With over 500 government jobs this week it means that the government roster just keeps on growing. Feel like you’re getting value from that?
Well, let’s discuss it with the job that gains the prestigious title of ‘non-job of the week’. This week’s winner comes from Newham, one of the most deprived boroughs in the country:
“Communications Manager
£35,946 - £38,574
The economic power of London is moving eastwards and the London Borough of Newham is at the heart of this change. Rejuvenation and redevelopment, coupled with hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will bring real and lasting improvements to this historic part of East London. Ambitious communicators are needed to promote this exciting transformation and to engage a highly diverse and young community in delivering a real and lasting legacy for local people.
This position will be responsible for the following:
*Create, manage and deliver a cohesive communications strategy for the council's customer access programme.
*Using all communications disciplines where appropriate to meet required objectives, including internal communications, public affairs, reputation management and marketing.
The ideal candidate will have:
*Solid understanding of all the key communications disciplines including marketing, PR, internal communications and public affairs.
*Extensive work history of creating communications strategies with a proven track record of achieving results.
*History of delivering communications strategies that meet required objectives, timescales and budgets.
*History of communications in a large organisation.
*History of managing workloads effectively and allocating resources accordingly
*History of managing communications within a programme and complementing complex programme delivery
*History of building a wide range of support for a programme and objectives
Newham are looking to build on their reputation, not only locally, but to an international audience and are committed to becoming a high performing authority that delivers the very best services and demonstrates real community leadership.”
Does Newham need yet more communications apparatchiks taking more and more from the front line? Last year Newham Council spent £3.9 million on its propaganda budget, this in addition to the money thrown at it due to the Olympics. It has an elected Mayor, an army of councillors on inflated, special responsibility allowances and perks. It’s clearly the high life if you’re a politico at Newham town hall.
As I’ve said for a long time now, councils get great publicity by cutting taxes and providing value for money. It’s not our word, it’s the opinion of two thirds of the British public who, when polled, believe in it.
Yes, there is going to be an Olympic legacy in Newham – and as sceptical as we are about the ability to control its budget, we hope it’s a success for the people of Newham. But with the council squandering taxpayers’ money on non-jobbers, we have to hope that the right policies will be adopted to redevelop a borough in great need of some TLC.