Journalist jobs in richmond, greater london

Hours: Full time (30 hours over 4 days)

Location: Flexible across England, Wales and Northern Ireland 

We’re looking for a passionate, proactive and experienced Senior Press Officer to join the media team. You’ll use your excellent comms skills to design and deliver media strategies that achieve cut-through in crowded media spaces, raise our profile and brand awareness, and support campaigns that deliver wins critical to building a fair, zero-carbon future.

As part of this role, you will bring to life our work as an environmental justice organisation and ensure that the voices of those most at risk and already hardest hit by the climate and nature crises, both in the UK and overseas, are at the centre of our media and comms stories.

Key Skills: 

• Extensive experience pitching and placing impactful stories across mainstream UK broadcast, online and print media.
• Proven relationships with journalists, editors, producers and broadcasters at national, regional and specialist climate and environmental outlets.
• Ability to work well under pressure, meet tight deadlines and respond quickly to reactive opportunities.
• In-depth knowledge of the UK media landscape and emerging comms trends.
• Extensive experience delivering successful news and PR strategies.
• Excellent writing skills with demonstrable ability to write for different audiences.
• Experience managing crisis comms and reputational risk. 

Key Attributes:

The successful candidate will have;

• Ability to work as part of cross-organisational teams to deliver impactful campaigns and integrated multi-channel comms moments.
• Proven ability to own and lead on key strands of press work and take decisions on the most suitable media approaches for delivering maximum impact.
• Proven ability to write media materials like reactive quotes, opinion pieces and longer form articles for publication to a high standard, for a variety of audiences and media outlets.
• Sound news judgement and an eye for a good story.
• Understanding of ethical story-gathering principles when working with spokespeople with lived experience and/or storytellers.
• Experience of working with volunteers and/or community groups, ideally supporting them to achieve media coverage or tell stories.

The team: 

The media team is small but mighty. We have some exciting and ambitious team objectives to deliver that look at how Friends of the Earth is turning up in the media, alongside continuing to achieve impressive levels of coverage of Friends of the Earth’s work. Together, we will work to deliver the campaign wins that are critical to building a safer, fairer future, harnessing the power of stories from the frontlines of the climate crisis to change hearts and minds alongside the voices of our talented and growing pool of spokespeople.

Closing date: Monday 5th May 2025 (23:59)

Interview Dates: week commencing 2nd June 2025.

Please note we only accept applications via the Friends of the Earth Application System.

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance including a 4-day working week with no loss of pay, excellent learning and development opportunities and a vibrant organisational culture. 

Our staff body is currently under-representative of People of Colour, LGBTQIA+ people and people with long term conditions or impairments. We are committed to eroding these historic barriers, so as to create a movement in which people from all walks of life see themselves in, and so we particularly encourage you to apply if you belong to one of these groups or sit at multiple intersections of disadvantage. We are committed to the Disability Confident standard and will guarantee an interview to any candidates who declare a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Friends of the Earth staff who publicly represent Friends of the Earth (including all campaigners) are not allowed to also represent a political party. This is to ensure that there can be no confusion in the minds of the public about Friends of the Earth's party-political independence. Affected staff should also seek permission from the Senior Management Team if they wish to hold a non-public facing official role in a political party. If this is an issue, please do raise this with us as soon as possible.

Friends of the Earth is an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the wellbeing of everyone in it. We lead campaigns, provide resources and information, and drive real solutions to the environmental problems facing us all. 

ABOUT US

Campaign Against Antisemitism is the UK’s leading organisation fighting antisemitism nationwide. Our volunteer-led charity is dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law.

We raise awareness through front-page media campaigns and major outreach events such as the March Against Antisemitism. Our litigation continues to set landmark precedents. We pride ourselves on working intelligently and fast to deploy innovative and aggressive campaigning strategies against antisemites.

Every year, we reach millions of people through our work in the media and social media. We have become a go-to source of information and comment for journalists, tens of thousands follow us on social media, hundreds of thousands read our website and our research is widely relied upon.

We are a small team of staff with our main office in London, working with hundreds of dedicated and talented volunteers. We operate with an entrepreneurial, positive, passionate and thoughtful mindset to accomplish our mission.

THE ROLE

The full-time Creative Communications and Events Officer works within the Communications team to help inform the public about antisemitism using a variety of media.

You will be joining our small, fast-paced, entrepreneurial staff team based at our office in central London.

The role brings a diverse set of responsibilities and an opportunity to work within a charitable organisation with a strong sense of purpose.

Responsibilities

• You will design graphics across our organisation, from social media posts and placards to pamphlets to pledge cards
• Work with creative colleagues to conceive and implement a variety communications campaigns to raise awareness about antisemitism and educate the public, sometimes at short notice and with tight deadlines
• Provide logistical support for communications projects, including scouting and booking locations, ordering materials, liaising with third parties and conducting internal research
• Plan, script, shoot and edit videos on various topics for different audiences on our numerous social media channels
• Growing our social media presence, including paid campaigns, to maximise reach and engagement
• Play a significant role in podcast production, from researching and booking guests to audio and visual editing
• Strategically planning and executing key events for the organisation throughout the year, ensuring maximum impact
• Design merchandise for our website and oversee the logistical aspect of sales
• Measure and analyse performance and outcomes of campaigns to increase reach and effectiveness
• Correspond with members of the public who write in to us
• Support units across our organisation in the preparation of materials relevant to their areas of work that conform to our house style and brand
• Work with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers in our pioneering Communications Unit

Skills required

• Excellent interpersonal skills and comfortable working as part of a growing team
• Creative and meticulously organised, even under pressure
• Ability to prioritise and respond quickly
• Fast-learner eager to take on responsibilities, learn new skills and adapt quickly
• Thrive in a fast-paced, mission-led environment
• Passionate about CAA’s mission and making a difference within a team
• Prepared when necessary to work out of hours to ensure that campaigns are implemented in a timely manner and that events are appropriately staffed

The ideal candidate will either be entry-level or have one or two years’ experience in one of the relevant areas, save that any candidate must be able to demonstrate a graphic design ability.

What you will gain

You will gain a wealth of experience in:

• Conceiving, producing and editing multimedia content that grabs and holds the attention of diverse audiences, including video and podcast production
• Graphic design for a range of different products in keeping with an organisation’s brand language and tone
• Social media management and marketing
• Managing logistics for diverse creative projects and developing and executing exciting events for supporters and stakeholders
• Working within a team of staff and volunteers and supporting others across a charitable organisation
• Building interpersonal skills in a fun and supportive office environment

You will play a key role in the development of CAA’s work in the UK and supporting its growth. You will receive training in areas where you do not yet have experience.

You will have the opportunity to be part of a charismatic, positive and passionate team.

About Open Cages

Open Cages is a UK-registered charity fighting animal suffering. We are part of an international organisation, Anima International. To achieve our goal we use scientific evidence, careful reasoning, and draw upon decades of collective experience. Just in the last few years, we have successfully helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the UK.

We are impact-oriented and use a wide array of tools to make the world a better place. Our current toolkit includes:

• Investigations which reveal the reality hidden behind the walls of factory farms
• Negotiations with companies to encourage them to eliminate cruel practices from their policies
• Advocacy to secure legal milestones for animals

At Open Cages we won’t stop until we end animal suffering. We would like to invite you to join us and help us achieve this goal.

What do you gain by working at Open Cages?

• Meaningful work – you will help build a world free from animal suffering.
• Time – you will be able to focus full-time on helping animals.
• High degree of flexibility – the work is almost totally remote and you will organise your working hours and workflow yourself.
• Trust – we expect you to make mistakes as a given and learn from them.
• Autonomy – you will experience freedom and independence in your decision-making.
• Transparency – you will have access to the work and decisions of others.
• Honest work culture – you will know what your colleagues are doing and what they really think.
• Knowledge – you will learn and receive support from people who have been fighting for animals for many years.
• Opportunity to grow – you will learn every day and be encouraged to experiment beyond your skill set.
• Ability to influence the organisation – we encourage our people to openly speak their mind and thus you will be able to impact what kind of organisation we are.
• A laugh – animal advocacy can be dark at times, we think that having a fun atmosphere is key to balance this.
• Transparently set compensation – Our salaries are not negotiable and are based on a transparent algorithm that is the same for each role.

Following a 3-month probation period, you will transition to a fixed-term contract. Upon successful completion of this term, you will be offered a permanent employment contract. A minimum salary of £39,695.24 gross (our salary base for people resident in the UK) will apply from the beginning of the probationary period. The salary base may change due to your previous experience related to the position, or your experience in animal advocacy (+3% for each year). In addition, the salary increases with your seniority in Open Cages according to the following model:

+ 7% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the first 5 years of work

+ 5% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 3% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 2% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next years of work

About your role

We are a small and ambitious early-stage organisation with two full-time team members. Our current objective: to help the 1 billion chickens raised annually in the UK. By joining us as a campaigner you will be both strategising and spending time on the frontlines, by talking to the biggest companies, producing investigative reports and giving media interviews. Your first task will be to help us convince the UK’s largest food businesses to improve their chicken welfare policies through public and behind-the-scenes advocacy. While this may sound challenging, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a historic change for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Someone has to pick up the fight, and we hope it will be You.

We can accommodate to you

Due to the broad scope of our work, there is no simple description of the perfect campaigner. There may also be certain areas where you are stronger than others, and we are open to fitting the role around you. We are looking for a generalist rather than a specialist. However, you do need to have some particular strengths such as resilience, persistence, creativity, and critical thinking. Ideally, some day, you will be able to lead a big team and transfer your knowledge to them.

No previous experience is required for this role. While experience will be valued (and reflected in the salary), we welcome applications from both seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers who align with our organisational culture.

What do we require from you?

• Strong belief in the mission of our organisation. Working for us should not be thought of as a ‘career step’. We want people who are motivated by our mission above all.
• Flexible availability. We think of ourselves as a small startup. The fate of the organisation rests on a handful of highly motivated advocates who want to do something ambitious with their lives. We want to maintain the intensity of our current operating culture, so you should expect to work the occasional weekends and late evenings.
• Not being an asshole. We expect you to treat others with respect, decency and compassion – even the occasional adversaries.
• A preference for hard work. Activism is our passion and one of the main motivations in life. To fit our culture, you have to be a person that is proactive and enjoys work.
• Growth mindset. Nobody knows how to fix the world, so we need you to keep learning. We constantly strive to be better at our activism, but also as people.
• Strong interest in a high-feedback culture. We have a culture of honest and direct communication. We talk openly about our strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis because we want to be the best. You will know what your colleagues really think of you and be encouraged to speak your mind.
• Ability to reason and communicate your thinking, especially in written form. In order to thrive in our organisation you must be able to think carefully, try to back up your ideas with reasonable evidence, and above all be open to being proven wrong and changing your mind.
• Fluency in English. You will be working in a UK-based organisation which will require constant communication with English speakers.
• Ability to work in the UK. This offer is open to candidates who are either currently UK-based, or are willing to move to the UK for the job. We are happy to do whatever we can to help you in relocating, depending on your needs and our ability. If you have any questions about what we can help with, don’t hesitate to write to us!

You do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. While all of our events provide only plant-based meals, we are open to anyone who wants to fight for a world that is free from animal suffering. We won’t turn down any help.

What will you do?

• Build culture – you will help build and reinforce our culture, so we never lose what makes up the strength of Open Cages.
• Embrace reality – you will make it your mission to understand the world as it is rather than as you would like it to be.
• Manage activists – you will manage and work with teams of both employed and voluntary activists.
• Experience frustration – you will feel frustrated about things you could do better or things that are not working in the organisation or your team, and use this frustration as an opportunity to refine and elevate our organisation.
• Question ideas – you will question common knowledge, especially your own ideas, so that our results are always as good as they can be.
• Optimise your performance – you will continuously deepen your knowledge – both about particular areas of animal advocacy and about how the world works – and enjoy this process.
• Prioritise action – you will act even when there is not sufficient data.
• Abandon projects – you will change your objectives when it makes sense, no matter the time already invested.
• Respect and trust others – you will be there for others and trust their intentions. You will support them when they succeed and when they fail.
• Seek information independently – you will be responsible for acting very independently which will require you to obtain and verify data.
• Make mistakes – you will embrace your mistakes without being ashamed with the desire to learn from them.
• Try again and again and again – the decision makers we want to reach often don’t want to improve animal welfare, others may simply not have time for you. In this role you will need extreme persistence in order to gain traction with companies.
• Build relationships – you will need social competence as you try to build trust and work with company executives to make progress for animals.
• Strategise – it is not easy to change the world. As a campaigner you will ask yourself endless questions. You will be responsible for campaign strategy which requires careful planning and the ability to think ahead.
• Take risks – negotiating in a high stakes meeting, attending a farming conference, organising a protest, taking 500 videos of a retailer’s chicken products for a BBC story (yes, we did this!) – in this role you will need to be comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Conduct research – you will spend many hours online gathering information, working with investigators and lawyers, or delivering 50 chicken products to a lab in Germany (we did this too).
• Create engaging content – you will produce emotive graphics and videos for social media, factual reports and data-driven briefings for journalists and politicians.
• Work with the media – you will engage with journalists, write press releases, and give the odd interview.
• Mobilise advocates – you will write emails to our supporters and motivate them to take action with us. You will also organise and run street actions like protests and stunts.

Do you think this role is too challenging and you're not fit for it?

You may be thinking that this role would be interesting for you, but you won’t make the cut. 

We encourage you not to worry and fill out the application nonetheless, especially if you meet our requirements (even on a basic level) and you think this position could bring you a lot of joy. Leave the judgment about your competence to us. You may even learn something useful along the way.

We prepared support materials to help you through the application process. We'll also be hosting informational webinars about this role and our recruitment process – click ‘Redirect to recruiter’ to see the website for more details.

ABOUT MORE IN COMMON

More in Common is a research agency working across the US, UK, Germany, France, Poland and Brazil to tackle polarisation and division. More in Common leads and supports initiatives to build more united, inclusive, and resilient societies. Our mission is to understand the forces driving us apart, help societies find common ground and bring people together to tackle shared challenges.

In the UK, our work is best described as being part consultancy and part think tank. We provide a full suite of research services including polling and focus group research; evidence reviews and secondary data analysis; audience mapping and audience strategy; strategic communications strategy and campaign development. More in Common are members of the British Polling Council.

Our work is informed by our ground-breaking segmentation of the British public. This unique values-based lens to our quantitative and qualitative research means we can understand not only what the public thinks on the big challenges facing British society today – but crucially why they think it.  Our insights help leaders in government, the media, business, and civil society to develop better strategies and communications – particularly in reaching disengaged communities far from the Westminster/London bubble – and to better navigate tricky and divisive issues.

Over the last year, More in Common has published agenda-setting thought leadership on a whole range of debates facing British society – from exploring the public’s starting points on climate action and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour; to understanding how the British public is navigating major debates from trans and gender identity to the conflict in Israel and Palestine; to highlighting the public’s expectations on mental health reform and what’s next for the levelling up agenda. Our work is regularly covered in the British press and media and we’ve developed a series of partnerships with broadcasters and newspapers to deliver top-quality research insights.

Through our consultancy, More in Common has also supported dozens of partners with insights and strategic communications support. We’ve helped national institutions such as the BBC, British Library and National Trust to better understand and communicate with their audiences, we’ve helped partners in government and civil society with the set-up and delivery of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and we’ve supported a range of partners to prepare campaigns, messaging and policy proposals from the National Farmers Union to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation among many others.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

More in Common is seeking a full-time Research and Data Analyst as we grow our team and advance our mission of building a more united and inclusive UK, where all people feel respected, better understood, and share a sense of belonging. More in Common UK is a small team with a start-up culture where everyone is expected to execute a range of responsibilities. The Analyst will serve as a key member of the UK team, supporting our core areas of research, communications, partnership, and client work. The role will be based in our London office Monday-Thursday with Friday at the office or working at home. The postholder will report to our Research and Analysis Manager.

Analysis

• Translating public opinion data into insights for diverse audiences including policymakers, media, and the general public

• Performing analysis using techniques including cluster analysis, multi-level regression modelling, conjoint analysis and MaxDiff analysis

• Telling compelling stories through creative data visualisation

• Proactively expanding the team’s analytical capabilities

Research

• End-to-end project management for public opinion research projects from design to execution, analysis and presentation of insights

• Conducting quantitative fieldwork including survey drafting and executing advanced survey experiments

• Upholding a culture of best research practice, including supporting global colleagues with research queries

Dissemination and partnerships

• Managing external relationships with clients, partners and research vendors

• Identifying and recruiting new partners and opportunities across business, civil society and the public sector

• Designing insights products to disseminate our insights and research

• Developing press releases for journalists, including conducting data checks

• Drafting and co-authoring public-facing research reports and briefings

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Proficiency in coding in R is a requirement for this role.

Beyond this, the following would be an asset:

• Demonstrated expertise extracting meaningful insights from complex data sets

• Strong data visualisation skills, with the ability to communicate insights to diverse audiences

• Good understanding of statistical methods including regression modelling and hypothesis testing

• Keen interest in learning new analytical techniques

• A track record of project management

• Curiosity for understanding and engaging people, and a desire to tell new stories that focus on building upon common ground in Britain today

• An understanding of the UK political system and a keen interest in current affairs and UK public policy

• Professional background in public opinion or market research would be desirable. 

APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE 

Visit our website for a full role profile, details of how to apply, and indicative interview process and dates. 

Maternity Cover June 2025 – April 2026

Post Title Digital Marketing and Communications Officer

Responsible to  Director of Fundraising, Communications and Marketing

Purpose of post The delivery of SCT digital marketing and communications activities

Salary£33,000

Hours 35 hours per week

Line management             N/A

Location                            Hybrid working between home, SCT Head Office and SCT sites in East London

Additional Benefits: BUPA Employee Assistance Programme 

 BUPA Wellbeing plan 

Cycle to work scheme 

Season ticket loan 

25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with length of service) plus bank holidays. 

Contributory Pension Scheme with employer matched contributions of 5% 

Training and Development opportunities  

Hybrid working

INTRODUCTION

Spitalfields Crypt Trust (SCT) is an East London charity, providing practical help, support and training to people affected by homelessness and addiction. We are passionate about the people and communities we support and embrace creative, innovative and inclusive ways of working.

We provide a residential addictions treatment programme, supported housing, training and development opportunities and a highly effective Housing First service. Our nine charity shops and two social enterprises put us at the heart of diverse East London communities.

You will join a Fundraising, Marketing and Communication team committed to working collaboratively and sharing knowledge, ideas and skills, to create a supportive culture. This is something we are proud of and believe is at the heart of our success.

Over the past year, we have transformed our communications, updating our brand and messaging. In this role, you will use your creativity to continue to deliver a vision set out by our Digital Marketing and Communications Manager during their maternity leave.

We seek to recruit people with a good combination of talent, skills and potential, promoting equality for all.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In this role, you will have the opportunity to use your experience and creativity to deliver an exciting digital, marketing and communications plan, including

Digital Marketing

Create engaging brand social media content and publishing it across our channels, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok.

Support services, fundraising and retail marketing on social media, including implementing paid-for advertising.

Create and edit photography and video content for our website and social media channels

Create and send out marketing emails using MailChimp and report on their performance.

Monitor responses on our social media channels, ensuring messages and comments are responded to in a timely manner.

Support our WordPress website, including updating pages and uploading posts and stories, and look for opportunities for search engine optimisation.

Monitor the performance of our WordPress website and ensure that senior managers are alerted to any issues that arise.

Communications

Write case studies, blogs and other written content, working with colleagues across the organisation.

Design posters, flyers, brochures and reports using Canva, ensuring they are within the SCT brand.

Ensure any materials adhere to SCT brand guidelines.

Retail marketing

Work in collaboration with charity retail colleagues to:

Develop collateral for SCT Shops and Social Enterprises, ensuring materials are high quality and within the SCT brand.

Ensure there is a regular flow of compelling social media content that creates customer loyalty and reaches new customers.

Other duties

Work with the Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications and colleagues across SCT on the implementation of our 60th anniversary campaign.

Maintain a marketing calendar and project plans using ASANA.

Work with the Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications on PR activities, engaging with journalists and the media, influencers and other stakeholders.

Work in collaboration with colleagues in SCT services teams.

·Attend events and be willing to occasionally work outside working hours (TOIL will be given).

·Actively keep up to date with new developments in marketing and communications.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

 Essential

Digital Marketing

A minimum of two years managing social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linked in.

A good understanding of GDPR legislation and how it relates to digital marketing.

Demonstratable experience of running a WordPress website, planning and uploading content and monitoring its performance

A demonstratable understanding of SEO and Google ads.

Demonstrable experience of managing paid for digital ads via Meta business manager.

Experience of producing creative and impactful social media content, including photography, video and audio materials.

Experience of creating compelling and creative marketing emails using e-mail marketing software such as Mail Chimp.

Experience of working with colleagues to develop their content creation skills and improve their understanding of social media.

Communications and marketing

A love of storytelling and excellent written communication skills, with the ability to write accurate copy for different audiences

Desireable

Proven experience of working within brand guidelines and advising others on brand execution.

Experience using CANVA to produce marketing materials in-house.

Demonstratable experience of managing a marketing calendar and leading planning meetings with internal stakeholders.

Experience in using ASANA or similar project management software.

Experience of working in a charity and working closely with fundraisers to promote their campaigns and activities.

Experience in charity retail marketing

Personal qualities

A proven ability to work with a range of internal and external stakeholders

A creative self-starter, with the ability to try new ideas and have the confidence to fail fast, test and learn.

A demonstrable interest in emerging ideas and developments in digital marketing and communications.

The ability to work with people with lived experience of homelessness and addiction, ensuring all interactions are carried out sensitively.

ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.

What you’ll do

Leading our communications team, the Head of Communications is responsible for strategic and tactical communications activity at ShareAction, covering both traditional media and our digital team.

The role is key to ensuring our visibility and thought leadership and promoting our campaigning activity. Today’s news agenda is moving increasingly fast, and this role will be critical to ensuring that we keep on top of developments and the opportunities and risks that these present.

As the Head of Communications, you will lead the team to business partner with all functions of ShareAction, from campaigning on the European banking sector to policy advocacy and our presence at AGMs.

A usual week will see you scanning the landscape, advising on reputation and positioning on emerging issues, as well as overseeing the delivery of tactical media and digital outputs.

As part of this role, you will regularly be engaging with journalists and others in the media landscape using your skills to ensure coverage, enhance our reputation and influence the financial sector and real-world companies. You will help ShareAction work towards our vision by positioning us as a voice of authority and a highly effective campaigning organisation.

If this role sounds like something that would build on your current skill set and engage you, we’d love to hear from you!

What you’ll bring to the team

We want to hear from you if you have experience across media and digital communications and, particularly, in strategic communications. The role is right for someone with skills in narrative building, a keen eye for avoiding jargon and the ability to communicate technical language clearly and succinctly.

We think this role would suit someone who has previous experience in a campaigning communications role and who enjoys telling powerful stories.

While we hope we’ll find someone with the majority of these skills and experience, we’re keen to hear from you even if you don’t have them all. We appreciate lots of skills are transferable, and we welcome opportunities to explore different ways of achieving our goals.

We have a formal hybrid working policy in place, and the communications team meets in the office on at least a weekly basis. As a team that works across the organisation, we acknowledge the value of spending time with colleagues from across the organisation in person. There is, therefore, an expectation that you will be able to attend the office or meetings on a regular basis.

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently, we are pleased to offer:

• A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
• Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
• Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• 8% non-contributory pension: invested with NEST and their green funds.
• A healthcare plan with Bupa.
• An employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
• Death in service cover of 3x salary.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9:00 am on Monday 28th April 2025.
First interviews: w/c 5th May 2025 (online).
Second interviews: w/c 12th May 2025. 

To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Senior Communications Manager

Salary: up to £45k 

Term: Permanent 

Line manager: Head of Policy and Advocacy 

Background:

Our vision is a world where data is at the heart of understanding and decision-making 

Founded in 1834, the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) is one of the world’s leading organisations advocating for the importance of statistics and data. We’re a professional body for all statisticians and data scientists – wherever they may live. 

We have more than 12,000 individual members in the UK and across the world. As a charity, we advocate for the key role of statistics and data in society, and work to ensure that policy formulation and decision making are informed by evidence for the public good. 

The membership of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) constitutes a preeminent source of statistical expertise. Members work with RSS staff to support our work across areas such as policy development, education, training, statistical communication, and statistical literacy. Communicating what we do is important to ensure that our work has impact, and that our members are informed. 

Job Purpose:

The main purpose of this role is to lead and coordinate communications activities across the Society’s policy and external affairs activities, ensuring that our work is communicated strategically and visible to appropriate audiences.

Key responsibilities:

Understanding opportunities and the changing external environment  

• Develop our understanding of the preferences and needs of our key internal and external audiences to better align our policy and external affairs communications to those preferences and needs. 
• Monitor and respond to emerging trends to ensure our communications channels and content for policy and external affairs remain timely and relevant.
• Build a network of key contacts across critical and adjacent organisations to maximise potential routes into influencing decision-making and make the best use of resources through collaborative working. 

Development of strategies and plans

• Lead on strategic communication of the Society’s campaign priorities
• Contribute to the development of the Society’s communications strategy across media, social media and communications planning.
• Work closely with colleagues across the organisation to maximise the communications value of the Society’s key policy and external affairs outputs and activities.
• Contribute to costed plans for communications campaigns that meet key strategic goals and include monitoring for impact.

Media relations

• Lead on the Society’s media relations work – proactively identify and exploit appropriate media opportunities to promote campaign priorities, drafting media statements and managing launches and announcements.
• Develop and maintain relationships with journalists across our key topic areas and respond to press queries. 
• Expertly advise, assist and brief the Society’s key spokespeople in respect of media relations issues and opportunities. 
• Manage, and develop the Society’s statistical ambassador scheme, supporting individuals and ensuring we have a pipeline of spokespeople that reflects the diversity of the data professions.

Content creation and editorial

• Develop communications content including blogs, press statements, posts and thought pieces to communicate our campaigns and policy work. 
• Contribute to the operation of the Society’s social media accounts, working with wider staff to ensure we are reflecting the breadth of the Society’s activities across the various platforms.
• Produce write-ups of events and roundtables.

External affairs

• Work with the CEO and Head of Policy and Advocacy to identify and develop relationships with external stakeholders, both UK-based and international and across government, civil society, academia and business, acting as a convenor, trusted advisor and critical friend. 
• Lead on the Society’s statistical excellence awards programme, including developing and maintaining relationships with awards sponsors to ensure the awards are both impactful and financially sustainable.
• Lead on the planning and delivery of policy focused events 
• Support the publication, launch and dissemination of relevant outputs across the policy team, and work with colleagues to ensure relevant and timely and communication of policy positions to support policy and advocacy objectives. 
• Maintain a database of relevant stakeholders.

Management

• Monitor and report on progress and performance against targets. 
• Project manage campaigns, external affairs and communications activities, ensuring that work is appropriate, of high quality, and sufficient volume to maintain presence and reputation. 
• Manage the budget for the communications function.

Interfaces with other teams and groups 

• Contribute to a cross-RSS communications group to share comms plans and outputs and identify opportunities for synergy and collaboration. 
• Provide support to key Society groups, for example the Campaigns Advisory Group. 
• Work with staff responsible for business development to pursue sponsorship opportunities where appropriate. 
• Engage with teams across the organisation to identify comms opportunities to advance our campaign priorities.

Person Specification

• Significant relevant experience in media relations and external affairs 
• Excellent written / oral communication skills, including writing, editing, sub-editing and proofreading 
• Excellent organisation, project and budget management skills
• Ability to work effectively, managing multiple projects and deadlines and reprioritising and achieving results in a changing environment.
• Ability to work on own initiative, escalating issues where appropriate. 
• Experience organising events in a policy context 
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to persuade, inspire, influence, achieve results through others. 
• Collaborative team worker: proven ability to work efficiently and effectively with colleagues, committees, volunteers, and people with a wide range of perspectives, and to foster consensus. 
• Ability to establish and develop an extensive network of external contacts in the industry.
• Work closely with members of the Society who provide expert support on a voluntary basis including the President and Vice-President for External Affairs.

Desirable

• Interest in or experience of statistics, research, or other aspects of the Society’s work 
• Familiarity with developments within data science, statistics, machine learning, AI and related subject areas. 
• Experience working with volunteers. 
• Scientific background or experience. 

Working for the RSS

Pension and benefits

Our defined contribution pension scheme can be joined after three months in post. Your contributions of up to 8% of salary will be double matched by the Society (making a maximum contribution by the Society of 16%). A training budget, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and employee assistance programme are also available. 

Location

The RSS office is in central London. We offer flexible working arrangements, and this is a hybrid role with a minimum two days a week working in the office. In person attendance for certain meeting is required, including all-staff / team meetings and governance / committee meetings that take place in person. Limited travel within the UK and internationally may be required.

Working hours

35 per week full-time. Applications for job shares, part-time and flexible working will also be considered. The post-holder will be the point of contact for any out-of-office hours press queries. 

Holidays

25 days per annum, plus bank holidays and an additional shut down between Christmas and New Year. 

Probation

This post is subject to a six-month probation period.

How to apply:

Applications should be sent to via email and be in the form of a supporting statement telling us:  

• Why you should be considered for the role and how it fits with your career
• How your skills and experience align with the person specification  

Please also send us your CV.

Note that applications by CV-only will not be considered. We may arrange interviews before the deadline has passed. Any questions about the role should also be sent via email. If you are interested in applying but cannot do so until nearer the deadline, please email us to register your interest. 

About Open Cages

Open Cages is a UK-registered charity fighting animal suffering. We are part of an international organisation, Anima International. To achieve our goal we use scientific evidence, careful reasoning, and draw upon decades of collective experience. Just in the last few years, we have successfully helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the UK.

We are impact-oriented and use a wide array of tools to make the world a better place. Our current toolkit includes:

• Investigations which reveal the reality hidden behind the walls of factory farms
• Negotiations with companies to encourage them to eliminate cruel practices from their policies
• Advocacy to secure legal milestones for animals

At Open Cages we won’t stop until we end animal suffering. We would like to invite you to join us and help us achieve this goal.

What do you gain by working at Open Cages?

• Meaningful work – you will help build a world free from animal suffering
• Time – you will be able to focus full-time on helping animals
• High degree of flexibility – the work is almost totally remote and you will organise your working hours and workflow yourself
• Trust – we expect you to make mistakes as a given and learn from them
• Autonomy – you will experience freedom and independence in your decision-making
• Transparency – you will have access to the work and decisions of others
• Honest work culture – you will know what your colleagues are doing and what they really think
• Knowledge – you will learn and receive support from people who have been fighting for animals for many years
• Opportunity to grow – you will learn every day and be encouraged to experiment beyond your skill set
• Ability to influence the organisation – we encourage our people to openly speak their mind and thus you will be able to impact what kind of organisation we are
• A laugh – animal advocacy can be dark at times, we think that having a fun atmosphere is key to balance this
• Transparently set compensation – Our salaries are not negotiable and are based on a transparent algorithm that is the same for each role

Following a 3-month probation period, you will transition to a fixed-term contract. Upon successful completion of this term, you will be offered a permanent employment contract. A minimum salary of £39,695.24 gross (our salary base for people resident in the UK) will apply from the beginning of the probationary period. The salary base may change due to your previous experience related to the position, or your experience in animal advocacy (+3% for each year). In addition, the salary increases with your seniority in Open Cages according to the following model:

+ 7% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the first 5 years of work

+ 5% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 3% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 2% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next years of work

About your role

We are a small and ambitious early-stage organisation with two full-time team members. Our current objective: to help the 1 billion chickens raised annually in the UK. By joining us as a campaigner who focuses on communications, you will work on the frontlines by shining a light on the hidden suffering of animals trapped on factory farms, and mobilising the public to take action. Your first task will be to help us convince the UK’s largest food businesses to improve their chicken welfare policies, primarily through crafting media stories and marketing campaigns that capture the hearts and minds of the public.

While this may sound challenging, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a historic change for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Someone has to pick up the fight, and we hope it will be You.

We can accommodate to you

Due to the broad scope of our work, there is no simple description of the perfect campaigner. There may also be certain areas where you are stronger than others, and we are open to fitting the role around you. We are looking for a generalist rather than a specialist. However, you do need to have some particular strengths such as resilience, persistence, creativity, and critical thinking. Ideally, some day, you will be able to lead a big team and transfer your knowledge to them.

No previous experience is required for this role. While experience will be valued (and reflected in the salary), we welcome applications from both seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers who align with our organisational culture.

What do we require from you?

• Strong belief in the mission of our organisation. Working for us should not be thought of as a ‘career step’. We want people who are motivated by our mission above all.
• Flexible availability. We think of ourselves as a small startup. The fate of the organisation rests on a handful of highly motivated advocates who want to do something ambitious with their lives. We want to maintain the intensity of our current operating culture, so you should expect to work the occasional weekends and late evenings.
• Not being an asshole. We expect you to treat others with respect, decency and compassion – even the occasional adversaries.
• A preference for hard work. Activism is our passion and one of the main motivations in life. To fit our culture, you have to be a person that is proactive and enjoys work.
• Growth mindset. Nobody knows how to fix the world, so we need you to keep learning. We constantly strive to be better at our activism, but also as people.
• Strong interest in a high-feedback culture. We have a culture of honest and direct communication. We talk openly about our strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis because we want to be the best. You will know what your colleagues really think of you and be encouraged to speak your mind.
• Ability to reason and communicate your thinking, especially in written form. In order to thrive in our organisation you must be able to think carefully, try to back up your ideas with reasonable evidence, and above all be open to being proven wrong and changing your mind.
• Fluency in English. You will be working in a UK-based organisation which will require constant communication with English speakers.
• Ability to work in the UK. This offer is open to candidates who are either currently UK-based, or are willing to move to the UK for the job. We are happy to do whatever we can to help you in relocating, depending on your needs and our ability. If you have any questions about what we can help with, don’t hesitate to write to us!

You do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. While all of our events provide only plant-based meals, we are open to anyone who wants to fight for a world that is free from animal suffering. We won’t turn down any help.

What will you do?

• Build culture – you will help build and reinforce our culture, so we never lose what makes up the strength of Open Cages.
• Embrace reality – you will make it your mission to understand the world as it is rather than as you would like it to be.
• Manage activists – you will manage and work with teams of both employed and voluntary activists.
• Experience frustration – you will feel frustrated about things you could do better or things that are not working in the organisation or your team, and use this frustration as an opportunity to refine and elevate our organisation.
• Question ideas – you will question common knowledge, especially your own ideas, so that our results are always as good as they can be.
• Optimise your performance – you will continuously deepen your knowledge – both about particular areas of animal advocacy and about how the world works – and enjoy this process.
• Prioritise action – you will act even when there is not sufficient data.
• Abandon projects – you will change your objectives when it makes sense, no matter the time already invested.
• Respect and trust others – you will be there for others and trust their intentions. You will support them when they succeed and when they fail.
• Seek information independently – you will be responsible for acting very independently which will require you to obtain and verify data.
• Make mistakes – you will embrace your mistakes without being ashamed with the desire to learn from them.
• Strategise – it is not easy to change the world. As a campaigner you will ask yourself endless questions. You will be responsible for campaign strategy which requires careful planning and the ability to think ahead.
• Try again and again and again – the decision makers we want to convince often don’t want to improve animal welfare, others may simply not have time for you. You will need extreme persistence in order to gain traction with companies.
• Take risks – negotiating in a high stakes meeting, attending a farming conference, organising a protest, taking hundreds of videos of a retailer’s chicken products for a BBC story (yes, we did this!) – in this role you will need to be comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Conduct research – you will spend many hours online gathering information, working with investigators and lawyers, or delivering chicken products to a lab in Germany (we did this too).
• Create marketing content – you will produce graphics and videos for social media, and utilise marketing tools to reach millions of people.
• Work with the media – you will engage with journalists, write press releases, pitch stories and be animals’ voice on the radio and TV.
• Mobilise advocates – you will write emails to our supporters and motivate them to take action with us. You will also organise and run street actions like protests and stunts.
• Connect with diverse audiences – you will need to talk about the suffering of animals to very different groups of people that compose our society. To do that effectively, you will need to understand their perspective and be a good, empathetic communicator.
• Ask for support – you will help us fundraise to increase our impact.

Do you think this role is too challenging and you're not fit for it?

You may be thinking that this role would be interesting for you, but you won’t make the cut. 

We encourage you not to worry and fill out the application nonetheless, especially if you meet our requirements (even on a basic level) and you think this position could bring you a lot of joy. Leave the judgment about your competence to us. You may even learn something useful along the way.

We prepared support materials to help you through the application process. We'll also be hosting informational webinars about this role and our recruitment process – click ‘Redirect to recruiter’ to see the website for more details.

Communications and Events Officer

Job Description and Person Specification

Job title Communications and Events Officer

Hours 28 hours per week (can be flexible on work pattern)

Salary £27,000 FTE £21,600 actual pro rata

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office – please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below. Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive

Reports to Policy and Communications manager

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, carers, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision:

People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission:

We advocate for more inclusive and person centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities.

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support.

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The Role

The purpose of the Communication and Events Officer role is to:

• Communicate National Voices’ all relevant organisational output to members, decision makers, external influencers and media, including policy, improvement, lived experience and insight work.
• Assist the organisation to plan, develop and deliver content and logistics for our operations teams’ internal event commitments, including supporting on the Annual General Meeting, board events and staff team days etc.
• Work with voluntary sector organisations and people with the greatest health and care needs to develop National Voices’ communications positions and deliver against funded project work

The role will be a mix of communications and internal events work, with 75% of the role focused on communications.

Responsibilities

Deliver on our communications work

· Develop engaging content that conveys National Voices messages to members, external stakeholders, and media (including managing the day to day running of social media platforms) to maximise the reach and impact of the organisation’s policy messages and funded project work

· Support the Policy and Communications Manager with media relations activity by drafting media statements, liaising with journalists and other media activity as required

· Create National Voices’ membership content, including member newsletters and member blogs

· Oversee and manage process of external design of National Voices reports with designer

· Manage the comms and events calendar and work with internal and external team to schedule project releases and other events

· Support the maintenance of National Voices’ website, keeping the site up to date and coordinating input and content from National Voices staff and members.

· Coordinate the production of key publications, from liaising with partner organisations to overseeing design and production

· Communications administrative tasks including developing and maintaining press list, tracking press coverage and social media analytics data

· Support operation team’s internal comms around job postings, organisational policy changes, and office announcement.

Support the operations team internal events programme

· Work across the organisation to support our internal events programme including leading on some events. This includes support on logistics like venue booking, arranging catering and providing technical support.  

· Support the creation and development of materials for events and presentations.

· Support in the organisation of our Annual General Meeting and board events where needed.

· Work with the team to lead on staff social events.

· Provide ad hoc support to the operations team as required.

General

· Take a pro-active approach to including our members and people with lived experience in all areas of our work.

· Support the senior team in identifying potential new members and funding opportunities where possible.

· Follow processes set out to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work.

· Support good project, financial and data management.

· Contribute to the team’s planning activities and undertake other relevant duties as appropriate.

· Deputise for other members of the team when needed.

· Check the post when in the office and flag important notices with relevant members of staff.

· Be prepared to take part in full day events, including providing planning and support

· Be prepared to take part in events outside of core hours, when sufficient notice has been given

Person Specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

· Passionate about National Voices’ mission and work.

· Proactive, flexible and responsive

· Comfortable working in a team, as well as under own initiative

· Calm under pressure and able to work to tight deadlines.

· Committed to reducing inequality and embracing diversity.

· Comfortable with a range of views and perspectives and keen to make connections and build relationships.

· Willing and confident to assert views, constructively challenge others and receive constructive feedback.

Skills and abilities

· Strong communication skills, both written and oral.

· Able to synthesise complex information and present it in simple and impactful ways.

· Strong organisational and project management skills, including demonstrable ability to prioritise workload and maintain quality.

· Excellent people skills, able to work collaboratively and flexibly in a small, friendly team, and communicate and collaborate with a wide range of external stakeholders at all levels

· Ability to embed clear and reliable processes amongst a team of creative and busy people

· Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office programmes, CRM systems, online conference/meeting software and other programmes where required.

· Able to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to-face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time.

We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

Equality and Inclusion

As reflected in our Equality Action Plan, we are committed to being a truly diverse organisation. We want to ensure that our trustees, staff members, lived experience partners and volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique perspectives and experiences. We want to ensure that everyone feels heard and is fully able to participate and thrive.

We are committed to diversifying our team in order to broaden the insight and experiences we can draw on, and to do our work more credibly. So we strongly encourage people from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, and people who live with health conditions or disability to apply. Our offices are fully accessible and we are an LGBT+ friendly employer. Men are currently underrepresented in our team so we would welcome applications from men and non-binary people.

We welcome applications from people who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. For some roles, you may be asked to undergo a basic or enhanced DBS check, but you will only be deemed ineligible for roles which relate to any offences on your criminal record.

We have a range of benefits in place to ensure everyone can thrive, for example:

· We are a Disability Confident employer

· We offer enhanced parental and sickness leave

· We offer flexible working wherever possible

· We provide our employees with an annual wellbeing allowance

· And much more

Application guidance

Please submit a cover letter along with a CV to apply.

Applications should be addressed to our Director of Policy and External Affairs, Sharon Brennan, and submitted through CharityJob.

Please apply by Monday the 5th May 2025

We will let you know the outcome of your application by 9th May 2025

Interviews will be held on 20th May 2025 on Teams

Please note, we will be blind shortlisting all applications, so we ask you not to include your name in your application.

If you are invited to interview, we will ask you about any reasonable adjustments you will need to be able to participate. We will share interview questions in advance of the interview. If you require any adjustments at any stage of your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Matthew Haslehurst Director of Finance and Operations.

Please specify any access or other requirements of which we need to be aware for the online interview.

Samaritans’ award-winning Media and Communications teams work with the media and stakeholders to responsibly raise awareness of suicide prevention and reach those who are struggling to cope.

​

​In this exciting role and working with our award-winning rail programme, the Media and Communications Manager will take the lead in developing, delivering and managing Samaritans’ communications and media activity relating to rail suicide prevention in order to raise awareness, engage supporters & stakeholders and positively influence the wider media’s reporting of suicides.

​

• £40,000-£42,000 per annum

• 12 month fixed term contract

• Full time (35 hours per week) with flexible working

• Hybrid working: Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office. There is an option to occasionally work from an office space in London Bridge.

• In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. Staff are expected to work in person around 2 days per month.

• We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences.

The Role

​This post will operate at a national level alongside similar posts in the rail industry. It will seek to develop ties with all train operator and Network Rail communications team and will play a key role in delivering Samaritans messages at a national level.

​

This position will work across both the Network Rail Partnership team and the External Affairs team in order to provide dedicated focus, resource and specialist expertise – providing a conduit for these skills and colleagues in the rail sector.

​

Skills and experience you’ll need

In this role, you’ll need experience of working in a press office, PR agency, or similar role within a wider communications team or media outlet, having developed excellent communication and written skills, along with a good working knowledge of UK media landscape, a strong news sense and experience selling-in.

​

Working with stakeholders across the rail industry, you’ll have experience of influencing, negotiating and, ideally, partnership working. Warm, personable and friendly, you’ll have strong interpersonal skills and be able to build and maintain relationships with many different groups of people.

​

Highly organised and able to work under pressure to meet deadlines, you’ll be a self-starter with experience of successful project management. You’ll need compassion and resilience to work with exposure to incidents and stories that may be upsetting.

​

Why join Samaritans 

Samaritans is one of the UK and Ireland’s best known and respected charities - our vision is that fewer people die by suicide. As the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt across our society, Samaritans is needed more than ever. If you want to make a real difference to people’s lives – this is the role for you.

​

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Working at Samaritans

For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure on our careers website.

​

Being Inclusive

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from Disabled, BAME and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

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Application 

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please upload your CV and a cover letter (2 page max), outlining your motivations for applying and your transferable skills and experience. Applications close at 9 am on 6 May, with first stage video interviews soon after. 

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Whilst we appreciate that the use of generative AI functions like ChatGPT is quickly becoming part of working life for many people, through our recruitment process we want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths. Therefore, we kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, cover letter or to generate interview answers.

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Apply today and make a real difference to people’s lives.

Policy and Communications Manager

Job Description and Person Specification

Job title Policy and Communications Manager

Hours 28 hours per week (can be flexible on work pattern)

Salary £42,000 FTE Actual for this role £33,600 pro rata

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office – please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below. Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive

Reports to Director of Policy and External Affairs

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, carers, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision:

People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission:

We advocate for more inclusive and person centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities.

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support.

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The Role

The purpose of the Policy and Communications Manager role is to:

• Deliver against our National Voices’ policy and project work through a programme’s life cycle, from inception to delivery and evaluation, and within budget
• Manage our communications work to our members and external stakeholders to successfully communicate all relevant organisational output including policy, improvement, lived experience and insight work.
• Work with voluntary sector organisations and people with the greatest health and care needs to develop National Voices’ deliver our policy and communications positions in line with our strategy and members priorities.

The role will be a mix of policy and communications, with 75% of the role likely focused on policy.

Responsibilities

Management oversight

· Manage projects or programmes which are significant in terms of income, profile or risk, and which are often delivered in partnership with others.

· Identify possible future partnerships, follow-on work and funding opportunities that arise from our policy and external affairs work, including from stakeholder relationships, and proactively work to secure income

· Line-manage staff, in the first instance our Communications and Events Officer, to include appraisals, setting objectives, monitoring performance and supporting development.

· Support the policy and external affairs team to deliver against our priorities and projects, including deputising for the Director of Policy and External Affairs, working in sync with other team managers and holistically supporting junior staff members

Deliver against our policy priorities and projects

· Identify, monitor and evaluate policy issues to formulate new policy positions, taking responsibility and action for our position on specific policy areas. This may include developing policy briefings, position papers, consultation responses, blogs, reports, letters and other policy and public affairs documents that capture our policy positions.

· Lead on policy projects from inception to delivery and evaluation including keeping to a set budget where appropriate.

· Develop and collate qualitative and quantitative policy evidence, from analysing previous reports and external stakeholder guidance to developing and delivering against workshops, focus groups, round tables, engagement events and in-depth interviews.

· Work with voluntary sector organisations and people with the greatest health and care needs to understand their experiences, perspectives and ambition using methods laid out above but with a willingness to adapt and flex where needed.

· Connect with policy and comms stakeholders both within our membership and in the wider policy landscape, to spot and make connections among members and to deliver against our five-year strategy objectives

· Work with the wider team to consider how our we evaluate and monitor the success of our project work and our wider influencing wins

· Represent National Voices at external events and conferences where required

Deliver on our communications work

· Work with the Communications and Events officer to help them develop engaging content that conveys National Voices messages to members, external stakeholders, and media to maximise the reach and impact of the organisation’s policy messages and funded project work

· With the support of Communications and Events Officer support media relations activity by drafting media statements, liaising with journalists and other media activity as required

· Manage the sign-off of relevant comms materials including social media, member newsletter, blogs, articles and media statements

· Liaise with senior external stakeholders such as from the Department of Health and Social Care, including attending relevant briefings, and supporting larger joint press activity with other stakeholders when required.

· Oversee management of comms and events calendar, which will be proactively compiled by the Policy and Communications officer, especially where there are conflicts or competing needs

· Along with other managers provide a second review of reports we produce including ensuring adherence to brand guidelines

General

• Take a pro-active approach to including our members and people with lived experience in all areas of our work.
• Support the senior team in identifying potential new members and funding opportunities where possible, as well as costing and drafting bids or supporting others to do so.
• Follow processes set out to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work.
• Support good project, financial and data management.
• Contribute to the team’s planning activities and undertake other relevant duties as appropriate.
• Deputise for other members of the team when needed.

• Be prepared to take part in full day events, including providing planning and support
• Be prepared to take part in events outside of core hours, when sufficient notice has been given

Person Specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

• Passionate about National Voices’ mission and work.
• Proactive, flexible and responsive
• Comfortable working in a team, as well as under own initiative
• Calm under pressure and able to work to tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Committed to reducing inequality and embracing diversity.
• Comfortable with a range of views and perspectives and keen to make connections and build relationships.
• Willing and confident to assert views, constructively challenge others and receive constructive feedback.

Skills and abilities

• Excellent communication skills, including written and oral, including stakeholder engagement
• Demonstrable experience in delivering against a policy influencing agenda
• Able to synthesise complex information and present it in simple and impactful ways.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, including demonstrable ability to prioritise workload and maintain quality.
• Excellent people skills, able to work collaboratively and flexibly in a small, friendly team, and communicate and collaborate with a wide range of external stakeholders at all levels
• Experience in Identifying and developing funding opportunities, ideally including costing and drafting bids
• Ability to embed clear and reliable processes amongst a team of creative and busy people
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office programmes, CRM systems, online conference/meeting software and other programmes where required.
• Able to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail
• Previous line management experience is preferred

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to- face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time. We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

Equality and Inclusion

As reflected in our Equality Action Plan, we are committed to being a truly diverse organisation. We want to ensure that our trustees, staff members, lived experience partners and volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique perspectives and experiences. We want to ensure that everyone feels heard and is fully able to participate and thrive.

We are committed to diversifying our team in order to broaden the insight and experiences we can draw on, and to do our work more credibly. So we strongly encourage people from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, and people who live with health conditions or disability to apply. Our offices are fully accessible and we are an LGBT+ friendly employer. Men are currently underrepresented in our team so we would welcome applications from men and non-binary people.

We welcome applications from people who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. For some roles, you may be asked to undergo a basic or enhanced DBS check, but you will only be deemed ineligible for roles which relate to any offences on your criminal record.

We have a range of benefits in place to ensure everyone can thrive, for example:

· We are a Disability Confident employer

· We offer enhanced parental and sickness leave

· We offer flexible working wherever possible

· We provide our employees with an annual wellbeing allowance

· And much more

Application guidance

Please submit a cover letter along with a CV to apply.

Applications should be addressed to our Director of Policy and External Affairs, Sharon Brennan, and submitted through CharityJob.

Please apply by Monday the 5th May 2025

We will let you know the outcome of your application by Friday 9th May 2025  

Interviews will be held on 22nd May 2025 on Teams

Please note, we will be blind shortlisting all applications, so we ask you not to include your name in your application.

If you are invited to interview, we will ask you about any reasonable adjustments you will need to be able to participate. We will share interview questions in advance of the interview. If you require any adjustments at any stage of your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Matthew Haslehurst Director of Finance and Operations

Please specify any access or other requirements of which we need to be aware for the online interview.

Kentown Support is a new charity, here to ensure that every child with a life-limiting condition and their family across the UK has access to a model of integrated community children’s palliative care. We will:

· REPLICATE and roll out the Kentown model to reach more children;

· CREATE sustainable teams around the child and family; and

· EQUIP professionals and parents/carers with the knowledge and expertise to deliver the best health and social care for children with life-limiting conditions through high-quality research, education and training.

Our Marketing and Communications Manager will play a key role in growing our reach and influence, building Kentown Support’s brand across the children’s palliative care sector.  

In this home based role, you will use your creative flair to develop and deliver strategic communications and marketing plans to our audiences using a range of channels. Working closely with colleagues, partners and service users, you will lead and implement all aspects of our communications’ strategy: Brand management & development, Web & social media, PR & Media and Storytelling & publishing.

We are building a compassionate and high performing organisation at Kentown Support.  We are looking for an ambitious, energetic and collaborative colleague who has both a passion for their work and the difference it can make to children and their families. This is a rare opportunity to join an incredible charity at the beginning of its journey.

With the privilege of starting a new organisation is the ability to define the way in which we work.  We are creating an environment based on trust and integrity with everyone’s wellbeing at the of core of its success.  More traditionally, Kentown Support also offers 25 days’ holiday (pro rata) with an additional day off in your birthday month, 2 paid volunteering days (pro rata), an employee assistance program (including death in service) and 6.5% employer’s contribution to our workplace pension.

Job purpose

To support and deliver effective communications, including marketing and digital engagement activities, which raise awareness of Dementia Carers Count and foster connections with our community of carers, campaigners and donors. Your work will help us reach and support more carers, raise funds and campaign for changes which will ensure that no dementia carer feels isolated, invisible or alone. 

Key responsibilities  

•Understand our cause, linked issues, and how these are publicly perceived 

•Horizon scan to spot social and news trends as well as potential influencer targets 

•Manage our social platforms, keeping abreast of media and public zeitgeist about our cause and related issues. You will design and deliver paid advertising campaigns and monitor, respond, share, engage, comment on posts, according to our guidelines and with responsibility for reputation management 

•Share audience insights with colleagues to ensure effective stewardship of all our defined audiences 

•Support development of media relationships. You will curate press and media lists and respond to media queries, with shared out of hours responsibility.

•Draft statements and press releases and pitch ideas for articles and features, developing copy as needed and tracking coverage 

•Support user-led story telling as part of content creation, including interviewing carers about their experiences and identifying opportunities to share carers’ voices in our materials 

•Draft website copy and develop assets for digital use and printed materials which communicate our key messages and brand and which support specific campaigns 

•Review and monitor evaluation and reporting metrics to provide regular and campaign-based management information relating to the success of digital and media activity 

•Support effective cross-organisational internal communication 

•Adhere to all relevant legislative and regulatory obligations relating to marketing, digital and communications 

•Carry out other duties commensurate with this post as requested. 

About SafeLives

We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.    

Last year alone, 14,000 professionals received our training. Over 80,000 adults at risk of serious harm or murder and more than 100,000 children received support through dedicated multi-agency support designed by us and delivered with partners. In the last six years, over 4,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change by interventions we created with partners, and that’s just the start. 

Together we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.

About the role

As part of a team, this post will support the Policy, Public Affairs and Communications Manager to advance internal and external stakeholder communications and the development of, and public and political interest in, a more strategic approach to perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week.

Location: Bristol/London/remote, with occasional travel across UK.

About The Drive Partnership

The Drive Partnership, formed by Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance, is working to transform the national response to perpetrators of domestic abuse. We work to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together we have developed the Drive Project to address a gap in work with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse. We also work to advocate for systems and policy change- to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Benefits

• 34 days' holiday incl. public holidays
• Flexible working e.g. compressed hours
• Cycle to work scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Pension scheme with 4% employer contribution
• Childcare vouchers
• Employee assistance programme
• Clinical supervision
• Holiday purchase scheme to buy up to an additional 5 days
• Enhanced family leave policies
• Enhanced sick pay
• Professional development fund
• Individual learning budget
• Restorative practice training
• Time off in lieu 

If this challenge sounds as exciting to you as it does to us and you believe you have the qualities we have described, please take a look over the job description and submit a 500-word cover letter and CV.

Closing date: 9.00am on Monday 5th May 2025.

SafeLives is a committed provider of equal opportunities for all; please see our job description for full details.

No agencies, please.