour control
• A commitment to accessible and inclusive communication

About us
In return you will be working with a great team in an organisation that is truly committed to a flexible, inclusive and enjoyable work environment. We are passionate about personal and professional development for all staff, offering exceptional conditions of employment as an accredited Living Wage Employer, plus the chance to make a lasting difference to the community of Eastleigh.

This is a rare chance to play a key role in one of the biggest changes to local government in Hampshire for many years.

Our benefits include
• 26- 29 days annual leave (dependant on local government continuous service)
• Flexible working arrangements and ability to accrue up to 2 days additional leave per month (subject to operational requirements – pro rata for part time staff)
• Defined Benefit Pension Scheme
• Places Leisure, Eastleigh – 30% off Full Membership
• Confidential Employee Advice and Support Programme
• Excellent town centre working environment close to public transport links
• Discounted parking

How to apply
Please include your CV and a supporting statement with your application.

Your supporting statement should tell us how your skills and experience meet the role. We are particularly interested in examples of:

• Internal communications during change
• Working with senior leaders and managers
• Writing clear updates on complex issues
• Working with partners or across organisations
• Using feedback and insight to improve communication

If you have the skills, experience and motivation we are looking for, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact will.purvis@eastleigh.gov.uk.

Closing date: 29 June 2026
Interview date: w/c 13 July 2026

Click here for job description

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*JOB OF THE WEEK* communications officer, luton council

Communications Officer

Luton Council

Salary: £42,839 - £46,142 a year

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: 29 June 2026

Are you a creative and strategic communications professional who can deliver impactful campaigns that make a real difference to people's lives?

Luton Council is looking for an experienced Communications Officer to join our Communications and Marketing Team. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape communications that influence perceptions, change behaviours, and promote vital services across education, children's services, adult social care, health, and wellbeing.

About the role

Working as part of a small, dedicated team, you will develop and deliver well-planned, evidence-based communications and marketing campaigns that support council priorities and improve outcomes for residents.

You'll work across both internal and external communications, managing a diverse portfolio of projects and campaigns while providing expert communications advice to senior managers and elected members.

What you'll be doing

• Planning, delivering and evaluating integrated communications and marketing campaigns.

• Creating compelling content across digital, social media, print and traditional media channels.

• Developing communications strategies that support service objectives and council priorities.

• Providing professional communications advice and guidance to senior managers and councillors.

• Building strong relationships with stakeholders, influencing decision-making and securing commitment to communications plans.

• Using research, insight and data to inform campaign development and measure success.

• Supporting innovative communications approaches that improve engagement and outcomes.

• Managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

About you

You will be a confident communications professional with a proven track record of delivering successful campaigns and projects.

You'll bring:

• Experience of developing and delivering communications and social media campaigns, with the ability to demonstrate measurable impact.

• A strong record of delivering effective marketing communications projects informed by research and evidence.

• Experience of developing and implementing successful communications strategies.

• The ability to provide trusted professional advice to senior leaders and elected members.

• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and negotiation skills.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex or sensitive information clearly to diverse audiences.

• Experience of managing complex campaigns and projects from concept through to evaluation.

• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret and use data to inform communications activity.

• The ability to work independently, use initiative and manage competing priorities effectively.

• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles and how they apply to communications and marketing activity.

• In-depth understanding of current communications, marketing, media relations, PR, copywriting and publishing best practice.

Qualifications and experience

You will have:

• A degree in Marketing, Communications or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

• A recognised professional qualification in Media, Marketing, Public Relations, or equivalent demonstrable experience and training.

• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Additional Requirements

• Flexibility to adjust working hours when required to meet service needs.

• Ability to travel to locations both within and outside the borough when required.

Why join Luton Council?

At Luton Council, you'll have the opportunity to work on meaningful campaigns that directly impact residents' lives and support some of the most important services within the community. You'll join a supportive and ambitious team committed to delivering high-quality communications that make a difference.

If you're passionate about strategic communications, thrive in a dynamic environment, and want to contribute to positive change across Luton, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and help tell the stories that matter.

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