You’ll be working across the breadth of UK public policy, helping land news agenda-setting stories across topics ranging from asylum accommodation to welfare spending. This year we’ve published significant reports on defence, NHS and net zero. The constantly evolving external environment means achieving value for money from every pound of taxpayers’ money is more important than ever. This role has line management responsibility and is ideally suited to people who can grasp policy quickly and communicate complex information clearly. Where necessary you’ll also be deputising for the Chief Press Officer, providing counsel to the most senior people in the organisation. You’ll also have access to an award-winning learning and development team, which can provide training to help you progress in your career.
The impact you’ll make
The NAO scrutinises public spending for Parliament to help the government in its drive to improve public services, nationally and locally. Our recommendations and reports help government make better use of public money to improve people’s lives. Your senior position in the press office will allow you to play an important role in that process, communicating our work to key stakeholders including government, Parliamentarians, the media and the public, helping to drive positive change.
Main purpose of the role
Play an important role within the Press Office publicising the work of the NAO to the media to protect and enhance our reputation. The post-holder will need to be able to quickly understand complex, technical information and turn this into simple and engaging messages for our audiences. They will need to be capable of managing proactive, planned press work but have the ability to react to events and enquiries as well. They should also be politically and digitally aware, and experienced at using a range of communication tools and channels.
Main responsibilities
Promote NAO reports and work to external audiences via traditional and social media:
- Write press notices, pitches to journalists, op-eds and blog posts to explain our work;
- Draft social media posts to promote our work via X, LinkedIn, and Threads - working with the design team to develop content for multimedia posts;
- Brief journalists and producers on NAO reports to help secure in-depth accurate and positive media coverage;
- Organise and manage press briefings and media interviews;
- Engage with stakeholders, including Parliament, government departments and audited bodies’ press offices;
- Support audit teams and NAO spokespeople to communicate our work externally;
- Develop communications plans which help achieve audit teams’ impact and influence objectives with our key stakeholders;
- Help prepare spokespeople for media interviews by conducting practice interviews and developing support materials;
- Evaluate coverage and comms objectives for reports;
- Respond to time-sensitive, high-profile enquiries from journalists accurately, by drafting lines to take and briefing NAO spokespeople and the media to protect the NAO’s reputation;
- Respond appropriately to questions and comments on social media about our work;
- Build relationships with national, local and trade press journalists across all sectors our work covers;
- Participate in a press office 24/7 phone rota with other team members.
Work with press team colleagues to help deliver a range of tasks, including:
- Line manage a press officer. You’ll be their performance coach responsible for their development and progress. Training is provided and actively encouraged;
- Deputise for the Chief Press Officer when required;
- Provide internal media training for colleagues and liaise with external providers;
- Participate in special projects improving communications capability;
- Maintain media databases compliantly;
- Manage relationships with our media service providers.
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
Essential Skills -
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to convey messages to a range of audiences using various techniques;
- Strong diplomacy skills and confident when speaking to journalists on a proactive and reactive basis;
- Possessing strong writing skills, and able to deliver accurate information effectively and on time;
- Confident and capable of translating complex and sensitive information and data into simple language;
- A good grasp of digital and print media and able to pick up new tools quickly;
- Able to work well under pressure and respond to issues at short notice and sometimes out of hours;
- Ability to prioritise work and strategically think ahead;
- Good team player;
- Proficiency in traditional and social media monitoring;
- Previous experience working as a journalist, or in a press office or communications team.
Desired skills -
- Interest in and understanding of the political landscape and how government works;
- Familiarity with the Government Communication Service's communications guidance;
- Experience working with creative design teams to make videos and multimedia content;
- Line management.