View Vacancy – Communications & Press Officer (BGR25.004)

What will you be doing? 

This is a great opportunity to take on real responsibility in an expansive communications role – and use it to make a difference.

Reporting to the Head of Campaigns and Prosperity, you’ll be our first point of contact for media relations. You’ll build relationships with journalists and partners, and secure coverage that maximises the impact of the Embassy’s work.

On any given day you might be drafting press releases, arranging briefings, preparing social media text, pitching stories, answering media questions, helping develop communications plans or preparing an interview for the Ambassador. You’ll also manage the Embassy’s media monitoring, broadening our awareness and tracking the impact of your work.

You will also line manage the Embassy’s Digital Officer and lead the Embassy’s social media work.

But this role goes beyond “traditional” media engagement – we also want you to support our public diplomacy work; and coordinate and project-manage specific campaigns (within specific budgets), from concept to delivery and evaluation. You’ll help us explore the human side of the UK-Bulgaria relationship – including the values and challenges we share, like tackling climate change, or support for gender equality.

This will include developing the Embassy’s relationships with new and existing partners, generating insight (including through polling), and co-developing campaign plans. You’ll then work with colleagues to bring those plans to life, through events, visits and campaigns that measurably boost understanding and perceptions of the UK in Bulgaria.

That’s why we are looking for candidates with:

• The ability to communicate effectively in English and Bulgarian, in person and in writing. You’ll need excellent interpersonal and stakeholder skills to build relationships, trust, and new projects with partners in the media and beyond. You will also need to be able to write clearly and persuasively, in the right tone of voice for Embassy communications. 
• Awareness and experience of the Bulgarian media landscape. You’ll be our first point of contact for media relations, as described above, including promoting stories and messages across the full spectrum of the Embassy’s work. We’ll value your insights and ability to network.  
• A good grasp of campaigns – and an imagination. You should be able to develop and deliver eye-catching, inspiring communications projects. You will benefit from a broad imagination, and a good sense of storytelling and branding. 
• An understanding and passion for new media. You will line manage the Embassy’s digital officer and work with them to promote the Embassy’s profile online, creatively engaging with audiences on social media in a variety of formats.
• Focus, flexibility, and teamwork. To coordinate campaigns, you should have some experience of working on projects, ideally delivering communications projects and events. You’ll need to be someone who gets things done – keeping a firm grip on project plans, timelines and finances. You’ll benefit from a strong ability to prioritise, multitask, solve problems, and deliver results. Government priorities change, unexpected events happen, things don’t always go to plan. We are looking for candidates with resilience, the ability to adapt and to support the wider Embassy team.
• A sensitivity to the ‘big picture’ and an interest in being part of it.  You will have significant autonomy – you’ll need sound judgement and risk-awareness, and a good sense of when to escalate issues. You’ll be culturally aware, interested in the UK and the wider world, and understand what is relevant in Bulgaria. And you’ll care that your work is part of making a difference in the real world.
• Energy and passion for what you do. We encourage people to think for themselves and actively contribute to the life of the Embassy. It’s about your values too: we have a cheerful, can-do, and people-centred ethos.

The above might seem demanding – and we’re proud to hire great colleagues. But we are not looking for perfection (there’s no such thing)!  We welcome candidates with potential and ambition to develop. We are committed to supporting you in this and there will be lots of opportunities available to you.

Much of the Embassy’s work is representational and occasionally you will be expected to work outside of our usual hours. This could be due to regional travel, attending an evening event or supporting ministerial visits. The embassy has a policy in place to provide time off in lieu (TOIL) for work taking place during these periods. 

What do we offer you?

• A fun, fast paced, rewarding work environment – you’ll be able to develop ideas that are listened to and often implemented.
• Possibility for flexible working
• Investment in your skills: including on-the-job training, professional development and job shadowing across our network.
• Great colleagues – we are proud to hire friendly, driven, passionate people.
• Great staff benefits and a genuine emphasis on work/life balance.  
• Free parking space in City Centre based on availability.
• Mobile phone with unlimited data and calls package
• 25 days of annual leave;
• Very generous Health insurance;
• Diversity – no two days are alike with us, you will be able to work on different challenges every day.

• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) in English and Bulgarian at a C1 level according to CEFR*

• Strong interpersonal and networking skills, including proven stakeholder management experience and the ability to work well in a team and be credible with senior colleagues;

• Ability to understand policy issues and communicate key messages effectively;

• Capacity to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, often delivering on multiple strands of work in parallel;

• A commitment to respect at work and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.