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Media Relations ManagerSainsbury's
Yesterday
  • LevelMid Level
  • ProfessionsMedia Director, Public Relations Director, Communications Director
  • TypeFull Time
  • LocationLondon, United Kingdom

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Description

Closing Date: 29-Oct-2024

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. This is where you’ll enjoy a broad range of projects, no matter what your level, because our Corporate Affairs team is non-hierarchical and truly plugged in to the rest of the business. Whether it’s internal, external or government relations, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with everyone from food waste to health, or general merchandising to Nectar, in order to support some amazing campaigns. You’ll help build trust around Sainsbury’s with customers, senior stakeholders, media and more. And if non-linear progression is what you’re after, you’ll find opportunities are all around.
The Media Relations team is responsible for protecting and promoting Sainsbury’s reputation by working with the business to mitigate potential risks. Reporting to the Senior Media Relations Manager, the Media Relations Manager will support on issues-led media relations for the company, dealing with issues impacting on corporate reputation, working on both a reactive and pre-emptive basis.
You will have excellent communication skills, a real understanding of how the media works and experience of managing high profile issues and journalists.
The post-holder will be responsible for media management and internal stakeholder support on corporate and change issues including, but not limited to: HR (including organisational and colleague change) and Industrial Relations, Legal, Data/Privacy issues.
What outcomes do I need to achieve
Build a centre of excellence in issues monitoring and management
  • Support the Senior Media Relations Manager with risk planning and management, using data across all key external stakeholders – customers, colleagues, suppliers, investors, government, NGOs and media
  • Coordinate the reactive press office inbox to ensure all incoming requests, including those from internal stakeholders (eg Customer Careline) are triaged and directed to the correct team.
  • On assigned issues, you will operate with speed and judgement to ensure positive and accurate coverage of Sainsbury’s and its values in the media.
  • With the support of a Senior Media Relations Manager, liaise with internal departments to plan for future issues across specific areas of ownership and manage the implementation of company-wide statements to all stakeholder audiences.
  • Support as required on all Property communications, including the opening and closures of supermarkets/convenience stores, Argos roll-out etc.
  • Recommend and implement ways to generate positive media coverage on key issues in line with ‘client’ needs.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with key journalists in support of assigned issues
  • Build relationships with internal ‘clients’ to create and maintain open lines of communication so PR colleagues and internal stakeholders are kept up to date on potential issues and Sainsbury’s current positioning.
  • Be aware of current and future areas of risk for the business and have a detailed understanding of the current and potential issues the business could face
  • Keep the wider business informed of Sainsbury’s, competitor and industry news by taking your turn to read, summarise and circulate the daily cuttings to the business, and updating the business on press office activity/key news stories at the end of each day.
  • Take part in an out-of-hours duty service for journalists on a rota basis working on own, contacting senior management as necessary to ensure accurate and positive coverage.
Be part of a winning team
  • Contribute to a collaborative culture where everyone in the team works together to deliver a collective outcome, is focussed on continuous improvement and feels comfortable challenging decisions
  • Help to simplify and improve ways of working
  • You will be flexible about what you work on and use any extra capacity to build your knowledge and experience of other areas of the business
  • Proactively build relationships and work collaboratively with teams across the business
What you need to know
  • The post holder will have experience dealing with issues management and crisis communication situations and be comfortable answering journalists’ queries and working with a wide range of media including key national correspondents.
  • A media relations professional with experience gained in a high profile press office or other news media environment.
  • A first rate news sense and track record of delivering effective reactive and proactive communication strategies.
  • A broad range of media relations skills including writing statements, Q&As, briefing documents, blogs and press releases.
  • Good understanding of the business environment, current affairs and the media.
  • Good knowledge of a consumer-facing or FMCG businesses.
  • Knowledge and experience of consumer PR issues and proactive PR.
  • Experience of using digital channels to complement traditional media
What you need to show
  • Enthusiasm, can-do attitude, willingness to take on new challenges and the ability to build productive relationships with journalists and colleagues are essential for the role.
  • Excellent judgement and can balance business / colleagues / external stakeholder needs and develop good solutions using experience and creativity, able to handle large amounts of information.
  • Excellent, clear and concise verbal and written communications.
  • Mature attitude, ability to advise and influence senior decision makers.
  • Confident and professional.
  • Ability to prioritise and work under pressure to tight deadlines.
  • Effective collaborator and networker – able to build relationships internally at all levels and externally with a strong network of media contacts.
  • Anticipating next steps and future risks and opportunities within your area and taking actions to address them in the absence of a given structure.
  • Managing regular  ambiguity.
  • Understanding the overall strategy.
  • Gradually taking on responsibilities  outside your comfort zone.
  • Commitment to  ongoing personal development.
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new - whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 10% of salary, depending on how we perform.   Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.  Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).

Skills Required

  • Media Relations
  • Crisis Management
  • Communication Skills

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