Press And Public Relations Officer Jobs in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire
This Role is Homebased with Regular Travel to Brighton, Dover and Greenwich and Occasional Travel to Birmingham for Team Meetings.
Are you a communications professional looking for an exciting and rewarding new role? Apply for the Regional Communications Officer job vacancy at homelessness charity Emmaus UK.
About Emmaus
Emmaus is a secular organisation supporting formerly homeless and socially excluded people by providing a home for as long as it is needed, meaningful work experience in a social enterprise and a sense of belonging and community. There are currently more than 30 Emmaus communities and groups in the UK stretching from Glasgow to Dover and Norfolk to South Wales, collectively supporting more than 850 people. We understand that a home is more than just a roof over your head; it’s somewhere to belong, where you feel part of a community, and that’s what Emmaus offers.
About the role
The Regional Communications Officer role is an exciting, varied position working with Emmaus communities located in the South East region of the UK to increase their profile and engage supporters.
You will work closely with the Emmaus communities in your patch to identify their communications needs and plan and deliver a mix of work to help achieve their goals. As part of a wider team, you will also share ideas and draw on each other’s experiences to maximise PR, digital and communications opportunities.
A typical working week within this role can include:
· A weekly meeting with other Regional Communications Officers to catch up and share ideas and work of interest
· A visit to an Emmaus community to conduct interviews and capture photography and video
· Writing and sending press releases
· Scheduling social media content
· Creating graphics and marketing materials using Canva
· Updating community websites using WordPress
This is a part time position working four days per week (30 hours), Monday to Friday.
Within this role, you can be based at home or in an Emmaus community. Wherever you are based, maintaining positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders is vitally important. The current patch for this role is Emmaus Brighton & Hove, Emmaus Greenwich and Emmaus Dover. Regular travel to these three communities will be required (usually one community visit per week). Travel to team meetings, usually held in Birmingham, and other locations will also be required on occasion.
Who are we looking for?
We require someone with a strong skillset and at least two years’ experience working in a busy communications, public relations or marketing role. Although not essential, knowledge and understanding of homelessness and the charity sector would also be an advantage.
Creativity and passion are a must. You will have a broad range of communications skills, love seeing your creative ideas come to life and keen to develop your skillset within a national homelessness charity.
This is an exciting and rewarding role for someone who thrives working with different people and communities. The successful applicant will be well organised and able to juggle multiple projects, relationships and campaigns.
If you’re passionate about making a difference and seeing a long-lasting impact, then this is the perfect time for you to get involved with Emmaus.
What we offer
· Salary: £27,972 to £30,352 per annum pro rata
· Working hours: 4 days per week (30 hours), Monday to Friday
· Contract: Permanent
· Pension: Stakeholder pension with employer contribution
· Annual leave: 25 days & bank holidays pro rata + 3 concessionary days leave
· Training & development: Individually tailored induction. Ongoing training and development
· Volunteering: 2 days allowance each year
· Employee assistance: 24/7 employee assistance scheme is available
· Flexible working: Options available, subject to the requirements of the role
· Life assurance: Death in service lump sum of 3 x salary
To apply
To apply for this role, please complete our application form and equal opportunities monitoring form and email us.
Email address is in the application pack.
Please ensure you refer to the job description and person specification when completing your application form. CVs and posted applications will not be accepted.
The closing date for applications is 10am on Monday 20 May 2024.
Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview conducted via Microsoft Teams w/c Monday 27 May (excluding the bank holiday). If selected for interview, you will be asked to share examples of your past communications work and to conduct a short pre-prepared task based on information we provide. We will also share themes for discussion at the interview in advance.
If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please email us.
Email address is in the application pack.
Equal Opportunities
Emmaus UK provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. We are dedicated to an inclusive culture, and we strive to create a workplace where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status or parental responsibilities.
To ensure fairness and consistency in selecting the best candidate for our roles, all applications are anonymised until an interview has been confirmed so that shortlisting is based solely upon the suitability of the candidate’s experience.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Senior Communications Officer
Location: Remote (with occasional travel)
Salary: £34,200
Length of contract: Permanent
Hours per week: 37
Interviews: 15th & 16th May
Who are Women’s Aid?
Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. We are a federation of over 170 organisations which provide just under 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across England. For almost 50 years we have campaigned on behalf of our members and survivors to shape policy and practice, and to raise awareness of domestic abuse.
Purpose of the Senior Communications Officer role:
As Senior Communications Officer, the successful candidate will be a creative, agile and impactful professional, who will play a pivotal role in shaping Women’s Aid’s communications campaigns, working closely with the Communications Manager and the Head of Media, Brand and Relationships. The successful candidate will take the lead on generating creative, engaging content and ideas for Women’s Aid communications – including major campaign moments and brand awareness. Working across all external channels, including traditional media and social media, you will curate compelling stories that build our profile and target key audiences in our mission to keep women and children safe from domestic abuse. You’ll be joining us at an exciting time, as we mark our 50th Birthday with some powerful campaigns and engagement.
Key duties and responsibilities of the Senior Communications Officer:
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To be the key communications officer representing the communications team, developing the key messaging of external campaigns, brand-building and communications for the organisation and developing public awareness of these.
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To lead on planning, drafting and implementing a communications plan for Women’s Aid key communications campaigns such as International Women’s Day, 16 Days, as well as wider organisational projects, incorporating press and social media and providing media support as required.
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To develop relevant media and social media contacts, as well as contacts in the sector, to maximise the reach and coverage of key communications campaigns as well as wider organisational projects.
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To work with colleagues to ensure the campaigns take an intersectional approach and centres the most marginalised voices.
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To work with a diverse range of survivor case studies and media spokespeople, including Women’s Aid member organisations, and to ensure they are treated in an appropriate and safe manner.
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To help identify both proactive and reactive media opportunities.
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To write blogs, news articles and promotional copy for Women’s Aid.
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To proof and typeset publications as required.
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To be part of the communications team out-of-hours on call rota for media calls.
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To line manage the Junior Communications Officer
What we are looking for in our Senior Communications Officer:
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At least two years experience working in communications/journalism/publications or similar.
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Experience of liaising with a variety of individuals and organisations of all seniorities, internally and externally.
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Experience of maintaining systems for information storage and retrieval.
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Experience of online communications/websites/social media, including Content Management Systems.
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Experience delivering public-facing campaigns with a range of stakeholders.
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Experience in getting effective PR results.
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Ability to produce high quality written material, for copy writing, copy editing and publicity materials, posters and press releases.
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Capable of translating complex information into audience-friendly messages.
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Ability to carry out a range of research and information-gathering activities.
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IT skills, including accurate data inputting skills, ability to use Microsoft programmes, understanding of Content Management Systems and troubleshooting simple website problems, and willingness to learn new packages and IT skills as required.
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Ability to communicate sensitively with survivors of domestic violence to discuss case studies.
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Ability to work on own initiative and prioritise work, work to tight deadlines and respond to urgent unplanned demands.
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An understanding of public affairs and the role that campaigning plays.
Benefits of joining us as our Senior Communications Officer include:
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Generous Annual Leave: 25 days + 2 Company Holidays + 8 UK Bank Holidays, with an extra 1 day per year after 1 year of service, up to a maximum of 5 additional days.
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Valuable Pension Benefits: a generous 7% employer contribution.
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Flexible Working: remote working, a generous TOIL scheme, and family-friendly policies
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Wellness and Support: including a cycle to work scheme, free optician check-ups, annual flu vaccines, access to a 24-hour employee assistance counselling helpline, a ‘Headspace’ app for mindfulness, and ‘Reflective Practice’ sessions.
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Making a genuine difference, in a rewarding role where your work will directly result in helping Women’s Aid to be able to provide lifesaving services for women and children across England.
How to apply?
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Please submit your CV and a Cover Letter. Your Cover Letter should be no more than 2 pages long and should include a summary of your reasons for applying for the position. You should also include details of how your skills, behaviours and experience meet those necessary for the role, as listed in the Job Description and Person Specification.
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Please ensure that you also complete the EDI form and send all completed paperwork to the recruitment email address. (Please clearly mark your name and the role title in the subject line of your email).
NB:
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Women only need apply under schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010
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If you have been shortlisted for interview, you will be informed by email. Regrettably, we are normally unable to acknowledge unsuccessful applicants.
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We reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised closing date if a high volume of responses are received.
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All posts, including remote posts, must be based in the UK.
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Women’s Aid is committed to quality, equality, and valuing diversity. Applications are particularly welcome from Black and minoritised women.
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We are a Disability Confident employer. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for vacancies.
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Please read our Single Sex Statement on the Women's Aid webste
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The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.