JOB DETAILS

The Senior Executive, External Affairs (Media & Reputation) plays a key role in strengthening how Ibec is represented, understood and trusted across media and other public-facing environments. The role supports the delivery of high-quality media engagement, executive visibility and public profile activity that reinforces Ibec’s authority, relevance and reputation nationally and internationally.

Working within the Positioning, Reputation & Issues team, the role helps turn agreed positioning into effective media and visibility outputs by supporting journalist engagement, preparing strong materials for senior spokespeople, coordinating profile-building opportunities and contributing to reputation support in live environments. It plays an important role in ensuring Ibec’s public voice is clear, timely, well-presented and aligned with wider organisational priorities.

This role is offered on a specified purpose contract to cover maternity leave.

The closing date for applications will be 2pm on 16th September 2026. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Media Engagement 

• Draft media statements, quotes, press releases, Q&A materials, briefing notes and other public-facing media content.
• Support the preparation of materials for interviews, panels, events and public appearances.
• Manage inbound media queries and coordinate timely, accurate and well-judged responses.
• Liaise with journalists, editors and media contacts as directed by senior colleagues.
• Support proactive media engagement activity and help maintain strong working relationships with priority outlets.
• Ensure media outputs are aligned with agreed positioning, messaging and organisational priorities.

• Coordinate visibility opportunities linked to public announcements, campaigns, reports, events and other external moments.
• Support executive profiling and commentary opportunities for the CEO and senior leaders.
• Prepare talking points, profile notes, background briefings and external messaging for senior spokespeople.
• Support profile-building initiatives that strengthen Ibec’s authority and public relevance.
• Provide reputation support in live public environments by helping prepare rapid lines, aligning outputs and supporting timely response handling.
• Help ensure public-facing outputs are clear, credible, polished and professionally delivered.

• Monitor and provide analysis of media coverage, public commentary and relevant external channels to track Ibec visibility and profile.
• Provide regular summaries of coverage, commentary and media activity to the External Affairs team and relevant internal stakeholders.
• Highlight media opportunities, coverage trends and public profile developments requiring follow-up.
• Maintain media logs, coverage trackers, visibility reports and related performance information.
• Support learning on what is landing well externally and where media activity can be strengthened.

• Support the public-facing execution of reputation management activity in live or sensitive environments.
• Help prepare reputation-sensitive materials linked to commentary, interviews, statements and other external outputs.
• Support consistent messaging and disciplined external communication during high-profile or fast-moving moments.
• Work closely with the Positioning & Issues role to ensure issue framing and public-facing execution are aligned.
• Contribute to coordinated handling of public moments where media visibility and reputation considerations intersect.

• Draft short-form and medium-form content including statements, press materials, op-eds, website copy, blogs and commentary support.
• Edit and refine content for clarity, accuracy, tone and public readability.
• Work closely with colleagues across External Affairs and the wider division to ensure outputs are aligned and well framed.
• Maintain high editorial standards across all media-facing and visibility-related material within scope.
• Help ensure that content supports visibility, authority and consistency of voice.

• Work closely with Policy, Lobbying & Global Affairs, Strategic Engagement & Thought Leadership, Marketing & Brand, Digital and relevant sector teams.
• Ensure media-facing outputs reflect agreed positioning and wider organisational priorities.
• Support integration of media work into wider campaigns, initiatives and public engagement activity.
• Build strong internal relationships to source information, context and subject matter input quickly and effectively.
• Support coordination across teams during media moments, profile-building activity and major public interventions.

ABOUT YOU

Qualifications

• Significant experience in media relations, communications, public affairs, journalism, reputation management or a related role within a complex public, policy, representative or membership-based organisation.
• Demonstrated experience supporting media engagement, preparing press materials and briefing senior spokespeople.
• Strong understanding of the media landscape, news cycles and public discourse.
• Experience working in fast-paced and reputationally sensitive environments, supporting both reactive and proactive communications activity.
• A relevant third-level qualification in communications, journalism, public relations, political science or a related discipline is desirable, or equivalent professional experience.

• Strong media relations capability, including handling inbound queries and supporting proactive engagement.
• Excellent drafting skills for media statements, reactive lines, press releases, briefing notes, Q&A and commentary support.
• Strong writing and editing ability, with a clear instinct for tone, framing and public readability.
• Ability to prepare high-quality materials for interviews, events, commentary and public appearances.
• Strong media monitoring and external scanning skills, with the ability to identify risks, opportunities and patterns early.
• Understanding of reputation management in live, high-profile or sensitive environments.
• Ability to maintain message discipline and consistency across multiple outputs and teams.
• Experience coordinating commentary opportunities, executive profiling and visibility planning.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines under pressure.
• Effective collaboration across policy, campaigns, brand, digital, sectors and senior leadership teams.

• Calm, measured and dependable, particularly in fast-moving or reputationally sensitive situations.
• Strong judgement and discretion when handling sensitive material, public issues or executive-facing content.
• Clear and confident communicator with strong attention to accuracy, quality and detail.
• Proactive and responsive, with the ability to anticipate needs and act quickly when required.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused, comfortable working across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Professionally credible and well organised, with a strong sense of responsibility for outputs.
• Committed to maintaining Ibec’s credibility, consistency and professional standards in all public-facing work.

Why us?

Ibec Core Competencies
Bias towards action

• Collaborative - work together as 'one Ibec'.
• Dynamic - approach initiatives with careful planning, energy, drive, and resilience.
• Decisive - make clear, well-informed decisions.

• Agile and Adaptive - embrace change and be adaptive to members' needs and in ambitious situations.
• Creative and Innovative - not afraid of dynamic thinking in finding solutions.
• Curious and Critical Thinking - open minded and proactive in gathering data in developing opinions.

• Ambitious - driven and can take responsible risks.
• Accountable - committed to highest standards and takes ownership of actions.
• Continuous Improvement - proactive on personal and professional development