Communications Officer - Part Time
At a glance
Mid-level Communications role at UK Power Networks. Ipswich · up to £42,000 base.
growthroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Produce press releases and award entries that showcase work through external communications
- Follow fast-moving news, handle journalists’ questions and prepare responses when major incidents occur
- Bring colleagues across the business into story planning and align the messages people receive
- Cover for the Media Manager when required
What you bring
- A degree, or an equivalent qualification or relevant experience
- Strong spoken and written communication, plus the judgment to spot stories worth telling
- You can build relationships confidently and work effectively with others
Who this fits
This part-time role suits someone who has run publicity campaigns, meets tight deadlines and can encourage colleagues to share story ideas. You’ll work 24 hours over three days, based in Ipswich, with regular travel around the Eastern region and to London; you need your own transport. Storms or major incidents may require work and travel outside usual hours. After probation, the schedule can include two office days and one remote day.
From the employer
82869 - Communications Officer - (Part Time)
This Communications Officer will report to the Media Manager and will work within the Human Resources directorate based in our Ipswich office (with regular travel across the Eastern region plus to our London HQ)
We will employ you as a permanent employee, and we offer this role on a Part Time only basis, with 24 hours of work per week.
You will attract a salary of up to £42,000 (to be pro-rata'd & depending on experience) and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 2 days in the office and 1 remote.
Close Date: 16/11/2026
We also provide the following additional benefits
- 25 (pro rata) Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
- Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
- Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
- Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
- Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
- Occupational Health support
- Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
- Discounted gym membership
- Employee Assistance Programme
The role
How do we bring to life what goes on behind the scenes at UK Power Networks to keep the lights on for 8 million homes and businesses across London, the East and South East of England?
Our East Region stretches from North Norfolk across to Aylesbury, and borders north London. As a Communications Officer you'll secure positive media coverage across this region.
Working three days a week, every day is different. You could interview our new intake of apprentices, editing a leaflet to vulnerable customers, or drafting a winning award entry.
You will have delivered compelling publicity campaigns and have a firm grasp of news and the social media landscape. We ask that you know about corporate communications best practice.
You will collaborate with journalists and colleagues across the business. You will excel working to tight deadlines, with the ability to work collaboratively and inspire colleagues across our business to come forward with content ideas.
Your creativity key while having a strong customer service ethic will be a benefit to the team.
You will work three days a week 8am-5pm, totalling 24 hours. We will require your own transport, and we will pay work travel expenses.
Nature and scope:
Reporting to the Media Manager, working in the Press Office team under the HR department.
Principal accountabilities:
- Create high-quality content for external communications including press releases and award entries
- Monitor breaking news and respond effectively to journalists' questions
- Able to respond quickly to storms and other major incidents and prepare on those occasions to travel/work outside normal working hours.
- Collaborate across the business to inspire content ideas and ensure consistent experiences and messaging.
- Deputise for the manager on occasion
Essential skills:
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills
- Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification/experience
- Interpersonal skills and confident networker
- Demonstrable news sense and the ability to identify compelling stories
Desirable skills
- Microsoft Word, Excel
- Social media
- Photography and video skills
Health & Safety Responsibilities
Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.
Employees will ensure they fully understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and particularly where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.
Employees need to be aware that for some craft and operational roles that work at height, or use fall arrest devices, there is an upper weight limit of 116Kg due to maximum safe working load of the safety equipment that is used.
If in doubt ask!
We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome, valued and able to be themselves. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. If you meet the essential criteria and believe your skills, experience or transferable strengths could make you a great fit for the role, we’d love to hear from you. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we’ll be happy to help.
We may use AI-enabled tools to support elements of our recruitment process. These tools help us manage applications more efficiently and consistently, but they do not make hiring decisions. All recruitment decisions are made by trained employees using human judgement and oversight. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly and transparently, in line with our legal, regulatory and ethical obligations.
Your data will be hosted within a secure environment and will only be used by UK Power Networks for the purpose of which it is intended. The data is used only as an input to provide insights for the screening process and is not retained by the model or by UK Power Networks’ contractor, shared with the contractor’s other customers or with OpenAI, or used to train or improve AI models.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Where applicable, this role is subject to safer recruitment processes and robust pre‑employment checks
If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
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