New Shropshire Council communications boss will earn up to £86,000

The new head of communications and engagement will be responsible for "building brand reputation and ensuring residents are kept informed".

It comes after the authority was criticised over the size of its comms team amid cutbacks in October last year, when a freedom of information request revealed only two councils in the country employ more press officers. The FOI showed the council employed 20 in its press and communications department, but the council claimed it only employed four communications officers and one communications assistant.

An advert for the job says: "The head of communications and engagement will be instrumental to our ambition to create more localised services through our current change programme. You will provide us with a clear strategic direction and a consistent narrative. One of our ambitions is to create more digitally-based services for our residents which are customer focussed and easy to use. As our Head of Communications and Engagement, you will be leading the way in engaging and creating an excellent user experience.

"We want a senior communications leader that recognises the importance of building our brand reputation, ensuring our residents are kept informed and consulted and that can help us to promote the excellent work of Shropshire Council. This role will work closely with our senior leaders across the organisation to help establish a far greater external presence and to ensure effective change communications both within and outside our organisation."

Karen Bradshaw Co Chief Executive and Director of Children Services for Shropshire Council said: "Shropshire council is one of the largest unitary authorities in England, delivering hundreds of services to local people, it is important that the right people with the right skills and experience are recruited and retained to deliver this work.

“Salaries within Shropshire Council are carefully benchmarked against those in other local authorities and comparable organisations. All of our senior pay band jobs are evaluated against the Local Government Association scheme which is independently managed, This ensures resources are properly and prudently managed, while offering packages that attract skilled professionals with the experience, ability and leadership qualities needed to help us deliver services for the 325,000 people that live in our county.

“We are committed to delivering value for money for council tax payers and keep management costs under periodic review.”