Job title: Marketing and Communications Lead

Salary: Dir 45% £60,480 – £66,318

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid working arrangement

Adoption England (hosted by Leeds City Council)

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead communications and marketing for Adoption England, a collaboration of Regional Adoption Agencies working together to improve adoption services and outcomes for children, adopted people and families.

Working as part of a small national team, you will shape and deliver Adoption England's communications and marketing strategy, helping to raise awareness of adoption, support the national recruitment of adopters and share learning and best practice across the sector.

You will oversee the national adopter recruitment campaign and work with partners to maximise its impact.

You will chair Adoption England's Marketing and Communications Stakeholder Group, bringing partners together to collaborate, share learning and build strong relationships across the sector. You will also manage and support the marketing and communications staff within the team, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture.

The role includes working with external providers and commissioning services to deliver national campaigns and strategic priorities. You will provide expert communications advice to the National Adoption Strategic Lead and wider team, including support with media relations, reputation management and sensitive issues.

You will produce reports, briefings and presentations for senior leaders, government departments, programme boards and sector partners, and support the evaluation of campaigns and communications activity, using evidence, insight and data to measure impact and drive continuous improvement.

About you

We are looking for a skilled communications and marketing leader who shares our commitment to improving the lives of adopted children, adopted adults and their families.

You will have experience of leading, managing and developing teams to deliver high-quality outcomes and achieve strategic objectives. You will have a track record of developing and delivering effective communications and marketing strategies that make a measurable difference, alongside the ability to build strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, partners and people with lived experience.

You will be confident providing clear, trusted advice to senior leaders in complex and sometimes sensitive environments, while effectively managing multiple priorities, projects and resources. Experience of managing budgets and commissioned services to deliver value for money and positive outcomes is essential, as is the ability to use data, insight and evaluation to inform decisions, demonstrate impact and shape future activity.

You will be a collaborative leader with experience of working across organisational boundaries to achieve shared goals and drive improvement.

Most importantly, you will be a compassionate and inclusive leader. You will understand the importance of listening to lived experience, valuing different perspectives and challenging inequality. You will be committed to anti-discriminatory practice and creating an environment where everyone feels respected, supported and able to contribute and thrive.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering a positive employee experience, with benefits including a competitive salary, generous annual leave entitlement in addition to statutory holidays, and membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.

Post holders will work flexibly from home and be available to attend an in-person team meeting in Leeds approximately once a month, as well as occasional travel in other locations across England as required.

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from other ethnically diverse backgrounds, as well as people from LGBTQ+ communities, as these groups are currently under-represented within the adoption workforce.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Sarah Johal on sarah.johal@adoptionengland.co.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose

Provide a lead responsibility for the communication and marketing needs of Adoption England by leading on the strategic development and implementation of the marketing and communication plan for Adoption England and the national recruitment strategy.

Responsibilities

Support delivery of programmes of strategic significance to deliver services in line with Adoption England Strategy
Responsible for the development and delivery of the service plan and drive continuous improvement initiatives through leading and contributing to Adoption England projects.
Chairing the national marketing and communications stakeholder group meetings.
Day to day management of the marketing and communications manager and officers
Work with providers who collaborate with Adoption England in the delivery of the recruitment strategy
Commission services alongside the National Strategic adoption lead for implementation of the Adoption England strategy
Provide advice for the National Adoption Strategic lead and team including the management of press, reputational and communication issues.
Lead, managing and developing staff and the performance of a team to the required quality and performance standards and in pursuit of strategic goals across a range of agreed indicators;
Understand the functional and business realities of the organisation and political and external operating environment;
Provide a high-quality and comprehensive approach to working with partners; understanding of and ability to anticipate current and future communications and marketing needs;
Plan, organise, coordinate, deliver and control communications and marketing activity to support business objectives and strategies to deliver measurable outcomes;
Provide robust advice to senior leaders, elected members and Department of Education officials;
Manage and control communications and marketing budgets and resources effectively in line with financial and contract procedure regulations, ensuring best value and monitoring expenditure and costs against delivered benefits;
Build and maintain relationships and engaging with stakeholders and key partners that support strategic goals; and
Manage expectations and resolving issues with service delivery including through devising innovative communications and marketing solutions to service issues
Identify, secure and monitor resources and staff from relevant areas, as necessary, to manage and be responsible for delivering specific projects and work packages within the programme aiming to maximise the use of resources and ensuring the learning is shared across programmes and agencies.
Prepare and present necessary reports in accordance with agreed formats, to a variety of stakeholders including RAA Leaders, the DfE and Cabinet.
Interrogate national data, and identify data/research gaps to address, to inform recruitment marketing strategy.
Proactively manage and monitor the development and delivery of programme benefits across RAA’s and key stakeholders to promote the vision to RAAs, senior managers and ministers involved in adoption services across the country.
In line with the Budget Management Accountability Framework to be responsible and accountable for all financial resources within the service area ensuring value for money and working within financial regulations
Review and monitor the performance of services, systems, budget, teams and individuals against standards and agreed outcomes in a cost effective and flexible way that is responsive to a dynamic local, political and national context
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate to the grade.

Qualifications Degree level experience

Working Context- Post holders will work flexibly both at home and at various locations across the City and nationally at times. All colleagues should work in line with our hybrid working principles and spend regular time in the workplace to support service delivery, meeting the needs of the team and the requirements of their individual role. The hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday. However, the post holder will be expected to work outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening/weekend meetings or events if required to meet the needs of the service.

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

In depth knowledge and understanding of marketing and communications in relation to recruitment of adopters.
In depth experience of communications in relation to public relations.
Able to demonstrate examples of managing services and achieving quality transformational outcomes.
Able to manage competing priorities, ensuring delivery on a range of programmes and adapting to changing circumstances.
Knowledge of applicable, legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information
Detailed knowledge and understanding of local government political systems and experience of working on politically sensitive issues.
Experience of senior leadership and management relevant to area of service delivery
Experience of strategic and operational resource management including the evaluation of competing priorities and managing accountabilities
Significant experience of leading marketing and communications initiatives and driving up standards and performance
Significant experience and commitment in relation to engagement in decision making processes.
Significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions and Corporate Leadership Team

Behavioural & other Characteristics required.

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city
Be aware of promote and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values and standards of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
Understand and observe Leeds City Council approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.