Deputy Head of Communications

Job Title: Deputy Head of Communications 

Responsible to: Deputy Director for Communications

Hours: Full Time

Tenure: Permanent

Location: Westminster, London

Salary: £43,000 + £2,800 out-of-hours call allowance. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Liberal Democrat communications team in a leadership role, as we build towards our campaign for the next General Election. The Deputy Head of Comms will play a critical, leading role in shaping and delivering the Liberal Democrats' national communications.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for the day to day running of daily reactive comms and media outreach for the party, working closely with the Deputy Director and Head of Communications to ensure output is aligned across traditional and social media.
• Lead daily media relations and press office operations, driving high-impact stories, exclusives, and broadcast packages to shape the political news cycle.
• Lead effective, rapid rebuttal strategies and manage complex narratives to mitigate negative media risks.
• Maintain a strong network of contacts within the media. 
• Line management of our team of communications officers.

Person Specification 

• The candidate will be a resilient, autonomous, and ambitious professional who thrives operating in the 24-hour news cycle and is looking for a chance to significantly influence the political debate.
• A record of building and maintaining a strong network of contacts with leading journalists across the national media.
• Demonstrable understanding of the modern media landscape, including the interplay between traditional platforms and digital engagement.
• Leadership experience in a high-pressure environment, allocating resources, and actively supporting staff to develop their skills and advance their careers.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with spokespeople, senior stakeholders, and campaign teams to deliver on the party’s political strategy through our external communications.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to rapidly translate complex policy issues into compelling narratives that reflect our core priorities, and to support a team to do the same. 

How to apply:

Please read through the job requirements in full before applying, take a few minutes to complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring Forms, and then proceed with your application. 

• A full CV of no more than two pages, including a telephone number and email address
• A covering letter (no more than one A4 page) setting out why you want the job and how your experience and skills are relevant to it.

To be considered for this position, please submit your application to recruitment@libdems.org.uk.

We will review applications as they come in and reserve the right to make an appointment prior to the closing date.

Please note: We will not be able to employ you if you are not eligible to work in the UK. We will not be able to obtain a work permit on your behalf.

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed at any stage of the recruitment process.

Please provide details of your current salary and two referees, including one from your current employer. If you would prefer us not to contact them until a later stage of the selection process, please let us know.

We will not notify applicants if their applications are unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage.

The Party believes it is essential to foster equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion within our workforce. We want our employees to thrive in an environment where everyone is welcome and supported to achieve their potential. It is important to celebrate what makes us unique and to feel valued, appreciated, and free to be who we are.