Flipping Heck: Why I've Written A Reverse Job Description
- Dan Bowsher | Sett Social
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
MY REVERSE JOB DESCRIPTION
Organisations create briefs to attract the right kind of candidate to apply for their job openings, so I thought, 'Why not turn the tables and see how it plays out?' This is my reverse job description for prospective employers. If you'd like to pass this on, or introduce me to someone this might appeal to, I'd be very grateful.
ROLE TITLE: Senior Comms Wingman
RECRUITER: Dan Bowsher
LOCATION: Hybrid / Remote
TERM: Permanent, Interim, or Contract (quick start negotiable)
SALARY: Represents excellent value
Due to the overwhelming pull of returning to a proper team environment, a rare opportunity has arisen to bring a seasoned comms strategist in-house.
After nearly eight years of independent advisory work, I'm ready to swap the solo trail for the buzz of building something together. I’m officially open to joining an organisation that takes its work seriously, but knows how to have a bit of fun along the way.
WHAT I BRING TO THE ROLE
If successful, your business will secure a pragmatic, creative comms leader with 25 years of mileage clocked up across blue-chip, agency, and independent roles, including:
Rich Experience & Hands-On Approach: A decade spent building Vodafone’s consumer social and digital comms infrastructure means I know how to navigate complex organisations, handle delicate reputation issues, build great integrated campaigns, and collaborate with agency partners.
Executive Counsel & Positioning: Comfort advising senior leaders, from FTSE 100 and NYSE firm exec leaders through to challenger-brand founders. I've helped a fair few of them find their voice on platforms like LinkedIn.
Solid Storytelling Skills: From getting photocopiers and niche software platforms covered by the press, to leading major consumer social campaigns and building executive profiles, I’ve turned my hand to a wide variety of comms tasks.
Teamwork & Capability Building: Happy managing, upskilling, and mentoring in-house marketing and comms folks. And I’m a big fan of a collaborative, cross-functional approach to solving problems.
Self-Sufficiency: Having run my own show for nearly eight years, I know how to get things done, and when to pull the experts into the conversation. I also have a track record for spotting and embracing emerging platforms to drive comms forward.
Arch-Pragmatism: I’m completely outcome-driven. I want to understand why I’m doing something, and what success looks like on the other side. I focus on building trust through my actions, and constructively challenging where I see wasted or misdirected effort.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE EMPLOYER (WHAT YOU MUST BRING)
To qualify for this candidate, your organisation should meet the following criteria:
Demonstrably Great Culture: You have a legitimately values-led, culture-first ethos. You actively encourage directness, good humour, and constructive debate.
Engaged Leadership: The decision-makers lead by example, and support or challenge with respect and transparency
Team Energy: You foster an environment where people share the wins, tackle bottlenecks together, and actually enjoy working with one another.
Training & Development: You understand your people are keen to bring new ideas and skills to their roles, which is precisely why you give them access to some fantastic learning resources.
Facilities & Benefits: Decent coffee, flexible working, smile-inducing annual leave and pension contributions, and (ideally) a pleasant office space to drop into.
PACKAGE & PERKS INCLUDED WITH THE CANDIDATE
Integrated Comms Capability: 25 years of experience spanning earned, owned, and paid channels, meaning I see the whole picture, not just one silo.
Fully Equipped Remote Setup: Comes complete with a well-established home office for seamless plug-and-play output from day one.
Team Player & Community Builder: Founder of Newbury Marketing Folk (a local peer network), men's mental health podcast host (GoodEnoughChats), workplace mental health first aider, and youth football coach (where encouraging vibes trump tactical masterclasses).
Character Flaws Included: A lifelong commitment to Sheffield Wednesday, a modest running habit, and an eclectic taste in music that makes playlist handovers interesting.
HOW TO APPLY
If you feel your company could be a good fit, and you’re looking for a senior comms pro, interim counsel, or strategic wingman, applications are open. You're welcome to book a time to suit you here, or drop me a note (details below) to organise a chat, discuss an in-house role, or troubleshoot a narrative bottleneck.
WORRIED THAT YOU DON’T MEET ALL THE DESIRED CRITERIA EXACTLY?
Every company is unique, with multiple aspects to its identity and different experiences behind it. I’m passionate about working in a place where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about having me join your team but you’re not sure the company aligns exactly with every part of this job description, I encourage you to apply, as you may well be the right employer. I can then help your recruitment team see how the company fits my needs and expectations.
I believe every company can benefit from hiring me, and I won’t knowingly discriminate against any principled people doing good things.
dan@settsocial.com / 07872148542
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowsher/
Business website: https://settsocial.com
Passion project website: https://goodenoughchats.com
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