Media Relations Manager

What is the purpose of this job?

We are looking for a talented and experienced Media Manager to joint the team at Rail Delivery Group (RDG). The post holder will report to the Media Relations Lead and work as part of the Media Relations Team.

This is an exciting and challenging time to join the team, with a host of challenges and opportunities facing the rail industry. RDG has a key role in explaining changes to the way the industry operates, and to defend and enhance the reputation of RDG and the railway as a whole.

Have you got a good nose for a story, can you spot an iceberg before we hit it and can you build effective relationships across the railway and the media? Then we want to hear from you!

Requirements

What can I expect to do in this job?

The Media Relations Manager will help to develop and execute the media relations strategy for RDG as part of the team who are responsible for protecting and enhancing RDG’s and the wider rail industry reputation. The team operates 24/7, 365 days a year and you will be part of the on-call rota to answer queries outside of the regular office hours.

You should be as at ease dealing with incoming reactive media enquiries as you are designing and supporting proactive media relations campaigns and briefing senior spokespeople from across RDG and beyond. You will keep colleagues including senior management informed of important developments in the media, and warn them of emerging risks. 

You should be able to demonstrate dealing directly with senior members of the media and senior spokespeople including dealing with highly sensitive and controversial and politically sensitive issues. Ideally you will have experience of managing others, either directly or managing others like an external agency to deliver agreed objectives and results.

You need to be able to demonstrate a honed and sophisticated news sense, you know what makes a story, how to tell it in diverse ways to different audiences and landing it with different kinds of media. You should already have a good contacts book, or be able to demonstrate you can quickly build relationships with the journalists who matter. A background in transport or rail would be ideal but by no way essential. What is essential is a good understanding of the political landscape we operate in and be able to spot an iceberg before we hit it.

What Skills and Experience Do I need? 

Essential

• You should have evidence of successfully devising and delivering communications / media handling plans / campaigns to influence and or enhance / protect reputations 

• Experience in a similar role or someone ready to make the step up

• Excellent news and political judgement and media contacts (or be able to demonstrate the ability to build media contacts)

• Experience of briefing senior colleagues / spokespeople for broadcast interviews 

• Well honed communications skills both oral and written

Desirable

• A background in the transport sector of the rail industry would be ideal though not essential

Benefits

• 30 days annual leave
• 75% reduction on UK rail travel (for work and leisure) - more below
• Reduced international rail travel
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Contributory defined benefit pension scheme
• Give As You Earn scheme
• Subsidised private medical care
• Healthcare cash plan scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme scheme
• Flexible working
• 30 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (subject to eligibility)
• Personal Development Days
• Employees may sell up to a maximum of five days’ leave. Employees can buy up to a maximum of five days’ leave. These figures will be pro rata for part-time employees