We are looking for an experienced communications professional to lead our newly positioned media and press office function, providing expertise and support within the association, alongside professional, accurate and influential messaging across our media campaigns.
You will be working collaboratively with your colleagues across the association to proactively plan policy led initiatives and campaigns and respond reactively in real time to key policy issues.
An important part of the role will be building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with national and trade media, government press offices and stakeholder groups to maximise positive industry coverage.
Role Responsibilities include:
- Managing a newly positioned Media and Press Office function within the Public Affairs and Policy team. Providing expertise and hands-on support as needed, providing advice and briefing on key issues and how the HTA can proactively or reactively respond in real-time and as part of integrated campaigns;
- Support development of media and press aspects of the Public Affairs and Policy annual budget, working with the Public Affairs and Policy Manager to ensure accuracy. Actively monitoring and maintaining the budget and relevant expenses throughout the year and reporting on variances;
- Draft and implement a strategic plan of media and press relations (policy focused), setting KPIs and measures of success. Track KPI progress and continually evaluate our programme making recommendations as appropriate to improve and focus future activity;
- Identify, develop and maintain relationships with national and trade journalists, other trade body and stakeholder (NGOs) comms counterparts and government press offices to maximise positive HTA and industry coverage.
To be successful in this role, you will need:
- Demonstrable media and public relations experience, with a good understanding of issues that impact the garden industry;
- Excellent communication skills to forge effective working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders;
- Experience of creating positive news stories;
- Excellent strategic planning skills to ensure consistent delivery of plans.
What the HTA can offer you in return:
- A friendly, helpful and supportive office environment;
- 4% employee - 5% employer pension;
- Life assurance;
- Health Cash Plan;
- Cycle 2 Work, Motor Save and Holiday Buy salary sacrifice schemes;
- Free office fruit.
This role is an office-based role, but we are currently operating a hybrid working office, with a minimum of 2 days a week in the office based in Chilton, Oxfordshire.
About HTA
2020 created new gardeners and the HTA campaign to ensure garden centres were classed as essential retailers throughout the COVID-19 restrictions has increased the profile of the horticultural industry.
The HTA have 1500 members which include garden retailers, growers, landscapers and suppliers to the garden industry. As one of the largest membership organisations the HTA have run the National Garden Gift scheme since 1962, this provides consumers with a UK wide scheme encouraging both new and existing gardeners to visit garden centres and retail nurseries.
The HTA lobby and campaign on behalf of our members within the horticulture industry and provide a whole range of member services including, business solutions, events, market information and learning & development.