Head Of Development Jobs
We are looking for a motivated, creative, and organised Engagement and Communications Officer to join our team. This role is a unique opportunity for someone with a passion for building a fairer legal system through impactful events, engaging member outreach, and powerful communications. Working alongside the Director of Development and the Head of Communications, this role will work across teams to maintain and strengthen engagement through events, communications and corporate outreach. You will play an integral role in communicating our work as widely as possible and improving and increasing engagement with our supporters, including our members, donors and corporate partners.
The Engagement and Communications Officer will work to maximise income and support for JUSTICE through events (approximately 45% of the role), communications (approximately 30% of the role) and membership (approximately 25% of the role). They will report to the Director of Development and Head of Communications.
We want someone who can learn and grow in this role so if you don’t have every skill listed but are organised, motivated, and interested in our work then we want to hear from you.
The JUSTICE team currently work in a hybrid manner. Staff members have access to office space in London, however, attendance is currently optional. Our staff enjoy flexible working conditions, 27 days annual leave, plus the week between Christmas and the New Year, 8% employer pension contribution and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
The application form and candidate pack are below. The candidate pack includes more information about this role including the person specification, the organisation and more details on how to apply.
The deadline for applications is 11pm on Sunday 19 May 2024. Please mark your email with ‘Engagement and Communications Officer’ in the subject line.
Interviews will be held on Monday 3 June 2024. Candidates will be required to complete a test as part of the interview process.
JUSTICE is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, but particularly welcome applications from individuals from marginalised groups, those with lived experience of the justice system, as well as those underrepresented in the legal professional including women, people of colour, trans and non-binary people, and disabled people.
Please note that we will not respond to any enquiries from recruitment agencies.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The successful applicant will line-managed by and work closely with the Head of Practice Management (HoPM). It is essential though that they are self-motivated and can work independently.
Key tasks
- To establish and maintain a communications strategy and plan for Chambers, utilising the latest in digital communication methods.
- To manage the promotional activities of Chambers, its Practice Teams, and individual members, by managing and developing:
- Its website and social media,
- Webinars, podcasts and other digital training methods,
- In-person training and promotional events.
- To assist the HoPM by promoting Chambers to professional clients.
- To manage the promotion of Chambers via the media.
- To manage and promote engagement with legal associations, charities and NGOs to further the ethos and business of Chambers.
- To promote Chambers and its members to relevant legal directories.
- To assist with the development and promotion of campaigns organised or joined by Chambers.
- To undertake internal communication work building a culture of engagement across Chambers.
The above tasks will include:
- Identifying newsworthy cases and issues upon which Chambers may wish to engage, including through liaising closely with members of Chambers and the Practice Management Team (PMgT) to identify notable cases and issues upon which we may wish to engage.
- Working under the direction of the HoPM to assist in the practice development of individual members.
- Engaging barrister members and pupils to produce high quality training and promotional material for the website and social media, including content production such as webinars, podcasts and vlogs.
- Ensuring the website is:
- Accessible, attractive, interesting and as useful as possible to our professional and lay clients,
- Optimised to achieve top search engine ranking,
- Up to date, with members’ pages regularly reviewed, and news items frequently added,
- A source of training materials and information relating to our work and ethos, including webinars, vlogs, blogs and ‘how to’ guides.
- Ensuring a variety of social media platforms are utilised to optimise the footprint of Chambers, and to promote news about Chambers’ cases and other activities as quickly, professionally and as widely as possible.
- Identifying potential new clients to the PMgT and assisting them in the promotion of Chambers.
- Maintaining and developing professional client contact lists, mailing lists and databases, in conjunction with the Practice Teams and PMgT.
- Coordinating, advertising and managing training and promotional events in conjunction with Practice Teams and the PMgT. This to include maximising outcomes from events.
- Liaising with outside bodies, including legal associations, charities and NGOs to promote the engagement of members of Chambers and the standing of Chambers as a whole.
- Managing the use of Chambers seminar facilities for ethos-compatible third-party events.
- In conjunction with the HoPM and individual members, coordinating and drafting submissions to legal directories.
- Developing and maintaining effective relationships with journalists, media outlets and prominent actors in the human rights field to optimise the exposure of members and Chambers as a whole.
- Maintaining and developing promotional material for Chambers to reflect and promote its ethos.
- Assisting with the production of Chambers promotional material, including sophisticated marketing materials by utilising the latest advertising platforms optimised for social media.
- Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on key communications activities, to help refine and improve the strategy.
- Working to a budget set by the Chambers’ AGM and reporting to the Staffing / Planning Committee and Chambers’ Meetings as requested.
Person Specification
The individual will have:
- A clear understanding and commitment to the ethos of Chambers.
- Experience of developing and maintaining an organisational communications strategy.
- A strong technical understanding of website and social media platform management and content production.
- Experience of the use of a range of digital communications for promotion and development.
- The ability to draft clear, engaging copy and undertake editing, under pressure.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- The ability to work both in a team and on own initiative.
- The ability to think creatively and demonstrate a very high level of attention to detail.
- Strong administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise.
The successful applicant will be confident and articulate, and may have relevant experience in the NGO, international organisation, development or charity sector. A general understanding of the way the legal profession is organised and works will be helpful but not essential.
Garden Court North Chambers occupies a modern spacious premises in Blackfriars House, a Bruntwood Works pioneer building offering a collaborative working space with a library and podcast room, a high-spec auditorium and a communal lounge and independent coffee shop.
We offer excellent working conditions in a friendly and modern environment; training opportunities; annual pay reviews; a contributory pension scheme; and 25 days paid annual holiday in addition to statutory bank holidays and any weekdays when Chambers is closed.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.