Communications

Introduction

GlaxoSmithKline has a number of different business functions including Consumer Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Research and Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Vaccines and corporate operations. Each function has a communications department, which plays a vital role in engaging, inspiring and motivating internal and external stakeholders in the vision and ambition of the company.

The communications departments play a key role in managing company image and reputation, by developing and delivering a consistent story and message to employees and external audiences, through a variety of communications channels. This placement is the opportunity to work with these teams to support the communications requirements of the business.

In consumer you could be working with some of the world's leading household brands including Aquafresh, Panadol, Lucozade and Ribena on brand PR campaigns. In pharmaceuticals you could work on campaigns to raise awareness of our healthcare products and healthcare initiatives including the charitable programmes we support to raise healthcare standards. In corporate communications you could be working on company reputational issues, reporting and media events.

We have a number of placements available in the following two areas:

1. Communications: Please see details of our placement opportunities using the tabs at the top of the page. Please note that your application will be considered for all our Communications Placements and not directly for a specific role however, preferences will be taken into account.
2. Digital Communications: Please see details of our placement opportunities using the tabs at the top of the page. Please note that your application will be considered directly for the Digital Communications role.

Communications

The range of communications roles give successful IPs an opportunity to be involved within a wide variety of communications specifications across all requirements both internally and externally in the GSK business.

You should be studying for a communications, media, PR, journalism, marketing, business, advertising or a combined degree with any of these subjects.

You should also have strong writing skills and be familiar with Microsoft Office competently including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet Explorer.

Some of the key activities that the candidate would get involved in are:

• Managing, designing and populating employee intranet sites.
• Drafting news stories, case studies and features on activity within your area for internal communications and external use with stakeholders.
• Supporting the communications team in proactive and reactive issues management and crisis handling.
• Undertaking audits of communications activities and putting together recommendations for various different components.
• Co-ordinating events and webcasts for internal and external communications activities.
• Supporting the communications and marketing team in preparing brand PR campaigns, including day to day handling of the media.
• Research gathering in support of the communications team.
• Working with community partnerships and corporate responsibility teams to have an understanding of our work in these areas.

Digital Communications

The digital communications team within Corporate Communications manages GSK's corporate digital channels including GSK.com, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

The Digital Communications IP role offers the successful candidate an opportunity to help to drive GSK's digital engagement around the world.

You should be studying for a Computer Science, Multimedia, Communications or Media degree or a combined degree with any of these subjects. These could also include: Digital Media Communications, Web Technology, Web Development and Web Design.

You will have strong web technology skills and be competent with software and technologies used for creating and managing websites. Ideally, you should also have experience of using Content Management Systems.

The ideal candidate will have exceptional web programming skills including XHTML, HTML 5, CSS and will already be actively using social media.

Some of the key activities that the student would get involved in are:

• Help to develop and maintain the company's external corporate websites
• Provide expertise and insight into web-based communications and technologies
• Liaise with GSK's digital communications contacts around the world
• Research issues and topics that affect the business by monitoring websites and other digital media such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter