About the Borough 1 This special place in South West London between the capital and the country has been a Royal borough longer than anywhere else - it is where the first kings of England were crowned. Today it is a vibrant and diverse borough, with a long history and strong cultural and community heritage. Kingston's riverside location, fantastic retail offer, historic market place and church, parks and gardens all make Kingston town centre the vibrant space it is, and each of our district town centres (Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington) have something unique to offer. Situated in Zone 6, Kingston is among the best-connected town centres in London – with direct train links from Kingston and Surbiton stations to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and Tramlink. Kingston’s people are innovative and entrepreneurial, and have a strong sense of community pride. The borough has been home to great industry and creativity for many years, reflected in assets such as the Rose Theatre, the International Youth Arts Festival and Kingston University, which boasts more new graduate business start-ups than any other. We have seen tremendous generosity and compassion within our communities, particularly in response to COVID-19, which is a demonstration of Kingston’s key strength. The council offers a strong level of support to vulnerable groups and those who need additional support, which has also increased significantly as a result of the pandemic. Like most places, the average age of our population is rising as more people are living longer, so we are working closely with residents to help them maintain their independence and further improve the cost effectiveness of our service to meet the ongoing rise in demand. Kingston is home to people from diverse and interesting cultures and backgrounds, which helps to create the rich sense of community shared across the borough. In particular, Kingston has a large Sri Lankan Tamil community and is home to more people from Korea than any other part of the UK. About the Role 1 The Council is focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for its communities. To do this the Council needs employees who thrive in an agile and networked organisation and who can support continuous improvement within a constructive organisational culture. The role sits with the council’s Communications and Engagement team, working in partnership with the council’s Transformation Hub to deliver change and service improvement projects, specifically leading on communications and engagement activity required for the ongoing transformation of Adult Social Care and the recommissioning of the council’s housing repairs and maintenance contract. About Us 1 The Communications and Engagement Team works to communicate and engage with our residents, councillors, community groups, businesses and stakeholders. Using communication tools and channels to ensure residents, businesses and stakeholders are informed and engaged with, on council service delivery, our priorities of Greener, Safer, Fairer and Together, and key transformational initiatives. Kingston Council is committed to collaborate with and empower communities to be a part of shaping, improving and changing services and decision making. You will work closely with the Engagement and Participation team to ensure communities are enabled to have their say. The team works in a flexible, hybrid manner with most of the team attending the office in person on a Tuesday. As part of the Communications and Engagement team you will be required to attend occasional in person meetings across the borough. About You 1 In order to successfully deliver the responsibilities of the role, you will need to: Have a degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience in the communications and stakeholder engagement professions Three years plus general experience of working in a relevant public relations, communications or marketing role. Question and challenge ways of working, with an understanding of the bigger picture in terms of the corporate context and external environment Demonstrate agility and adaptability in mindset and ways of working Work successfully with key stakeholders within and outside of the Council Demonstrate commitment to own personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the role Demonstrate innovation and creativity Actively engage in positive cross organisational communications and team working Communicate clearly, confidently and appropriately with colleagues using the best methods of communication for the task.