Stephen Stray Email & Phone Number

Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

I am proud to be the Media and Communications Manager for one of the largest police forces in the country.I am responsible for leading and managing the delivery of external media and communications which supports the strategic narrative, direction and priorities of the Force.This includes developing strategies and tactics for both reactive and proactive communications activity to maintain and enhance the profile of, and trust and confidence in, Northumbria Police.I lead a dedicated team of communications professionals. I support the development and wellbeing of the team, embedding the values and culture of the Force. I manage media enquiries of significant reputational risk, formulating responses on behalf of the Force to maintain public confidence.I am responsible for managing and implementing a calendar of external media and communications activity to drive engagement and enhance public sentiment.I create, implement and manage communications strategies for significant Force-wide media activity, developing and reinforcing key messages and promoting the corporate brand.I am responsible for maximising the potential of media and communications activity. This includes supporting the delivery of TV projects, such as documentaries.I am responsible for developing and enhancing effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.I provide strategic and tactical advice to the Executive Team and other senior Force personal around communications activity and support them with media interviews.I provide media management for serious crime investigations and major/critical incidents, overseeing communications strategies and tactics.Part of the wider Communications and Engagement Department, my team supports the delivery of internal communications and campaign activity.I am responsible for the design and delivery of media training, including for the Executive Team and senior leaders.I deputise for the Head of Communications and Engagement.

County Durham

Eager to move into a corporate communications role while also seeking to relocate for family reasons, I joined Durham Constabulary as a Media Adviser.After four months, I was appointed Acting Head of Media before joining the much-larger Northumbria Police.As the Senior Adviser, I was responsible for the day-to-day running of the team. This included assigning work and supporting them in the delivery of communications activity.I was also responsible for handling the more significant media inquiries we received.Similarly, to the other advisers, I also had responsibility for my own portfolio area to develop in order to generate and produce positive content for a range of channels to enhance the reputation and public confidence in the Force. This included content for both our own channels, including social media, and external media outlets.During my time at Durham, I also supported officers with media interviews. This included national television with the Chief Constable, most notably accompanying him on a trip to Media City in Manchester for an appearance on the BBC Breakfast sofa.

I was promoted within Johnston Press to the role of Group Editor in Lincolnshire, carrying out all of the duties I had as Editor with the added responsibility of extra titles.This was a senior management role within the company and I was responsible for delivering key corporate objectives, meeting targets and developing/implementing company-wide strategies. This included around change management and restructuring of the business. In doing so, I showed dynamic leadership so all members of the team were fully briefed and engaged to ensure the best possible results were achieved.I had overall responsibility for 10 newspaper titles and their associated websites. I led two deputies and a team of journalists.I was the public face of the company locally and was responsible for maintaining and enhancing its reputation. I had responsibility for a number of engagement events, including being involved in organising and compering of awards ceremonies, notably Community Hero Awards and Business Awards.I also gave talks to numerous groups about the organisation and what we offered to the communities and businesses we served.I was further accountable for the production of the titles and additional glossy external publications undertaken, making sure deadlines were met. I also had the final legal and ethical responsibility for the content being shared across all platforms.As Group Editor, I also had responsibility for the budgets of the titles - and where necessary finding efficiency savings.I was responsible for developing both the print and online platforms, including optimising social media.I had direct responsibility for dealing with complaints and ensuring a satisfactory outcome.I was responsible for the development and training of staff and carried out regular appraisals.

Boston

I was promoted to the role of Editor at the Boston Standard in July 2011 and having enjoyed success with that title, the Sleaford Standard (December 2012) and the Skegness and Spilsby Standards (February 2014) were added to my portfolio.In this position I carried out many of the key roles I have in my current post as Group Editor, not least having overall responsibility for both the print and online products.I managed three editorial teams and was responsible for the content in paper and online, ensuring we met deadlines and targets. This was achieved in a number of ways, not least by implementing my own targets locally and ensuring members of the team received as much training as possible. As each title's key advocate for social media, this included putting forward my own training guide.I was responsible for the day-to-day running of the newsroom, which meant organising the team's online diary and assigning tasks.I successfully led the teams through unprecedented change, with an entirely new editorial system and technology.My success in the role of editor was highlighted when the Boston Standard won the titles of 2012 Newspaper of the Year and Best Use of Digital Platforms at the Johnston Press Awards. In 2013, the paper was also High Commended in the News Website of the Year category at the East Midlands Media Awards.When it comes to the digital platform, I led incredible growth, which in Boston resulted in the Johnston Press title being the first of its size in the country to launch a tablet app.These successes resulted in me being asked to sit on a number of project boards to develop national strategies and guidelines.I was also responsible for preparing regular concise and informative reports for high level management.I carried out high-profile interviews, most notably alongside the company CEO for Radio 4 and the Financial Times.I have also appeared on Sky News and BBC Breakfast News, as well as on local TV and radio.

Boston

I was again promoted within the company, to News Editor at the Boston office.This saw me take on additional management responsibilities, which ultimately resulted in me standing in for the Editor when they were away.I was also responsible for the smooth running of the news desk and was the direct line manager for a team of reporters.Later, I was to become Acting Editor (January 2010), before officially being made Editor of the title.

Skegness

I was promoted within the group to Chief Reporter at the Skegness Standard and Spilsby Standard, where I took on additional responsibilities, fulfilling a lead role in the newsroom as less experienced members of staff sought my advice and guidance.I also stood in for the editor when they were away.

Boston

I embarked on my journalism career with Johnston Press at The Boston Standard in 2002, gaining my National Council for the Training of Journalists Diploma before successfully sitting my National Qualification in Journalism (NCE) to become a fully-qualified senior reporter. These are nationally-recognised industry qualifications and cover media law, public affairs, news reporting, news interviews, shorthand and logbook (examples of work covering a selection of topics).

Strategic Police Communicators Course

A three-day residential course aimed at higher-level police communicators. It examined the communications-related strategies adopted.

Leadership Fundamentals

Six-month programme - which included one-day a month of training in person with e-learning units outside of this. Modules covered were.

Education record

NCTJ qualifications before successfully sitting NCE in 2005