Big competition for this week’s non-job, with new organisation the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission advertising for almost £400,000 worth of jobs, many of which were specifically marketing/PR/press related and based on building the image rather than addressing issues.
Additionally, Camden Council are on the look out for a Sustainability Engagement & Events Officer (£31,152 - £33,306), dedicated to spending money devising campaigns and staging “themed events” to draw attention to environmental matters. The proliferation of such “awareness campaigns” driven by burgeoning departments within both local and central government means climate change concerns are already highly visible so perhaps if Camden Council want to save the planet they might want to think more practically about how they use this money, or indeed about how they could modify their own behaviour in terms of mileage, energy use etc.
The ‘winner’ of this week’s non-job, or rather non-jobs, is Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s Guardian advert (and remember our councils are strapped for cash...):
“PR & Marketing Specialist (2 Posts)
£34,549 - £36,313 Per Annum
Redcar & Cleveland Council is looking for highly motivated Public Relations and Marketing experts to join its new Public Relations and Consultation Team.
The team’s goal is to deliver an excellent public relations and consultation function which increases awareness of and satisfaction with council services. It will advise on public relations, marketing and consultation on high profile issues.
The Team requires two Public Relations and Marketing Specialists. The Specialists will be able to organise public relations and marketing across the Council and the Borough’s Strategic Partnership, delivering internal and external messages to a wide range of audiences.
Redcar & Cleveland Council have an attractive benefits package including:-
• Generous annual leave (min 27 days)
• Flexible working hours
• Final salary pension scheme
• Family friendly benefits
• Childcare voucher scheme
• Staff discount scheme
• Discount leisure facilities"
Phew! Nice work if you can get it. Redcar & Cleveland Council must have had almost £80,000 burning a hole in their pocket when they advertised for these two spin doctors (or some serious misdemeanours to clear-up...), and it’s hard to know what’s more attractive – the salary or the benefits. You don’t see too many final salary pension schemes advertised in the private sector these days...
We’re being told that local authorities nationwide are having to cut back on their frontline services and raise council tax, and yet here we see that some councils are still prioritising their own public profile over what’s actually important to local residents. Is this really what is needed?