COI looks for board-level communications planner

The COI is creating a board-level role to lead its communications planning.

The COI is creating a board-level role to lead its communications planning.

The communications planning director will report directly to chief executive Alan Bishop and deputy chief executive Peter Buchanon.

The role has been created because of the COI’s growing areas of responsibility, such as overseeing the Government News Network (GNN), which returned to the department in 2005 after four years at the Cabinet Office (MW April 7, 2005).

The COI has also ramped up levels of new and emerging media such as interactive channels and Bishop says that a high level communications planning specialist is needed to leverage its work across departments and communication channels.

The post-holder will be tasked with developing existing planning capability within the COI’s communications planning and marketing and brand strategy rosters.

They will also be expected to identify emerging channels and assessing their potential value within a government context.

According to the role brief, candidates are “unlikely to have embraced a traditional media planning background”.

The COI employs around 650 staff, is one of the biggest advertisers and has an annual turnover in excess of £300m.

Figures in the COI’s annual report show that overall, the Government spent £135.9m on advertising between 2006 and 2007, which has dropped from £154.6m the previous year.

The figures showed a decline of 12.1% in traditional advertising spend, but a significant increase in channels including digital and direct as first revealed in Marketing Week (MW July 19).