Head of Media and Engagement

Canterbury, Kent

£47,750 - £52,900pa (DOE) plus excellent benefits

35 hours per week

The Head of Media and Engagement is an exciting and influential role at the Diocese, as you will oversee the development and implementation of the Diocesan Engagement Strategy using a wide range of media and communications.

Reporting to the Strategic Programmes Manager, but leading and developing the Media and Engagement Team, you will create and support imaginative communications campaigns using both digital and traditional media to promote key themes and initiatives in a way that engages the broad traditions of our parishes, church members and those seeking to engage with church life.

As Head of Media and Engagement, you will also create a network of deanery ambassadors who will feed into good news and lessons learnt stories to be shared at a Diocesan Level whilst also supporting clergy, parishes, the Archbishop (when in Canterbury), the Bishop of Dover, Archdeacons and members of the Diocesan staff Team in their communications and use of media.

With experience of producing compelling content that engages volunteers and leading on Social Media campaigns, you should have demonstrable evidence of leveraging communications analytics to measure success, spot trends, improve performance and enhance impact.

Suitably qualified, perhaps with CIPR membership or with relevant professional experience, you should have demonstrable experience of developing and implementing proactive media and engagement strategies and have a background of leading, planning, implementing and evaluating strategic communications campaigns.

A natural communicator with experience of developing and nurturing high level contacts in media, local government and charities, you should be adept at working with and influencing senior leaders and have the ability to understand and communicate complex issues and stories in ways that are clear and relevant to members and other stakeholders.

As a senior member of the Diocese, you will respond to media enquiries, act as the Bishop’s media advisor, work with the Lambeth Palace Communications Team to support the local role of the Archbishop and offer professional PR support to our staff and parishes at times of crisis or high levels of media interest including around safeguarding issues.

Being an active Anglican Christian, or a member of a church in sympathy with the Anglican Communion and have evidential respect for the traditions of the Church of England, would be desirable. Canterbury Diocese is the oldest diocese in England, stretching from Maidstone to Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh. We have 350 miles of coastline with historic ports and seaside resorts, alongside rural communities, market towns and commuter-belt urban developments. Affluent areas often sit alongside pockets of major deprivation, offering an exciting and challenging mission context.

At the heart of all we do is a vision of transformation for ourselves and our communities: no one can encounter God and remain unchanged. In the Diocese of Canterbury, we want to increasingly become a Christian community transformed through encounter with Christ, growing and overflowing to transform and bless the families, homes and communities we serve: Changed Lives, Changing Lives. For further information and to apply please click the apply offsite button.

Closing date: 19 February 2023 Interviews w/b 28 February 2023