Communications & Campaigns Officer

As Communications and Campaigns Officer, you will raise the profile of Action Foundation to champion our services for refugees and asylum seekers across the North East. Working closely with staff, volunteers and clients, you’ll gather stories and lead on lived experience storytelling. You’ll also coordinate our campaigns (including fundraising), media relationships and digital channels (social media, website & newsletters) to strengthen public awareness of the issues affecting the people we serve.
You’ll be part of our Business Development & Communications Team, contributing to creative campaigns, growing our audience, and helping us build stronger connections with supporters, donors, fundraisers and partners. This role is perfect for someone who is organised, collaborative and passionate about clear, impactful communication that drives real change.
 

Reports to: Business Development and Communications Manager
Hours: 35 hours per week full time
Location: Newcastle office with option for hybrid working (minimum 3 days per week in the office)
Contract: Permanent contract, subject to passing a 3-month probation period
Salary Scale: £28,683.57 - £31,669.91 per annum plus 6% pension contribution
Annual Leave: 28 days + English Bank Holidays
Other benefits: Flexible working, hybrid model, access to Employee Assistance Programme & clinical supervision

Organisational context
Action Foundation is an award-winning charity that supports and empowers asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the North East to overcome immediate barriers, integrate with the community, and build skills for the future. The charity delivers its services across the Tyne & Wear region with our main offices being in Newcastle Centre, close to the Quayside. Over 20 years, the charity has grown to support more than 3,000 people a year with approximately 80 volunteers, 30 staff and a turnover more than £1.5 million.
This is an exciting opportunity to join Action Foundation at a pivotal point in our strategy development. Alongside delivering engaging communications and campaigns, you will help shape how we tell our story, challenge misconceptions, build understanding of migration issues and strengthen our profile across the region. You will be comfortable balancing long-term planning with responding to emerging opportunities, trends and media stories.

Application deadline is 12 noon on 15th October 2026.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a first stage informal interviews will be held online 2nd November giving you a chance to ask any questions about the role.
Second stage interviews are planned to be held in person on w/c 9th November at Action Foundation, Melbourne Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2JQ.

Duties & Responsibilities
Communications and Campaigns Strategy:
- Create and deliver an ambitious Communications and Campaigns strategy, aligned with our organisational goals and Business Development strategy.
- Track performance and report back to the Business Development and Communications team on how we improve engagement and achieve impact.
Communications and Storytelling
- Tell powerful human stories to combat othering and challenge the hostile environment.
- Ensure ethical storytelling principles and organisational safeguarding, GDPR and consent policies are strictly followed.
- Create engaging written content including social media, website and email channels that grows our audience and deepens engagement.
- Keep up to date with current affairs, including developments within the migration sector and public debate, identifying opportunities to join relevant conversations and amplify our voice.
Media & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Liaise and advise on Crisis Communications, including challenging misinformation and harmful narratives.
- Develop and nurture journalist relationships, secure media coverage and respond to media requests.
- Write press releases, organise media interviews and brief staff and clients in line with safeguarding and consent guidelines.
- Produce and disseminate promotional materials (impact report, leaflets, brand assets), working with designers, filmmakers and photographers as needed.
Campaigns & Fundraising Coordination:
- Identify opportunities to respond to emerging trends, policy developments and public debates, turning moments of attention into meaningful engagement.
- Lead on and maximise fundraising campaigns that inspire supporters and strengthen our public image, including Regular Giving, Legacy Giving, Great North Run and Winter Appeal.
- Collaborate across the sector to build partnerships and coordinate collective responses within the wider campaigning landscape.
- Support volunteers, fundraisers and other campaigners to tell their stories and amplify their impact.
Other
- Supervising volunteers and media/communications placement students.
- Work with the Business Development Team to provide stories of impact and other content as requested for funding applications, progress reports or other reports/presentations.
The above is not an exhaustive list of duties but a key summary of the main responsibilities of this post.
 

Personal Specification/Key Competencies
Experience & Qualifications:
- A track record of creative writing to raise awareness or report on issues and events Essential
- An eye for identifying stories and an ability to sensitively interview vulnerable people Essential
- Confident in a media environment and gaining good public relations and media coverage Essential
- Responding to Crisis Communications including myth busting and finding media press
allies Desirable
- Coordination of successful campaigns Essential
- Working with designers and filmmakers to produce printed, online and film content Desirable
- Supporter development and fundraising experience Desirable
- Formal qualification in Journalism or equivalent demonstrable experience Desirable
- Supervising volunteers and/or placement students Desirable
- English Language proficiency at A Level (or equivalent) Essential
Skills:
- Initiative and a creative approach to problem-solving Essential
- Ability to work strategically while delivering operational communications strategy Essential
- Ability to identify opportunities to contribute to public conversations Essential
- Strong editorial, proofreading and quality-control skills Desirable
- Interpersonal, teamwork, negotiation and organisational skills Essential
- Good IT skills and ability to work with Microsoft 365 Essential
- Good written and verbal communication skills Essential
- The ability to plan and deliver against targets Essential
- Analyse communications performance and use insights to improve future activities Essential
- The ability to prioritise and work well under pressure, including in a Crisis environment Essential
- Graphic design skills using Canva or similar platforms Desirable
- Photography, videography or basic content production skills Essential
- Knowledge of media monitoring and social media analytics tools Essential
Personal qualities:
- To be committed to supporting vulnerable migrants, including centring lived
experience and amplifying underrepresented voices Essential
- Emotional resilience and the ability to engage appropriately with potentially distressing
stories and experiences Essential
- Reflects on practice and seeks support when needed to sustain wellbeing Essential
- Absolute integrity with a commitment to transparency and openness Essential
- To be supportive of the culture and values of the charity Essential
- Interest in current affairs, combating misinformation on migration, refugees and
asylum seekers Essential

Note: We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. We particularly encourage applications from people with lived experience of migration or the asylum system.
This role involves regular engagement with people who may have experienced trauma, displacement and significant barriers. We are looking for someone who can approach this work with sensitivity, professionalism and appropriate personal boundaries whilst communicating their own wellbeing. Action Foundation is committed to supporting staff through clinical supervision, wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme.
This post requires a valid right to work in the UK (Action Foundation does not hold a UK Sponsorship Licence), a DBS check, and two satisfactory references.