Head of Communications and Engagement

Division / Department - Media and Communications
Grade - M4
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £85,359 - £101,163
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance - No
Politically Restricted - No
Location - Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes

The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.

We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.

We wish you all the very best with your application.

This is an exciting time to be joining Sussex Police. Having been assessed by our independent Inspectorate as a well performing force, we continue to improve the service we deliver to the public – we are answering calls quicker than any other force, we are bringing more offenders to justice, and we are a force that many are seeking to join.

Sussex Police is looking for a dynamic, creative and highly experienced communications and engagement specialist to lead the force’s Corporate Communications and Engagement team.
This role is critical in maintaining the trust and confidence of our communities and you will be pivotal in ensuring that Sussex Police deliver an outstanding service to the public.

Reporting into the Deputy Chief Constable, you will be an integral member of our extended Chief Officer team. As the Head of Profession and the strategic advisor to our Chief Officers you will experience unique leadership challenges which will see you leading the delivery of external communications ranging from organisational issues such as the force’s ambitious transformation strategy through to operational issues arising from major incidents.

You will also be responsible for the effective management of internal communications to ensure that our workforce is highly engaged and motivated to deliver the Chief Constable’s strategy to Protect, Catch, Deliver. Finally, as a collaborated force, you will seek to build upon the close relationships with counterparts in Surrey Police to ensure a joined‑up approach to those staff working within joint functions.

Based at Police Headquarters in Lewes, East Sussex, you will be expected to travel throughout Sussex and outside of county as required. You will also be required to work evenings and weekends when operational commitments determine. In return we offer a competitive benefits package which includes an excellent pension scheme, mileage allowance, opportunities for flexible and agile working, and executive health checks.

For this strategically important role we are looking for candidates who possess the following:

• Public‑service centred individual with a track record in building public trust and confidence within communities.
• Exceptional leadership skills with extensive experience of leading outcome‑focused teams.
• Substantial experience in a communications discipline or degree‑level education or equivalent professional qualification with a commitment to Continued Professional Development.
• Demonstrable experience of delivering major communications projects across multiple channels.
• Exceptional influencing skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships within complex operational environments and across organisations.
• Experience in delivering crisis management responses to emerging and ongoing critical incidents.
• Political acumen to ensure the effective stakeholder management during complex local and national structural changes.
• Strong ability to balance and manage conflict between short‑and long‑term priorities and reactive/proactive work.
• Effective budgetary management to deliver excellent value for money.

Policing is an exciting 24/7 business and we all have…