Communications Manager

Full time hours of work are 9am to 6pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5.30pm Friday.  Work outside of core hours may be required for events.  Part time and flexible working applications are welcome. 

Job Description

The successful applicant will line-managed by and work closely with the Head of Practice Management (HoPM). It is essential though that they are self-motivated and can work independently as the role has sole responsibility for communications.

Key tasks

·       To establish and maintain a communications strategy and plan for Chambers, utilising the latest in digital communication methods.

·       To manage the promotional activities of Chambers, its Practice Teams, and individual members, by managing and developing:

o   Its website and social media,

o   Webinars, podcasts and other digital training methods,

o   In-person training and promotional events.

·       To assist the HoPM by promoting Chambers to professional clients.

·       To manage the promotion of Chambers via the media.

·       To manage and promote engagement with legal associations, charities and NGOs to further the ethos and business of Chambers.

·       To promote Chambers and its members to relevant legal directories.

·       To assist with the development and promotion of campaigns organised or joined by Chambers.

·       To undertake internal communication work building a culture of engagement across Chambers.

The above tasks will include:

·       Identifying newsworthy cases and issues upon which Chambers may wish to engage, including through liaising closely with members of Chambers and the Practice Management Team (PMgT) to identify notable cases and issues upon which we may wish to engage.

·       Working under the direction of the HoPM to assist in the practice development of individual members.

·       Engaging barrister members and pupils to produce high quality training and promotional material for the website and social media, including content production such as webinars, podcasts and vlogs.

·       Ensuring the website is:

o   Accessible, attractive, interesting and as useful as possible to our professional and lay clients,

o   Optimised to achieve top search engine ranking,

o   Up to date, with members’ pages regularly reviewed, and news items frequently added,

o   A source of training materials and information relating to our work and ethos, including webinars, vlogs, blogs and ‘how to’ guides.

·       Ensuring a variety of social media platforms are utilised to optimise the footprint of Chambers, and to promote news about Chambers’ cases and other activities as quickly, professionally and as widely as possible.

·       Identifying potential new clients to the PMgT and assisting them in the promotion of Chambers.

·       Maintaining and developing professional client contact lists, mailing lists and databases, in conjunction with the Practice Teams and PMgT.

·       Coordinating, advertising and managing training and promotional events in conjunction with Practice Teams and the PMgT.  This to include maximising outcomes from events.

·       Liaising with outside bodies, including legal associations, charities and NGOs to promote the engagement of members of Chambers and the standing of Chambers as a whole.

·       In conjunction with the HoPM and individual members, coordinating and drafting submissions to legal directories.

·       Developing and maintaining effective relationships with journalists, media outlets and prominent actors in the human rights field to optimise the exposure of members and Chambers as a whole. 

·       Maintaining and developing promotional material for Chambers to reflect and promote its ethos.

·       Assisting with the production of Chambers promotional material, including sophisticated marketing materials by utilising the latest advertising platforms optimised for social media.

·       Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on key communications activities, to help refine and improve the strategy.

·       Working to a budget set by the Chambers’ AGM and reporting to the Staffing / Planning Committee and Chambers’ Meetings as requested.

Person Specification

The individual will have:

·       A clear understanding and commitment to the ethos of Chambers.

·       Experience of developing and maintaining an organisational communications strategy.

·       The ability to think creatively and demonstrate a very high level of attention to detail.

·       A strong technical understanding of website and social media platform management and content production.

·       Experience of the use of a range of digital communications for promotion and development.

·       Experience of planning remote, in-person and hybrid events from inception to delivery including working with outside agencies.

·       The ability to draft clear, engaging copy and undertake editing, under pressure.

·       Strong interpersonal skills.

·       The ability to work both in a team and on own initiative.

·       Strong administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise.

The successful applicant will be confident and articulate, and may have relevant experience in the NGO, international organisation, development or charity sector.  A general understanding of the way the legal profession is organised and works will be helpful but not essential.

We offer excellent working conditions in a friendly and modern environment; training opportunities; annual pay reviews; a contributory pension scheme; and 25 days paid annual holiday in addition to statutory bank holidays and any weekdays when Chambers is closed.

The covering letter is your opportunity to tell us why you would like to work at Garden Court North Chambers and to highlight the skills and experience you have which make you a suitable candidate for this role. 

Applications without a CV and covering letter will not be considered.

The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 28 October 2024. This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment.