Media Relations Manager

Chiltern Railways

Media Relations Manager

Flexible Location (London / Birmingham)

Salary up to £42,000

Dive headfirst into the world of impactful media campaigns. You'll be a hands-on leader, owning all aspects of PR across the organisation and driving results with creative campaigns and strategic link building.

We are looking for candidates that are comfortable with engaging conversation with new people and have outstanding interpersonal and relationship skills you need.

This exciting role sits within the Corporate Affairs team, which delivers media activations for leading edge campaigns. The role will drive communications approaches to protect and enhance our reputation as a leading rail operating company, and support our and growth ambitions.

Working as part of a talented team, you will take ownership for media relations activity for key areas of our business and deliver proactive media relations for Chiltern-wide programs and campaigns, and other cross-function and cross-industry activities.

Responsibilities :

Create and manage corporate PR for the business, developing engagement and awareness amongst customers and potential customers of corporate news via the media, proactively pushing Chiltern stories

To drive, create and manage consumer PR for the business, developing engagement and awareness amongst customers and potential customers for corporate news via the media, proactively pushing Chiltern stories

To strategically manage awards applications on behalf of the organisation identifying functional and industry awards, working with internal teams to identify possible projects at conception to ensure the best documentation is gathered

To maximise media voice for the organisation, harnessing opportunities and maximising the impact of campaigns through the dissemination of compelling editorial articles

Manage the company’s crisis management plan, ensuring it is kept up to date and the relationship with the external agency providing crisis advice on retainer

Lead the strategic management and implementation of the Chiltern Railways social media strategy across all channels. Set the social media standards and tone for the organisation

Manage a dotted line relationship with customer relations colleagues delivering social customer service during the day

Deliver communications campaigns to deliver messaging to customers and others that can be targeted through those channels

Manage and implement content on social media channels to engage customers and potential customers with Chiltern Railways, Arriva and rail industry messages

To drive, create, manage and deliver corporate events to generate PR coverage or for strategic stakeholder engagement

Coordinate filming requests from the media and ensure that opportunities are adequately supervised liaising with local station staff as appropriate

Support the wider work of the Corporate Affairs function and Chiltern Railways management team

Requirements :

Excellent written and oral communication skills and an understanding of how to communicate with a range of audiences

The ability to translate complex information into easy to understand messaging

Significant experience of working in a busy press office or PR team

Strong experience of media relations, with an understanding of national and regional media

Calm under pressure with experience of handling reactive issues, and of conducting creative, proactive media campaigns

Understanding of the development of social media and digital content in support of media relations campaigns

Knowledge of specialist media distribution, monitoring, measurement and evaluation mechanisms

The ability to work well with senior colleagues at the highest levels, including the Managing Director

Strong interpersonal skills and is able to form strong relationships with journalists and staff across our business

Understanding of the need to be flexible on other tasks as required

At Chiltern , we work in an environment where diversity is essential, inclusion is our culture, and each person knows they belong and matter.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, a culture of respect, challenge and innovation with excellent opportunities for growth and development.

Our benefits include :

• All active staff and their eligible partners / dependents are entitled to free standard class leisure travel on Chiltern Railways, Cross Country, Arriva Rail London, Grand Central and NEXUS
• Active staff are also entitled to residential and duty standard class travel on all of the above services
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Arriva Village - access to online benefits and discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Physio Line - We offer complementary 24-hour physio for everyone
• Health Shield - Health Shield provides an affordable healthcare cash plan offering a wide variety of benefits including dental, optical, and physiotherapy
• Eye Care - You’re entitled to free eye tests and if you need glasses for computer use we will pay up to £80.00 towards your lenses and frames
• We offer 25 days annual leave as well as statutory holidays
• Flexible working
• Support - Peer Support, Samaritans, and Railway Chaplains

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