Communications jobs in west byfleet, surrey

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.

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​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.

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• £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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Job type: Full-time or part-time

Location: Centrally located, light and airy office with great views on Regent Street, London. Hybrid working possible, minimum 3 days per week in office.

Benefits: 25 days’ holiday allowance, flexible working, occasional 1-2 days extra holiday for Christmas period. Part-time holiday allowance will be pro-rated. 

Reports to: Chief Project Officer at the Global Returns Project

Timetable: Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis

Preferred start date: 2nd June 2025

 

What we are looking for

We’re looking for a highly motivated individual to play a key role in helping us grow our supporter base, communicate our impact and keep our operations running smoothly.

You’ll be someone who enjoys writing and communicating clearly, whether that’s through social media posts, stakeholder newsletters or event invitations. You’ll be confident using digital tools and keen to learn how to manage and improve our new CRM system and website content.

You’ll be a highly organised multitasker who’s excited to contribute across a wide variety of projects – from events and fundraising campaigns to charity research and donor stewardship. You’ll thrive in a small team, taking initiative and juggling priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

You’ll care deeply about climate and nature and be motivated to make a meaningful difference in this decisive decade for our planet. There will be opportunities to develop skills across all aspects of GRP’s work, with support from a collaborative and experienced team.

Skills required

1. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
2. Strong digital literacy and confidence using online tools
3. Team-player with a collaborative working style
4. Time management and self-organisation skills
5. Ability to take initiative, identify problems, and solve them creatively
6. Very high attention to detail
7. Ability to conduct thorough, independent research
8. Excellent understanding of, and passion to address, climate change and biodiversity loss

Skills preferred but not required

1. Experience organising events or coordinating logistics
2. Experience using a CRM platform (e.g., Beacon, Salesforce, etc.)
3. Familiarity with website content management systems (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace)
4. Basic data handling or analysis skills (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets)

Main duties and responsibilities

Communications (30% of work)

• Write and publish short regular newsletters for GRP’s stakeholders, including portfolio donors, wealth adviser partners and donors to operating costs.
• Manage and publish weekly content for GRP’s social media accounts, including LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Manage and curate content for GRP website, ensuring information is accurate, up-to-date and maximising opportunities to attract new donors and supporters.
• Coordinate with GRP’s third-party web developer on website maintenance and regularly re-evaluate site structure/functions to maximise its efficacy and usability.

Event planning (30% of work)

• Lead coordinator for in-person and virtual events, in line with events strategy devised by Strategic Relationships Manager.
• Lead event promotion and liaise with venues, speakers, catering, attendees, videographer, graphic designer, etc to ensure events are well-attended and well-run.

Research (20% of work)

• Drive ad-hoc research projects to support GRP’s partnership-building, core fundraising and portfolio selection/assessment efforts.
• Analyse potential sectors and charities for inclusion in GRP’s charity portfolio.
• Identify and research high-quality trust and foundation leads in line with core fundraising strategy.
• Identify and research high-quality leads for wealth adviser or other corporate partnerships.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) (20% of work)

• Manage GRP’s new CRM system (Beacon) on behalf of team, ensuring the team uses the CRM system consistently, accurately, and effectively. No prior experience with CRMs required – training will be provided.

For 140 years, the Forces Employment Charity has proudly supported Service leavers, veterans, and their families in building successful civilian careers.

We provide veterans with life-long, life-changing support, jobs, and training opportunities, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Brief role description:

The Communications Manager will play a key role in sharing the inspiring and powerful stories of our clients and the wider military community we support across the UK. They will be responsible for securing high-profile, meaningful media coverage that raises awareness of our mission to provide life-long, life-changing support, employment and training opportunities to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families. As we mark our 140th anniversary, this is a pivotal time for the Communications Manager to develop and deliver an integrated communications strategy across PR, traditional and new media, social media, and public affairs. Reporting to the Head of Brand and Communications, you will work closely with the Marketing Manager and the Community Engagement Manager and their teams to ensure consistent and aligned messaging across all marketing and
communication activity.​​

Interested? Want to know more about the Charity? Please visit the Charity Website

Eager to know more the role? Have a look at the Job Description attached.                                                                           

What’s in it for you? Check out the Benefits sheet attached.

Have we convinced you to apply? If so, submit your CV and Covering Letter by closing date Wednesday 14 May 2025.

 

​Please note: Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert; therefore, we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. ​If you are an internal applicant, please ensure you have made The People Team aware before applying.​

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff by fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone, including those with disabilities, can thrive, develop, and achieve their full potential. We actively encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and ensure reasonable adjustments are made to support candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.​

​We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process.

Purpose of the job

 We are seeking a highly skilled Communications Manager to lead and deliver strategic communications across all key external audiences. This role is central to driving awareness of the impact of UK Youth’s work, amplifying the voice of young people, and advocating for urgent action to support youth work and organisations across the UK. It is a demanding role, requiring close collaboration with the Head of Brand, Communications & Marketing, CEO, and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to enhance visibility and engagement at the highest levels. 

Key responsibilities

 Strategic Communications & Messaging:

• Develop and execute UK Youth’s external communications strategy to increase awareness, engagement, and advocacy. 

• Craft compelling messaging that effectively communicates the impact of our work, the challenges facing young people, and the importance of youth work. 

• Ensure consistency of messaging across all communication channels and materials. 

 Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Support the Head of Brand, Communications & Marketing in delivering high-profile campaigns and media strategies. 

• Partner with the CEO and SLT to enhance their visibility, providing strategic communications support, speechwriting, and media briefings. 

• Build and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders, including policymakers, funders, and media contacts. 

 Media & Public Relations:

• Lead on media engagement, securing press coverage that highlights UK Youth’s impact and advocacy efforts. 

• Draft press releases, opinion pieces, and statements that position UK Youth as a leading voice in the youth sector. 

• Manage reactive and crisis communications, ensuring UK Youth’s reputation is protected and strengthened. 

 Campaigns & Content Development:

• Develop and oversee the production of high-impact content, including reports, blogs, speeches, and social media materials. 

• Lead on storytelling initiatives that amplify young people’s voices and highlight the real-world impact of UK Youth’s work. 

• Work collaboratively with the marketing team to align messaging across digital and traditional channels. 

 Advocacy & Influence

• Ensure UK Youth’s communications support and enhance policy and advocacy work. 

• Develop materials that translate complex policy issues into compelling, accessible messages. 

• Support campaigns that mobilise public and stakeholder support for greater investment in youth work. 

Experience

• Proven track record in strategic communications, public relations, or media engagement, preferably within the charity, public, or advocacy sectors.

• Experience managing high-profile campaigns that drive awareness, engagement, and action.

• Strong background in stakeholder engagement, including working with policymakers, funders, media, and senior leadership teams.

• Experience developing and delivering crisis communication strategies.

• Knowledge of the youth sector, social justice issues, or non-profit communications is highly desirable.

Who we are

UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. We work with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened, supported, and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed and delivers high-quality outcomes.

UK Youth plays a unique role in addressing; the lack of investment in the youth sector, the lack of cross sector understanding in how youth work makes a difference and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions. These factors lead to mass inequality of access to youth services for young people. To find more about us and how we make an impact, please visit UK Youth Website.

Why work at UK Youth?

 UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. We have influence as a sector-supporting infrastructure body, a direct delivery partner and a campaigner for social change. As outlined in our 2025 #unlockingyouthwork strategy, we believe youth work is a catalyst for change that young people need now more than ever. We play a unique role in addressing; the lack of investment into the youth sector, the lack of cross-sector understanding of how youth work makes a difference and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions.

 We are building a movement of change; galvanising likeminded individuals, organisations, government, and businesses from all sectors, to work together and deliver system change for all young people. Together we will create a society that understands, champions, and delivers effective youth work for all.

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: Wednesday 14th May at 11:59PM (midnight)

Provisional Interview Date: TBC 

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

The focus of parkrun’s Communications Team is to make sure that parkrun’s communications are ‘always on’, accessible, inclusive and reaching those that too often are under-represented. The team also provides first-class support and guidance to the entire charity, working closely with outreach, and with our commercial team, which covers fundraising, partnerships and retail.

Working closely with the junior parkrun Impact and Engagement Manager, the Senior Communications Officer will proactively lead and shape the marketing communications activity for junior parkrun. They will provide expert communications project management to plan, deliver and report on a variety of internal and external campaigns. The role has a particular focus on junior parkrun, with the aim of increasing participation amongst groups that are marginalised from opportunities to take part in social, physical activity, and who may be inactive/less active or in lower states of health.

We're looking for a talented and versatile communications officer to help grow our communications and supporter base and increase our impact for the children with complex disabilities and their families who we support.

This is an exciting time for our charity as we are developing ambitious growth plans and we want to increase our social media and digital presence to engage with a wider audience.

You will be expected to lead on our social media strategy, planning, producing and delivering content for all our audiences, and engaging with social media connections to grow our community. You will also be responsible for increasing engagement via our website, e-news and direct digital and offline communications. 

We're looking for a natural storyteller with attention to detail, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to turn their hand to a wide range of tasks, striving for excellence while building relationships and working collaboratively with staff from across our small charity.

Key responsibilities include:

• Create a social media strategy that builds our community and engagement across our current active platforms of Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and considers the use of other platforms
• Develop and maintain our website to provide and easy and rewarding experience that seamlessly transitions users to the next stage of their journey
• Develop and manage our communications calendar to ensure coordinated planning and communications activity
• Build and manage our range of audience groups, including monthly e-news, email marketing, hardcopy reports and newsletters, and assist with donor stewardship communication
• Support our engagement with external media organisations, using all opportunities to gain positive media coverage
• Support the development of data and reporting processes to help build an insight-led understanding of our audience groups and to inform our marketing and engagement plans
• Assist with the production of our digital assets and communications using digital design software where appropriate

The successful candidate will have strong social media knowledge and experience, as well as experience of building reach and engagement across digitial, printed or in-person communications. They need to be a collaborative team player, willing to learn from and work with staff from across the organisation, and the ability to multitask and juggle different projects and deadlines simultaneously. They will also have a passion for our cause - helping the families of children with complex disabilities get the support they need with the aim of preventing them from going into crisis.

About the role
As Head of Communications and Marketing you will lead the communications team to deliver a high-impact strategy to promote the work of the Foundation. You will manage the continuous evolution of the Foundation’s profile and brand, coordinating and delivering compelling content for a range of audiences across all channels. You’ll work closely with senior leadership to align the Foundation’s goals to the work of the team to support the delivery of our mission to empower women to start, grow and sustain successful businesses. For full information on this role, please download the job pack.

What the Foundation can offer you
A fantastic package of 28 days of annual leave (which includes three that must be taken during the festive break).
An organisation that values you. As a smaller organisation, we value everyone’s individual perspective and voice and all team members are able to contribute to our strategic planning.
Professional development, with career growth built into each staff member’s annual plan and a wide range of skills-building and learning opportunities provided. Each staff member has an annual £1,000 training budget.
A positive, supportive and collaborative culture and leadership style. We encourage teamwork and open and honest communication, while maintaining a friendly and relaxed atmosphere where everyone can thrive.
A focus on personal wellbeing and happiness, with regular team-building activities and line manager meetings that as well as your personal wellbeing.

About the Foundation 
The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women exists to create a future where women everywhere enjoy equal economic opportunities so they can thrive. Together with partners around the world, we work with women in low and middle income countries so they can start, sustain and grow successful enterprises. We collaborate to create fairer business environments so women are not constrained by gendered barriers and can reach their potential on their terms.

Since 2008, our training and mentoring services have supported 300,000 women to build successful micro, small and medium enterprises in over 100 countries. By blending insights from research, strong partnerships and pioneering technology we open doors for women entrepreneurs to skills, confidence, networks, finance and markets. We press for change to stop millions of women being held back from having the choice and opportunity to thrive.

We are looking for a communications officer who can create  interesting and moving content about our dedicated teams and their patients and service-users. There’s plenty of material to work with - our district and school nurses, urgent community responders, rehabilitation therapists, health visitors and other clinical teams, save and change lives every day.

You will thrive in a busy environment and have the confidence to work autonomously and proactively in a small and friendly team. You will have excellent writing skills with good attention to detail and a flair for photography. You will also be a great listener and gain the trust of colleagues throughout the organisation quickly.

Managing our social media channels will be an important part of the role; you'll be familiar with Google analytics and other evaluation tools and will be comfortable translating analytics into narrative. Being able to manage your time effectively will be crucial - you'll be juggling various projects at any given time and will need to know what can wait and what needs to be prioritised.

Last year in our staff survey, 98% of our staff said they were proud of the services we deliver and 97% said they enjoyed their job. When asked to identify the one best thing about working at Your Healthcare, the most frequently mentioned theme was ‘a supportive team and colleague relationships’. If that sounds like the sort of place you'd like to work, we'd like to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

• Creating content, managing and evaluating social media outputs
• Celebrating the work of colleagues internally via the staff bulletin, intranet and direct communication channels
• Creating content for the website and recognising appropriate news stories to share externally
• Attending events and providing photography and commentary
• Using Canva and similar design tools to create communications materials
• Managing the communications area on the staff intranet along with the news carousel and a number of corporate areas.
• Drafting internal messaging for all-staff communications.
• Advising colleagues on appropriate language for patient information.
• Deputising for the marketing and communications lead where appropriate.

This is a full-time post and is for 37.5 hours per week, although 0.8 FTE may be considered. The usual working hours are 9-5 and will be Monday - Friday.

You will be mostly based at Hollyfield House in Surbiton although you will also need to be able to travel to our other sites as needed, Surbiton Health Centre and Teddington Memorial Hospital. You will need to attend a limited number of events locally also.

Purpose of the job

 We are seeking a passionate and skilled Communications Officer to play a key role in enhancing both our internal communications and engagement with our network of youth organisations. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, has a talent for storytelling, and understands the importance of clear, effective messaging.

Key responsibilities

Network Communications

• Develop and deliver engaging content for newsletters, emails, and online platforms to keep our network of youth organisations informed and engaged 

• Develop and deliver engaging communications of our programmatic work, along with the creation of communication plans in partnership with our Network Delivery team

• Create compelling stories and case studies that highlight the impact of our work and the achievements of our partners 

• Manage and update communication materials and resources for youth organisations 

• Support in the planning and execution of events, webinars, and campaigns that connect and inspire our network 

• Work with the Communications Manager and Marketing Manager to identify opportunities and case studies for other external audiences

• Understanding of the use various communication methods and channels

• Excellent copy writing skills, ensuring brand guidelines and tone of voice are consistent across all messaging

Internal Communications

• Support the development and delivery of internal communications strategies to ensure staff and key stakeholders are informed and aligned 

• Support CEO with all across organisation communications

• Write and edit internal newsletters, updates, and key messages

• Work closely with different teams to gather and share insights, success stories, and key initiatives

• Develop and manage internal communication platforms and explore innovative ways to enhance engagement. 

Experience

•  At least two years’ experience in communications, marketing, PR, or a related field, ideally within a charity, non-profit, or purpose-driven organisation.

• Experience in writing and creating engaging content for different audiences across newsletters, emails, websites, and social media.

• Familiarity with both internal and external communications, including staff engagement, stakeholder messaging, and storytelling.

• Experience using digital communication tools such as email marketing platforms, CMS, or social media scheduling tools.

• Exposure to event coordination, campaign support, or content creation for events/webinars.

• Experience managing communication materials and ensuring consistency in messaging and branding.

Who we are

UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. We work with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened, supported, and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed and delivers high-quality outcomes.

UK Youth plays a unique role in addressing; the lack of investment in the youth sector, the lack of cross sector understanding in how youth work makes a difference and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions. These factors lead to mass inequality of access to youth services for young people. To find more about us and how we make an impact, please visit UK Youth Website.

Why work at UK Youth?

 UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. We have influence as a sector-supporting infrastructure body, a direct delivery partner and a campaigner for social change. As outlined in our 2025 #unlockingyouthwork strategy, we believe youth work is a catalyst for change that young people need now more than ever. We play a unique role in addressing; the lack of investment into the youth sector, the lack of cross-sector understanding of how youth work makes a difference and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions.

 We are building a movement of change; galvanising likeminded individuals, organisations, government, and businesses from all sectors, to work together and deliver system change for all young people. Together we will create a society that understands, champions, and delivers effective youth work for all.

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: Wednesday 14th May at 11:59pm (midnight)

Provisional Interview Dates: TBC

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

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.

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.

£42,000 per annum
Full time – 35 hours per week
12-Month Contract
Location: Hybrid – Minimum 2 days per week in Head Office in Cheam, Surrey (Tuesday is a set office day)

Our client can’t always prevent the tricky, stressful, sad stuff from happening. But when it does happen, they help current, former and retired civil servants get the best support. Join them as they embark on the next phase of their strategy to ensure they can be there when people need them the most.

It's an exciting time to join their organisation – they are growing and our ambition is to grow faster over the coming 5 years. This role will work as part of a Charity that is working to embed itself back into the heart of the UK Civil Service. You will work with interesting and skilled people both in the Charity and in the UK Civil Service.

They need an ambitious Communications Manager to help them get there! This is a key role in supporting the delivery of their overall communications strategy and annual communications plans. In this role, you will help them to increase awareness, grow participation and drive long-term loyalty within their community, so they can continue to be there when people need them.

The Communications Manager will be working with colleagues across the organisation, while also managing communications contacts across their priority areas and employers within our community. This role will be servicing multiple stakeholders and diverse strands of work simultaneously, whilst delivering on target and on time.

This is a pivotal project management role, working closely with the Head of Communications and three Communications Coordinator colleagues. You will be demonstrating your experience as a sound all-around digital marcoms expert. You are savvy in campaign delivery skills, working with various communication channels, with a track record of delivering outcomes with and via your team.

They are looking for a successful communications professional, preferably with significant experience in the charity/ not-for-profit sector who has managed communications functions and campaign delivery with breadth, context and scale.

To be successful in this role, you'll ideally have at least 5 years’ experience working in a similar communications role, with at least three of those managing and developing multiple marcoms campaign delivery. You’ll be experienced in delivering and coordinating income generation campaigns, CRM data management, website and digital development, as well as monitoring and reporting on digital performance.

In return, they can offer you excellent benefits including a health cash plan, Headspace, life assurance, excellent pension, generous annual leave, birthday leave, and interest free loans for season tickets and their cycle to work scheme.

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter that states why you would be suitable for this role. The closing date for applications is 5pm on 12 May 2025. Interviews will be held online on 22 and 23 May. Second stage interviews to be held the week after. Please let them know in your covering letter if either of these dates would be difficult for you or if you need any adjustments to enable you to perform to your best at interview. No agencies, please.

Our client is committed to building and developing a workforce which reflects the diversity of the civil service community that they support. They seek to ensure all job applications are treated fairly, with respect and without bias and they encourage applications from suitably experienced candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief, or any other factor.
 
You may have experience of the following: Senior Communications Officer, Communications Lead, Digital Communications Manager, Campaigns and Communications Manager, Strategic Communications Manager, Marketing and Communications Manager, Communications Program Manager, Public Relations and Communications Manager, Content and Communications Manager, Engagement and Communications Manager, etc.
 
REF- 221 060

Are you a skilled communicator, a strong team player, and a have a great eye for detail? You could be our new digital content and communications officer!

This is an exciting role, offering the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects within Girlguiding. The digital content and communications officer works closely with the wider communications team, as well as other teams across the organisation. In this role, you’ll manage small scale digital content projects, and plan and deliver effective and impactful communications. You’ll help us grow and deliver great products for our members, volunteers and parents, to help nearly 300,000 girls have amazing experiences. 

If you have experience working using content management systems, planning communications in a complex organisation, and a gift for building positive, collaborative relationships, then we’d love to hear from you.

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.