PR & Public Affairs Manager (FTC up to 24 months)

Location: 134 Edmund St, Birmingham B3 2ES

Up to £56,000 plus excellent benefits

West Midlands Trains (WMT) has an exciting opportunity for a PR & Public Affairs Manager to join our team based in Birmingham.  WMT is currently investing £1 billion to improve rail services from London to Liverpool and across the West Midlands. This includes new trains, improved stations and better journeys. We are looking to recruit a PR & Public Affairs Manager to support and promote WMT’s investment programme among our stakeholders including MPs, local authorities, rail user groups and the media.

The successful candidate will support the Head of Corporate Affairs in developing, delivering & promoting the company’s PR & Public Affairs strategies.  You will be responsible for the promotion of WMT’s investment programme, ensuring this is done in a frequent, positive, balanced, well-informed way by engaging with internal and external stakeholders.

Key accountabilities:

• Acting as the first point of contact between WMT & key stakeholders with regards to any enquiries relating to WMT’s investment programme
• Answering any enquiries in relation to WMT’s investment programme in a timely, accurate way
• Researching and writing literature that will positively inform and influence both internal and external audiences
• Capitalising on all opportunities to promote WMT’s investment programme via multiple engagement channels
• Ensuring all initiatives consider and complement WMT’s marketing strategy
• Building, developing and maintaining effective relationships with peers and colleagues in partner organisations to support WMT’s drive to improve reputation and customer service via the investment programme.  This will include identifying and managing innovative ways to enhance WMT’s reputation.
• Developing and maintaining effective management and measuring systems to assess the impact of WMT’s investment programme
• Supporting the Community Rail Strategy by forging successful partnerships

Person specification:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Strong writing skills
• Significant experience in strategic and tactical public affairs management & PR events
• Experience of operating with senior managers & directors
• Demonstrable influencing skills
• Ability to research, identify & develop new opportunities
• Ability to develop effective relationships & partnership working
• Ability to understand and act on key business priorities
• Ability to work accurately and calmly in a highly pressurised environment
• Ability to secure delivery through all parts of the company’s organisation
• Good political awareness with ability to exercise excellent political judgement
• Commercially aware with good financial management skills

Please see attached job description for further information.

In addition to a competitive salary West Midlands Trains offer a wealth of benefits including free travel on West Midland Trains & Abellio services for you, your partner and dependent children, 75% discount on all other train travel over most of the UK rail network, development opportunities to help you further your career with West Midlands Trains, including the opportunity to gain nationally recognised qualifications. 

Applications will be considered from internal colleagues with 6 months experience after completion of their probationary period and a full check of absence and disciplinary records.