Current vacancies

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. We currently register approximately 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct and performance amongst opticians.

About the role

We are looking for a Communications Officer to proactively support the GOC, to draft and administer day-to-day internal and external communications with the public, GOC registrants and stakeholders, as well as contributing to wider cross-organisational projects to support the GOC’s mission.

Key accountabilities

• Proactive and reactive media relations under the direction of the Communications Manager to achieve communications objectives, including drafting press releases, selling in stories and responding to enquiries.
• Contribute to the writing and production of the content of a wide range of regular and ad hoc internal and external publications, under the direction of the Communications Manager. Liaise regarding layout and print processes through approved suppliers so the publication is produced on time, to the required standard, conveys the right message and is value for money.
• Administer the GOC website, instructing and supporting others where necessary so the site has appropriate content and is kept up to date, and logging faults with the supplier. Managing the GOC’s social media presence including creating, sourcing and commissioning innovative digital content such as infographics, images, and videos.
• Assist with the GOC’s stakeholder engagement and internal communications strategies, including contributing to the success of internal and external events by drafting, editing and publishing materials, preparing presentations, attending as required and organising the logistics and follow up so the desired outcome is achieved.
• Prepare briefings for Council and staff to ensure they are informed in a timely fashion about the GOC’s work and support its objectives, including the weekly news digest, weekly public affairs report, and drafting other ad hoc briefings.
• Produce and deliver communications plans for work programmes and projects across the organisation. 
• Manage and organise the Communications department administration as required – maintaining stakeholder and press databases, logging media enquiries and cuttings, handling information requests and liaising with suppliers.
• Work flexibly and contribute to the wider work of the Strategy Directorate – in particular, by conducting research and writing briefings to help colleagues fully understand the policy environment in which the GOC operates.

 

Essential skills/experience/qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in communications or similar qualification or equivalent work experience.
• Excellent written communication skills, with an ability to write clearly and accessibly on complex issues.  Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrative experience producing and editing internal and external communications
• Proven experience and understanding of working with the media.
• Excellent IT skills with a familiarity of using Microsoft Office 365, including word and excel, as well as social media platforms.
• Good team-working skills, including working and negotiating with colleagues to deliver communications objectives.
• Evidence of working on complex issues and contributing to the policy development

Desirable

• Interest in and understanding of healthcare and/or regulation.
• Experience of using a Content Management System (CMS) or Customer Relation Management (CRM)
• Experience of using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign.

Communications Officer - Job Description - 2021

Communications Officer - Job Advert

  Equality Monitoring Form - 2021  

Salary range: £29,767 - £35,020 – Dependent on experience

Closing date: 6pm Thursday 22 April 2021

Interview date(s): TBC

The GOC is committed to treating everyone fairly, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.  Completing this form is voluntary – it will help us to measure the impact of our processes, practices and culture. You also have the option to skip questions with ‘prefer not to say’. For more information about why we do this and what we hope to achieve, please see our Approach to EDI monitoring statement.

How to apply

Please send the following to HR@optical.org:

• Your CV (up to three A4 pages)
• Your covering letter (up to two A4 Pages)

We would also appreciate it if you would submit your monitoring form. Information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence and in line with the relevant data protection legislation, stored securely on our system and will be only used for monitoring purposes, including publication in our annual monitoring report. No information in this section will be published in any way which allows any individuals to be identified.

Please be advised it is not compulsory to complete this form. 

For further information on any of the information above, please visit our website.

Should you have any queries, please call HR on 020 7307 9470 or email HR@optical.org.  Alternative formats are available on request.