Press and external affairs officer jobs

The Opportunity   

This role is central to shaping and delivering the Social Mobility Foundation’s media, public affairs, and campaigning work, alongside the Campaigns Manager. You will influence changemakers - including politicians and journalists - through strategic media, political, and social media interventions. You will also collaborate with our Young Campaigners to amplify their voices and co-create impactful campaigns with them that drive systemic change.

1. Helping to plan and deliver campaigns activity, both planned and reactive, including: 

• Organising campaign events e.g. Parliamentary receptions and communicating our campaigns online and on social media.
• Assisting the Campaigns Manager to commission research and polling support our campaigning.
• Monitoring parliamentary activity, and horizon scanning - considering how political developments may affect our campaigning work, providing opportunities and risks. 

2. Leading our media work to maximise the impact of our campaigning, building awareness of social mobility as an issue amongst influential and informed audiences: 

• Developing and executing media and communication plans to support our campaign goals.
• Monitoring the media and responding to stories that allow us to land our key messages, share our point of view and platform SMF young people.
• Responding to requests from journalists for comment and advising and briefing members of staff on how to respond.

3. Co-create campaigns alongside our Young Campaigners and engage them in delivering and designing campaign activity:

• Developing and facilitate spaces for our Young Campaigners to co-create campaign activities and take actions to influence changemakers.
• Working with young people to share their experiences, through speaking at events and other campaigning opportunities.
• Training and supporting young people to speak to the media, ensuring safeguarding processes are embedded and providing follow up pastoral support where needed.

See attached job description for more detail on the key responsibilities in the role

Person Specification

• Experience of working within a media, campaigning, public affairs or political environment.
• Excellent understanding of the UK political system and political processes and a thorough understanding of public affairs tactics.  
• Experience of planning and delivering projects or campaigns in a charity, political or media context. 
• Excellent copywriting skills, with experience of writing press releases, quotes, interview briefings, social media posts and opinion pieces.
• Experience of successfully influencing policy or practice.
• Experience of speaking to journalists, succinctly describing our positions, handling media enquiries and making recommendations to senior colleagues on next steps.

See attached job description for more detail on the person specification

Benefits

• 36/37 days (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays and three days to be taken between Christmas and New Year) plus up to 3 days additional annual leave increasing with length of service.  
• Time off in lieu for work outside contractual hours
• Employer pension contributions of 5% plus salary sacrifice contribution the equivalent of Employer National Insurance after a satisfactory completion of your probationary period 
• Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
• Cycle to Work scheme

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 23:59, Tuesday 2nd December and submit:
 

a) A cover letter (no longer than 700 words) outlining your previous experience, your motivation and your suitability for the role.
 

b) A 500-word op-ed written for our CEO, Sarah Atkinson on why the government should make large employers report on their class pay gap, linking this to a recent news hook, relevant events or political moments happening soon.
 

c) A short email pitching your op-ed to the comment editor of the Guardian.

Please note that generic applications and CV’s will not be considered.

§  Salary: £30,600

§  Contract: 6-month fixed term contract, with potential to extend to 12 months

§  Working pattern: Full time (4 days a week or condensed hours considered)

§  Location: Hybrid until March with one or two days required in the office in Farringdon. (Think Ahead’s hybrid working model is currently under review).

§  Closing date: 9am, Wednesday 26 November

§  Interview dates: Tuesday 9 December and Wednesday 10 December

If you have a passion for storytelling, digital communications and using your creativity to make a social impact, this is an exciting opportunity to join our mental health charity as our communications officer, working across the full communications mix.

Think Ahead supports people living with mental health needs by supporting a strong and thriving mental health workforce. We know that good mental health care means looking at the whole person and the social determinants of their health – their home, relationships, finances, work and community.

As communications officer you will:

§  Support the organisation to secure new work and diversify our income streams through effective, targeted communications.

§  Advocate for mental health practitioners, and for social approaches in mental health, including through our campaigning, research and external engagement.

§  Amplify Think Ahead’s profile and key messages through compelling storytelling, content creation and media work. 

This is an excellent opportunity for a creative and pro-active communicator to develop their skills in a small, collaborative team and make a real difference at a pivotal time for Think Ahead.

It is an exciting time to join Think Ahead as we diversify our income and drive new business across our portfolio of training, workforce development, research and campaigning. 

We are currently funded by Department of Health and Social Care until August 2027.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who is creative, proactive and motivated, with a talent for clear, compelling and engaging communication, and a genuine interest in mental health and social change. You’ll bring strong writing and digital skills, and an eye for engaging content that connects with different audiences.

You’ll have experience working in a communications or media role, ideally within a charity, public sector or values-driven organisation. You’ll be confident managing content across websites, social media and email marketing. An understanding of media relations and curiosity about how communications can support growth, influence and impact will also be valuable.

You’ll be comfortable juggling multiple priorities, collaborating with colleagues, and taking initiative in a fast-paced environment. Most importantly, you’ll share our commitment to improving the lives of people with mental health needs.

What we can offer you

We offer excellent employee benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement (28 days) plus additional office closure over Christmas, enhanced family-friendly leave, flexible working around our core hours of 10am to 4pm, a matched pension scheme with up to 7% employer contributions, an employee assistance programme and more. 

How to apply 

Please provide a CV and a supporting statement (max 2 pages) outlining your fit for the role based on the person specification in the candidate pack on our website together with the completed Equality and Diversity questionnaire.

We will use both the CV and the supporting statement to enable us to shortlist and invite candidates for interview.

As a cross-border, cross-culture children’s charity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of what we do. We are committed to fostering a workplace that promotes mutual respect and allows equal opportunity for all. We seek applications for candidates with diverse backgrounds including, but not at all limited to, family overseas, experience being raised by non-biological parents, ethnic minority communities and people with health conditions or impairments. 

Job Outline:

CFAB supports children on the move between the UK and other countries and children who are separated from their family in another country. The complexities of migration and international separation can make many of these children particularly hard to support and particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. We ensure that children in these circumstances enjoy the same care, protection and right to a family life as we would want for any child.

We are the only UK representative of the International Social Service network, and the only charity in the UK with a dedicated international social work team. We are proud to have royal patronage from HRH, Princess Alexandra.

You will lead CFAB’s programme of campaigns, research and advocacy. You will raise awareness of our work to protect children who are separated from their families across international borders by developing key relationships with Government departments, drafting policy briefings, developing campaigns and leading on our public affairs work. You also will produce newsletters, create compelling content for our social media channels, maintain our website and promote our campaigns to key stakeholders.

We are looking for a highly motivated, creative individual who has excellent written skills and is positive, proactive and eager to learn. You will be working in a small team so a hand-on, solution focused approach is a must.

Key responsibilities:

Policy

• Draft policy positions, briefings and internal and external reports as appropriate.
• Identify and cultivate parliamentary and ministerial contacts sympathetic to our cause.
• Monitor Parliamentary inquiries, Bills, debates, parliamentary questions, and government consultations and draft submissions in a timely manner.
• Monitor and analyse government statistics.
• Work with Experts by Experience to shape advocacy and amplify the voices of those with lived experience of our work.

Campaigns & Communication

• Lead on developing our public-facing campaigns, tailoring our key messages for different audiences and identifying ways to push forward our issues through presentations, meetings, social media and other channels.
• Lead on our Public Relations work, maintaining our database and relations with relevant media, trade press and sector leads to raise awareness of our work and our policy campaigns.
• Write and produce CFAB's digital newsletters.
• Produce and track the efficacy of email marketing campaigns.
• Responsibly use digital and AI tools to enhance communication strategies, ensuring alignment with organisational values and safeguarding data privacy and integrity.

Marketing

• Contribute to the updating and maintenance of CFAB’s website as required.
• Design and produce other marketing materials as needed.

Social media

• Manage all activity on our social media channels including the creation of posts, videos and images and ad hoc engagement.
• Track online engagement with CFAB and regularly monitor performance to enable an effective assessment of our communication tools and outputs. 

Other duties commensurate with the role as required by CFAB.

Person specification: (Skills, Abilities, Knowledge and Experience)

Essential:

• Excellent written English, with proven ability to research and write accessible, clear policy documents and reports for a range of audiences.
• Passionate about CFAB’s mission.
• A ‘self-starter’ with a willingness to learn about CFAB’s complex cause. • Sound knowledge of the political system and policy making in the UK.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to juggle multiple priorities. • The ability to engage and build relationships internally and externally to CFAB
• A clear commitment to CFAB’s values and beliefs, including the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Desirable:

• Educated to degree level.
• Experience of providing strategic and tactical political and/or policy advice, including to senior management.
• Experience in a marketing or communications role, preferably within the third sector. • Experience using Mailchimp and website management.
• Sound working knowledge of window-based software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, and the internet.
• Graphic design skills and experience working within brand guidelines. • Experience in building relationships with journalists and placing stories.
• Familiarity with Salesforce.

Additional Requirements

1. Ensuring adherence to necessary legislation e.g. Data Protection Act, Health and Safety Act
2. Participation in evening and/or weekend events, networking and meetings

This job description is a non-contractual document and may be changed at any time by CFAB. All employees are expected to be flexible over the tasks/duties and responsibilities of their roles in order to meet the needs of both of CFAB and our service users/partners.

An exciting opportunity to engage the media and drive real change. Join the Dignity in Dying team and help lead a national campaign for assisted dying law reform.

· Dignity in Dying is the UK’s leading campaign for assisted dying law reform. We fight for a compassionate assisted dying law for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. We are a national campaign and membership organisation campaigning for change across the UK.

· Compassion in Dying is a national charity working to amplify people’s voices, shift attitudes and drive changes to the healthcare system so people’s end-of-life decisions are heard, understood and respected when it matters most. We support people to start honest conversations about death and dying, and record and revisit their wishes whenever they want to.

The role

We are looking for an experienced, proactive media professional to join our team during a crucial phase of Dignity in Dying’s campaign. We welcome applicants with a strong news-sense, political nous and a flair for story-telling who can use the media and other channels to effectively influence a range of audiences. At a pivotal time for the movement for choice at the end of life, the successful candidate will be a team-player who can communicate complex subject matter in compelling and creative ways, keep abreast of media and political trends, support the delivery of national and regional comms plans and champion the voices of terminally ill people and bereaved families - both inside and outside Parliament.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Campaigns and Communications team in monitoring, evaluating and securing media coverage, along with developing and rolling out campaign activities.
• Assist in the efficient running of the press office including responding to incoming media enquiries in a timely manner, drafting and issuing media comments, compiling spokesperson briefings, and building and maintaining media lists.
• Oversee our media monitoring and its timely dissemination to staff, stakeholders and supporters, identifying where reactive responses are necessary or where there are proactive opportunities.
• Use the media monitoring to understand different media outlets' tone and framing of the issue, how this can impact our messaging and influence further opportunities for the campaign.
• Act as key point of contact with relevant suppliers, i.e. media monitoring providers, to ensure efficiency and value for money, identifying and acting upon opportunities for improvement. 
• Support the organisation’s work with terminally ill people and bereaved relatives who act as personal stories and spokespeople for our campaigns, projects and programmes, namely by responding to those who get in touch to share their experience in a professional, sensitive and timely manner, assessing suitability for media or other campaign work, and triaging to other members of the team where appropriate. 
• Maintain and update the personal story database to ensure usability and access from relevant members of the team while ensuring GDPR is upheld.
• Work with the Media & Campaigns Officer to secure local and regional coverage of personal stories, influential figures, local campaign activity and relevant research, informed by our national media strategy and plans. 
• Work closely with the Officer and Manager to plan media logistics for demonstrations, liaising with journalists, being proactive to ensure the smooth running of the event, and supporting personal stories and spokespeople.

About you

Essential Experience

• Experience of working in a media and/or campaigns role.

• Demonstrable creative skills and ability to develop new ideas.

• Good organisational skills and experience of working flexibly and nimbly to focus on a variety of tasks.

• Past examples of being able to work with minimal direction and with own initiative.

Desirable Experience

• Demonstrable ability to turn complex arguments into clear, concise and engaging messages understandable to a range of audiences.

• An interest in politics, current affairs and debates on legal and ethical issues.

• Experience of monitoring and analysing media coverage, and drafting and issuing comment to the media.

• Experience of dealing with sensitive subject matter and interacting with advocates, campaigners or service users with personal experiences.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to communicate persuasively with internal and external stakeholders.

• Good interpersonal skills including the ability to build and manage relations with journalists, case studies, patrons and other supporters more generally and the ability to work constructively in a team.

• Ability to empathise with people who may be distressed and in difficult circumstances.

• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own work to manage conflicting priorities and ensure deadlines and objectives are met.

• Excellent attention to detail and good IT skills, including databases, excel spreadsheets, word-processing, e-mail and internet.

• Willingness and ability to develop new skills and assimilate new information.

Values

 · Commitment to Dignity in Dying’s vision and mission.

· Commitment to Compassion in Dying’s vision and mission.

Organisational behaviours

Leading by example - You lead by example through your behaviours and motivate others through your professional approach to work.

Trust and respect others - You are aware of your impact on others and treat other people with kindness and respect. You value diversity and listen carefully to understand the views of others.

Proactive and supportive team member - You work with others to reach a common goal by sharing information and supporting

colleagues.

Strive to be the best - With a positive attitude, you work to a high standard to meet personal and organisational expectations.

Responsibility and initiative - You take ownership of your work and take responsibility for your actions and decisions. You use your initiative and take pride in what you do.

Media and Communications Lead  

Are you a dedicated communications professional who is motivated, creative and results driven? 

We have an exciting opportunity for a committed and passionate communicator to join our busy media and communications team to make sure the voices of our children, young people and families are heard.    

You'll have great news sense and have a proven track record in developing compelling stories for hard-hitting newspaper articles and broadcast channels.    

You will work collaboratively within Barnardo's media and communications team to promote our life-changing work across the UK and will also be a lead player in raising the profile of our work around children in and leaving care, along with family placement.    

Experience of working in a high profile, fast-paced press office or public relations function is essential. 

You must be able to deliver high quality proactive and reactive communications to promote and protect the profile and reputation of Barnardo's.    

The successful candidate will be required to handle sensitive, confidential issues and work out-of-hours on a duty rota.

The job is largely home based but the successful candidate will be expected to travel to London on a regular basis. 

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document (if applicable). This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

For an informal chat, please contact Jo Hewitt - Media & Communications Manager (Contact details can be found via the job link)

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

About Cardiomyopathy UK

Cardiomyopathy UK is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting people affected by all forms of cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. We provide expert advice, trusted information, and support to individuals and families, while championing earlier diagnosis, better treatment and improved care. This is an exciting time to join a growing organisation with a strong, patient-centred mission and an ambitious programme of work across research, policy, services and awareness.

Role Purpose

The Communications & Marketing Manager will lead our communications, brand and digital presence, ensuring Cardiomyopathy UK reaches and engages the people who need us most. You will shape and deliver high-quality, impactful communications across all channels, strengthening our voice, raising awareness of cardiomyopathy, and supporting the growth of our services, fundraising and partnerships.

This is a hands-on role for a skilled communicator who can balance strategic thinking with delivery. You will work in a highly matrixed team, supporting colleagues across services, fundraising, events, research, and public affairs. You will collaborate closely with the Executive Leadership Team, clinical experts, fundraisers and our community to tell powerful stories and drive meaningful engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Communications & Brand

• Lead the development and delivery of Cardiomyopathy UK’s communications and marketing strategy.
• Manage and maintain the charity’s brand identity, ensuring consistency across all channels, publications and partnerships.
• Produce high-quality written content including blogs, newsletters, web copy, reports, press releases, campaign assets and patient stories.
• Support internal colleagues across departments with communications planning, copywriting and brand guidance.

Digital Marketing (Website & Social Media)

• Oversee content, structure and performance of the Cardiomyopathy UK website, working with external developers where required.
• Manage social media channels (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), including planning, creating and scheduling high-quality content.
• Monitor digital analytics and provide insights and recommendations to improve reach, engagement and conversion.
• Lead email marketing activity, including newsletters, segmentation and performance monitoring.

Campaigns & Awareness

• Plan and deliver integrated awareness and marketing campaigns aligned to strategic priorities including early diagnosis, patient support services, fundraising and major events.
• Coordinate campaign content creation, timelines and measurement, ensuring campaigns are impactful and audience driven.
• Work with partners, funders and patient contributors to develop compelling stories and campaign assets.

Media & Public Relations

• Act as the first point of contact for media enquiries and support the CEO and spokespeople with interview preparation.
• Build relationships with journalists, sector press and broadcast media to raise awareness of cardiomyopathy and the charity’s work.
• Draft press releases, media lines and Q&A briefs for key announcements and campaigns.

Cross-Organisational & Matrixed Working

• Work closely with the event manager to promote flagship events, patient webinars and professional engagement activities.
• Partner with public affairs colleagues to amplify policy, research and advocacy messages and ensure alignment across channels.
• Support the fundraising team with donor communications, appeals, supporter journeys and marketing collateral.
• Work closely with clinical colleagues to deliver compelling, on-brand, educational and information materials for various audiences.
• Ensure coordinated planning across teams so that communications reflect organisational priorities and opportunities.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with clinicians, researchers, patient advocates and charity partners to strengthen our communications and visibility.
• Amplify the voices and experiences of people living with cardiomyopathy through inclusive, ethical storytelling.

Person Specification

Essential

• Proven experience in communications, marketing or digital roles – ideally within a charity, health or public sector context.
• Strong copywriting and content creation skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly and sensitively.
• Experience managing websites, digital content and social media channels.
• Ability to plan and deliver multi-channel campaigns.
• Confident in managing media enquiries and developing press materials.
• Experience working collaboratively in a matrixed or cross-functional team, supporting multiple stakeholders simultaneously.
• Excellent organisational and project-management skills with the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using digital analytics tools.
• A collaborative team player with a commitment to empowering patients and improving health outcomes.

Personal Qualities

• A natural people person, approachable, supportive, and empathetic.
• Solution focused and resourceful, able to stay calm and find ways forward in challenging situations.
• A strong sense of initiative and ownership, with a hands-on, can-do approach.
• An inspiring communicator who builds trust and enthusiasm across teams and partners.
• Adaptable and open to change, always looking for opportunities to improve.
• Demonstrates Cardiomyopathy UK’s values and integrity in all aspects of work.
• A genuine team player who contributes to a positive and inclusive working culture.