Job Description

This is an exciting role for an ambitious, talented communications professional in a fast paced, entrepreneurial company. The role will be responsible for delivering modern, progressive press office services to our customers, and supporting the wider team in building Octopus’ profile and reputation in its core markets.

About the role:

We're looking for an ambitious individual who will relish being part of a rapidly growing communications team. In this role you'll have full responsibility for running the day to day press office, ensuring the team is set up for success in its processes and infrastructure. You'll also play a leading role in the implementation of our communication strategies across the group.

Reporting into Octopus’ Communications Director, this role forms part of a five strong in-house Communications team, which sits as part of Octopus’ Marketing Centre of Expertise (MarCoE). This has over 40+ marketers and comms professionals, ranging from specialists in particular products or business areas through to operations (such as design, UX etc) who offer marketing support to all parts of Octopus Group, apart from Octopus Energy which has its own team.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver a timely and excellent press office service to the media and our internal stakeholders
• Monitor press coverage, share media insights and be responsible for drafting and issuing the internal ‘Octopus in the News’ update
• Deliver an imaginative press hospitality programme
• Daily contact with target press to support the implementation of our communication strategies across the group, supported by developing a strong network of enterprise, business, trade and personal finance press
• Responsible for drafting and issuing press releases, and follow up calls to target media to maximise coverage
• Responsible for quality control on press material such as press briefing documents and releases developed by third parties
• Help prepare spokespeople for media engagement, including drafting press briefing notes and managing media training requirements
• Help deliver our media events programme and attend relevant industry events
• Manage and develop the Newsroom on the website to ensure it is supporting our SEO strategy and driving
• Provide ideas and where needed help tactically manage how our content is promoted through social media channels
• Take a leading role in developing and managing our metrics reports and KPI tracking, and be responsible for monitoring and analysing press output and coverage achieved
• Identify and develop additional brand build opportunities through broader marketing activity, including our awards programme, conference and speaker opportunities

Qualifications

• At least one year’s experience in a press office – either agency or in-house
• An understanding of the dynamics of the press office and requirements of delivering excellent press office services
• Good understanding of the media and ability to identify media opportunities
• Social media and digital comms knowledge and interest
• Good at building and managing relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Positive, tenacious and can-do approach. Proactive and energetic approach to communications
• Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, and willingness to 'pitch in' as required in a rapidly growing organisation and a large marketing function
• An exceptional ability to multi task and meticulous attention to detail
• Evidence of success when working under pressure
• Great organisational skills and ability to work to deadlines
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills
• Strong work ethic and excellent academic record
• Curiosity, a desire to learn and excel

Additional Information

Our Values

At Octopus we don't just focus on what we do but also how we do it. Everyone shares our values of being straightforward, helpful and bold. These are the principles that guide us as an organisation.

What we offer:

We’ve built an exciting and inclusive high-performance culture where employees feel empowered. All our employees are given the opportunity to develop new skills, aim higher and accelerate their careers. We strongly believe in supporting our employees to bring their best, authentic self to work. We’ve worked hard to ensure our benefits offering has been designed to motivate through ownership and to offer support for you, and your family, through many different services. We’re constantly reviewing and enhancing what we have on offer but here’s a brief overview, and there’s heaps more too:

A really valuable share ownership scheme, competitive salary and discretionary bonus, an openness to flexible working, Anchor (our wellness hub) which includes Headspace, one to one coaching through Sanctus, Parent Cloud, Shout & much more, a take what you need holiday policy, enhanced family leave policies, pension, life assurance and healthcare. We also focus our efforts on Octopus Giving, our charitable foundation dedicated to helping charities which are making the world a better place and on Octopus Springboard where we help our employees become fully-fledged entrepreneurs.

We recognise that over the last 18 months the way people work has changed, we’re a business whose fantastic culture has been built on face-to-face interactions with our customers and of course each other. At our heart we’re a sociable business and we’re keen to maintain this moving forward but also appreciate the benefits working from home can bring to our life and work productivity. Our teams are coming back into the office 3 days a week, however we’re allowing teams the freedom to make this work best for them and for our business. We also recently introduced a policy which allows our employees to work overseas for up to a month per year, usually in the summer months.

We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive employee experience for all. We’re committed to promoting equal opportunities for growth and development regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or socio-economic background. We believe strongly that teams are at their best when every member of the team feels safe to bring their whole self to work.