Job Description

Team East Devon - more than just a job

At East Devon, we're proud to do things differently. Our Housing Service is made up of skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds who bring energy and expertise to their roles every day. We're united by one goal: delivering for our residents.

Job purpose

The Communications Manager provides communications leadership and best practice to develop a strong and consistent reputation for the council.

The post holder will manage and drive all aspects of the council's external communications, ensuring the council's policies; actions and brand are effectively communicated to staff, councilors, residents, stakeholders, local and national media. They will also be responsible for overseeing the delivery of an internal communications strategy to compliment and promote the newly launched People Strategy.

About you

You'll be a strong leader with the ability to galvanise your team toward a shared goal. You'll lead the development and delivery of the council's communications strategy, alongside the Assistant Director - Communications, Culture and Marketing, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and a clear, consistent narrative.

As an experienced communicator you'll have an understanding of the local and national media landscape in order to manage all media relations, including press releases, media enquiries, and proactive/reactive opportunities to enhance public understanding and trust.

Your confident people-skills will help to build strong and positive relationships with Members, officers and partners providing support, assistance and professional, strategic communications advice to support effective, consistent messaging across all channels.

Working with members and senior officers to establish communications priorities to actively deliver core messages and decisions with tailored messages for specific audiences in support of the council plan and the council's brand is a core responsibility of the post. You'll need to balance expectations against resource and provide sound professional guidance to services.

An interest and understanding of the political landscape is vital. You'll need to stay close to political decision-making processes including attending key meetings and developing reactive and proactive media statements where appropriate.

About us

Our recent Local Government Association Peer Challenge highlighted that 'EDDC is a great place to work, with engaged staff and members' and that's certainly true! You will be part of a Gold Investors in People (IiP) organisation which works together with local people to create great value services and an outstanding community, economy and environment in which people want to live, work, visit and enjoy now, and for future generations. And with our wide range of health and wellbeing benefits, our highly flexible and collaborative hybrid Worksmart working arrangements as well as our commitment to continuous learning and development, you can be confident of joining a dedicated community of colleagues who are Happy, Healthy and Here.

This is a politically restricted post

Apply

For an informal discussion, please contact Chloe Woodman, Assistant Director Communications, Culture & Engagement by email chloe.woodman@eastdevon.gov.uk

Closing date:

Midnight on

Sunday, 11th January 2026

with interviews planned for week commencing

26th January 2026

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 52,413.00-59,615.00 per year

Work Location: In person