Senior Communications Officer

Job Description

Join Harrow’s Children’s Reforms Programme

Multiple roles available | Be part of transforming outcomes for children and families

London Borough of Harrow is embarking on an exciting and ambitious journey to deliver a series of transformative Children’s Reforms Programmes, including Families First, Best Start Family Hubs, Best Start in Life, and SEND Reforms.

To support this vital work, we are expanding our team and recruiting a number of key roles that will strengthen programme delivery and ensure that children, young people and families remain firmly at the heart of everything we do.

Be part of meaningful system change

These roles offer a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Early Help, Children’s Social Care and Education in Harrow. You will contribute to new approaches that strengthen families, protect children, and improve life chances for all residents across our borough.

If you are passionate about improving outcomes for children and want to help drive forward high‑impact, innovative change, we would love to hear from you.

Senior Communications Officer

In this pivotal role, you will lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary campaign teams—bringing together colleagues from across the organisation and external partners. You will also, when required, oversee staff or freelancers' work to deliver high-quality projects on time and to specification. The successful candidate will develop, implement and evaluate integrated communications strategies that champion Harrow’s services, support key policies and objectives, protect and enhance our reputation, drive positive behaviour change, and strengthen engagement with residents. You will work closely with senior officers and elected members—including the Leader of the Council and relevant Portfolio Holders—supporting the Families First Programme and Children Services campaigns.

Note: This is a Two-Year Fixed Term Contract

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience of working within a complex, political environment with practical understanding and experience of the challenges facing the public sector.
• Experience of working on projects to meet quality, time and cost deadlines.
• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating communications and engagement campaigns and projects as appropriate.
• Experience of writing/creating engaging content for in-house publications, press releases, media enquiries and social media.
• Experience of managing social media channels.
• Experience in handling sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Understanding and use of a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Ability to work proactively and to organise a personal workload to meet competing demands and tight deadlines.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships and influence a wide range of people.
• Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative information, presenting it in a clear and easily understood format.
• A high level of ICT literacy.
• Media relations experience.
• Strong storytelling skills and creativity with the ability to develop materials for targeted stakeholders.
• Ability to work flexibly within a multi-disciplinary team, including outside core hours qualification.

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn