The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) are a community benefit society and cooperative, based in Birmingham, working to tackle inequality and promote community wellbeing. Our work with communities cuts across a wide range of policy agendas – from health and social care to transport and planning, community cohesion to climate action, jobs and skills to physical activity – and is increasingly recognised nationally as demonstrating best practice in reaching and supporting those from our most disadvantaged communities and achieving significant system and behaviour change.

As Communications Lead (Funding & Strategy Team) your role will be to help raise the profile of The Active Wellbeing Society with key strategic audiences, including through media engagement. You will have a proven track record of engaging with the media and high-profile stakeholders, working proactively to share stories and influence change across a wide range of policy areas.

Note from the hiring manager 'This role is suited to someone with a passion from tackling inequality and promoting community wellbeing, and a keen understanding of the social and political landscape in which we operate'.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

1. Build and maintain rapport and positive relationships with members of the media (local and national), drafting press releases, and responding to media requests

2. Act as our first point of contact for journalists and provide a professional, flexible and responsive service to the media

3. Support the organisations wider engagement strategy and working across departments to engage with key audiences

4. Oversee the development of our media strategy, identifying opportunities to promote and share stories

5. Maintain an in-depth, up-to-date knowledge of key issues and policies relevant to our work, including emergent thinking across wellbeing, community development, health and tackling inequality

6. Monitor national, regional and local trends, news and opportunities and provide regular internal briefings, making sure emerging issues are part of our thinking

7. Support and brief the senior leadership team in relation to policy positions and responses, and identify influencing opportunities

8. Draft and develop policy materials including briefings, documents, letters, reports and key messages, and ensure consistency of communication in organisational policy and public affairs messaging

9. Work with our marketing team to support digital content that engages strategic audiences and is aligned with our key messaging

10.Build our organisational profile with key strategic audiences online through social media engagement and content creation

11. Produce blog articles, reports, newsletters, and presentations, using appropriate design software

12. Work with the marketing team to maintain and update an organisational media library (photos, videos, stories and audio) in line with data protection/consent, including capturing/recording media where necessary

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

1. Proven track record of proactively engaging with the media, in public relations/journalism

2. Experience of collaborating on or managing media projects to generate positive media coverage

3. A strong understanding of how the media works and what makes a good story

4. Strong knowledge of key policy areas relevant to our work, including understanding the barriers faced by our communities

5. Proven ability to assimilate new issues and areas quickly and make connections between different areas of policy and practice, to initiate and frame new agendas

6. A passion for tackling inequalities and promoting community wellbeing – and a strong understanding of the social and political landscape we operate in

7. Skilled at summarising complex ideas in writing – and ability to write, review and edit copy to a high standard

8. Experience in managing relationships with influential stakeholders both external (e.g., politicians, government officials and members of the press) and internal.

9. Experience of using social media in a professional context

10. Creative skills and a good idea for design (experience of using design software desirable)

11. Experience of working proactively, working on own initiative and as part of a team.

STAFF BENEFITS

• Nest Pension – 8% employer contribution - 3 % employee contribution.
• Heath Cash Plan – giving you discounts on everyday healthcare such as dental, optical, physio, prescriptions & more.
• Employee Assistance Programme (counselling and DRs on call 24hrs a day)
• Death in Service – x4 your salary paid to beneficiary.
• Annual Leave – 25 days FTE (increasing to 29 days with service) plus 5 wellbeing days
• Flexible working
• Hybrid working options
• Bring your own device - £20 towards your phone bill monthly
• Fantastic volunteering opportunities within TAWS every month

Successful applicants will be required to be DBS checked prior to starting.

Closing date: 25th October 2021

Due to the high numbers of applications we received for our job vacancies, we may close application windows early, so we would encourage you to submit your application ASAP

Interview date: wk comm 1st November 2021

Are you the dynamic, entrepreneurial and resilient person we are looking for to lead our organisation forward?

We are seeking someone who has the business development expertise to build on our past successes and to develop existing and new services for older people. 

Though operating in a rapidly changing environment, we have maintained our strong track record of delivering advice, care and preventative services and we are ambitious to achieve more. 

You will bring knowledge and understanding of health and social care as it affects older people, experience of leadership and management at a senior level and the personality to build and maintain effective relationships with older people and key agencies across the city and nationally.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 25th October 2021. Interviews will take place on the 1st November.

Application forms must be completed fully; CV’s will not be accepted. An application form and details of how to apply are available in the recruitment pack below. 

Location: Flexible within England & Wales

Department: Policy Team

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference, every single day, to people from all walks of life? The people that turn to Citizens Advice need help overcoming an obstacle in their lives – from debt to evictions to trouble at work – and you can be key to them getting the support they need in the quickest, easiest, and most effective way.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under- represented throughout Citizens Advice. We are a member of the race equality campaign at Business in the Community, the Prince’s responsible business network and are committed to improving employment opportunities for ethnic minorities across the UK. We also welcome applications from, LGB and Trans and non binary candidates.

We have made a positive commitment to employing disabled people and guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role as set out in role profiles.

We are looking for an outstanding person to lead our Wales Policy and Campaigns team who are based in Cardiff. 

This is an exciting opportunity to work on the big issues facing people across England and Wales today, joining a team with a track record of achieving change.

We’re an organisation with a relentless focus on making society fairer. Each year we help 2.7 million people to solve their problems across England and Wales. This data and our reputation give us unparalleled influence. We have a unique insight into emerging trends and issues affecting people, and we use it to work with government, regulators and industry to improve people's lives. Examples of our recent work in England and Wales includes securing significant improvements to Universal Credit, leading the debate on ‘loyalty penalty’ rip-offs, pushing for a ban on letting agent fees and capping the cost of rent to own good.

This role will work closely with colleagues across the organisation to maximise the impact we have for our clients in Wales. In Wales we have a network of 19 local Citizens Advice - all individual charities, staffed by nearly 800 dedicated volunteers and paid staff.  We deliver advice from over 375 community locations in Wales, as well as offering services over the phone and online. 

This could include leading work on devolved issues such as housing and health & social care policy, but also promoting and influencing around our GB work in Wales, ranging from universal credit to household debt. 

You will be responsible for a programme of policy research, and will lead campaigns, public affairs and media engagement within Wales. You’ll work across policy areas and support junior members of the team to reach their potential. Our strong brand will give you unique opportunities to engage with those who have the power to make change. You’ll influence Ministers, Members of the Senedd, MPs, and civil servants, regulators and industry bodies, on behalf of the people who rely on Citizens Advice.

We are looking for someone with a wide range of skills, from exceptional judgement and excellent stakeholder management, to the personal authority required to be a leader in a large organisation.

Our commitment to flexible working extends to where we work. As Covid restrictions ease, Citizens Advice are moving towards a permanent mix of office and home based working which will give much more choice to staff, while still maintaining the best of collaborative working.

The National Citizens Advice Operates from offices in England and Wales, with 4 regional offices based in Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Leeds, therefore all successful applicants must be based within England or Wales.

Please note, in the event of a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the application early.