Senior Communications Officer

New Forest District Council

Fixed term to 31st March 2028

Location: Lyndhurst

Job Type: Contract

Job Hours: Full Time

Additional Salary information: £40,174 to £43,236 Per annum (up to £44,472 for exceptional performance once in post)

Application Method: https://applytrack.onefixmedia.co.uk/4e31303030303057585a3952

Closing Date: 10 August 2026

Are you an experienced communications professional who can deliver high-quality communications, provide trusted advice and support a team to achieve its goals?

We are currently operating in a period of significant change as local government across Hampshire undergoes reorganisation. This role is an important part of the team, ensuring we continue to deliver excellent communications about the council’s core services, priorities, and day-to-day activity.

This is a key role with responsibility for managing a portfolio of communications activity across the council and includes line management of others in the team.

About you

You will have significant experience working in a communications, PR or marketing role and be confident operating at a senior officer level. You will have a proven track record of developing and delivering communications plans, managing campaigns, handling media enquiries, producing engaging and accessible content and providing clear, strategic communications advice.

You will be an excellent communicator and writer, with strong judgement, the ability to manage competing priorities and experience of working in a complex organisation. Experience of local government, the public sector or a politically aware environment would be an advantage.

We’re looking for someone who can work independently, build strong relationships, support colleagues and bring energy, creativity and professionalism.

What’s in it for you?

As part of our commitment to being a supportive and people‑centred employer, we offer a range of benefits designed to help you thrive both in and outside of work:

£40,174 - £43,236 per annum (pay award pending) up to £44,472 for exceptional performance once in post
27 days plus bank holidays, rising by an additional week’s leave after 5 years of continuous local authority service
Hybrid working, with flexibility across our sites, and home working
Local Government Pension Scheme, with the option of Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
Employee Assistance Programme offering free 24/7 legal, financial, and personal wellbeing advice
Employee discount scheme with savings across major supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, and leisure providers
Cycle to Work Scheme, helping you save around 40 percent on bikes and accessories
A values‑led organisation, guided by our LEAF values (Learning, Empathy, Ambition, Fairness)
Access to learning and development opportunities to support your growth
A supportive, inclusive culture, where everyone is welcomed and valued

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and offer a range of active staff networks, including:

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Group
LGBTQ+ Network
Women’s Network
Early Careers Network
Neurodiversity Network

About us

At NFDC we recognise that every colleague - whether in operational, frontline, or office‑based roles - plays a vital part in delivering high‑quality services to our communities. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where people feel valued for the work they do and the strengths they bring.

We aim to foster a culture where people feel confident to share ideas, contribute their expertise, and develop through meaningful conversations with their managers and supported learning opportunities. Whilst we have our corporate values, LEAF Learning Empathy Ambition Fairness, we understand that different teams work in different ways, and we want our values to be lived in ways that make sense locally while staying true to our shared purpose as an organisation.

We want colleagues to thrive, which is why we promote wellbeing, balance, and opportunities for learning and progression. Our values guide how we work together and how we support each other to be confident, capable, and adaptable.

Click here to see why employees think that New Forest District Council is a great place to work: Working for NFDC

Please note: You’ll likely be aware that as part of the ongoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the current organisation will transition into a new operating structure from 1 April 2028. It is important that applicants understand how this may affect their employment should they be successful. You will find attached a useful LGR update sheet at top of this advert.

If you’re interested

Please see the candidate booklet for more information about working at the Council and the job description.

If you are passionate about making a difference, committed to delivering excellent public services, and looking for a place where you can develop and continue to grow, we would be delighted to receive your application.

Please note, this post is subject to a basic DBS check

For an informal chat about the role please contact Keziah.Askew-Jones@nfdc.gov.uk (Deputy Communications Manager) 023 8028 5481 or sara.hamilton@nfdc.gov.uk (Communications Manager) 023 8028 5480

Closing Date: 11pm Monday 10th August 2026

Interview Date: Monday 17th August 2026 and Friday 21st August 2026

External Affairs and Influencing Manager

Maudsley Charity

Salary: £48,000 per annum

Contract: Full time, permanent role

Location: Hybrid role between home and London office, with two days per week in the Denmark Hill office

Closing date for applications: 9am on Tuesday 28th July
First round interviews will be held remotely on: Thursday 13th August
Second round interviews will be held in person on: Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August

Charity People is delighted to be partnering once again with Maudsley Charity to recruit an External Affairs and Influencing Manager.

A hugely exciting new role within the Communications team at the charity, the postholder will work across media, external affairs and influencing to engage with key stakeholders, boost the charity’s profile, and promote learning and adoption of the solutions the organisation funds. You will be responsible for sharing evidence and learning in order to influence the people who fund, adopt and commission mental health care and services, and will work closely with the CEO to increase engagement with policy work which the Maudsley Charity undertakes through it’s work in coalitions.

About Maudsley Charity

Maudsley Charity funds and supports clinical, academic, and community partners to ensure that everyone experiencing mental illness can access the right care, while using insights from their work to drive wider improvements across the UK.

Recognising the profound impact of mental illness and the inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes – particularly those linked to social deprivation and racism – the organisation focusses on addressing gaps in care.

With an approach that combines evidence, lived experience, and a commitment to equity, the organisation backs impactful, evidence-based solutions, ensuring services are shaped by real-world insight, and prioritising support for those most underserved to drive improvements that benefit all.

About the role

This is a core role within the organisation’s influencing strategy, and your primary responsibilities will include:

External Affairs & Influencing:

Develop and deliver influencing plans to promote adoption of effective mental health care initiatives being funded by the charity
Develop productive relationships with key stakeholders (journalists, NHS trust leaders, ICBs, ICSs, VCSE orgs) to gather intelligence and shape strategy to inform the charity’s positioning
Lead the charity’s thought leadership development providing strategic advice to senior leadership on political, NHS and mental health policy developments
Strengthen the charity’s role in mental health policy and advocacy coalitions, by contributing to collaborative advocacy, media and communications outputs
Lead the charity’s response to government mental health care consultations and calls for evidence
Monitor funder sector trends and conversations, and actively seek out opportunities for the charity to strategically engage and influence by sharing learning from its grant making practice

Media management

Develop and implement integrated external affairs campaigns that support the charity’s influencing work
Create persuasive materials, including press releases, op-eds, spokespeople briefings, comment pieces, and digital content and pitch to relevant outlets
Maintain and grow relationships with journalists, broadcasters and sector media to secure relevant high-quality coverage of the charity’s activities, grant holders and their projects
Act as first point of contact for media enquiries, managing proactive and reactive press activity

This role is expected to grow and develop and the postholder will be fully supported from across the organisation as the position evolves, within an organisation that offers a friendly, values led culture.

We would love to hear from individuals with the following skills and experience:

Demonstrable track record of developing and implementing successful influencing strategies in the mental health sector
Experience of stakeholder management within mental health care, including NHS Trust leaders, Integrated Care Boards, commissioners and senior clinicians, and with academics and researchers
Strong experience in media relations, including briefing senior spokespeople, drafting press releases, media handling, and securing media coverage with a good understanding of the needs and expectations of different outlets and publications
Keen understanding of the NHS, mental health policy landscape, and the related environment, key stakeholders and sector drivers
Understanding of the key components and considerations of successful external affairs media and influencing
Understanding of the sensitivities around mental illness, including working in an empathetic manner with people with lived experience
Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles and a commitment to apply them in your work and as an organisation
Influencing skills including confidence and credibility in working with stakeholders,
Communication skills and the ability to produce clear and effective communications and the ability to confidently and accurately represent the organisation externally
Written and editorial skills including the ability to craft narratives for different external audiences and communicate the charity’s work in press releases, articles, policy briefs

How to apply

Maudsley Charity is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented backgrounds. We welcome applications from non-graduates.

Applications are managed via Charity People and involve a structured, anonymised process focusing on your experience and potential. Please send your CV to Alice at Charity People alice@charitypeople.co.uk in the first instance.

You can view the full job pack here: https://charitypeople.co.uk/maudsley-charity-external-affairs-and-influencing-manager-job-pack/

Please see full job description here: ht/tps://charitypeople.co.uk/maudsley-charity-external-affairs-and-influencing-manager-job-description

Equal Opportunities monitoring

We ask that applicants complete our DEI monitoring form when submitting their CV for this role. The form can be found here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PXF9NWT?JobRef=113442&CPDept=Comms&Org=Maudsley&Con=Longlist

Maudsley Charity is an equal opportunities employer, and makes no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex. Specifically, we will also oppose unfair discrimination of those with mental health issues.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.