Public affairs manager jobs

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We have embarked on our 10-year strategy and launched our new campaign to end all forms of homelessness in Scotland by 2040. We know homelessness is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.

Homelessness is rising fast in Scotland, and we are seeing unprecedented demand for our services. At this critical time, as the Scottish election passes and a new parliamentary term begins, we are looking for a talented and experienced Media and Public Affairs Manager to raise the public and political profile of homelessness in Scotland, to shine a light on the human impact and trauma that it brings, and to build momentum and support for Crisis work to end homelessness for good.

Location: Cranston House, 271 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8BQ (Working from home is an option in line with Crisis’ Hybrid working policy). You will be required to work from the Edinburgh office twice a week.

About the Role

As Media and Public Affairs Manager, you will bring to life the work of Crisis’ day to day services and our national influencing agenda. Using print, digital and broadcast journalism you will advocate for the solutions needed to end homelessness and inspire and active politicians to join our campaign and take meaningful action to end homelessness in Scotland by 2040. You will oversee the development and delivery of high-profile media, communications and political influencing campaign strategies, and help to build our brand reach, engaging a wide range of new audiences across Scotland.

With homelessness at record levels there has never been a more critical time to join Crisis and ensure ending homelessness is firmly on the national news agenda and central to all political party’s goals.

About you

You will have significant experience of working in a challenging, fast-paced news, media and public affairs environment to secure high-profile coverage and political engagement. You will also have experience of leading and managing individuals or teams, motivating people to achieve objectives and overcome challenges. Having the ability to navigate competing priorities and influence senior internal and external stakeholders is essential.

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate excellent knowledge and experience of working with the Scottish media and the Scottish Parliament to secure national policy change, demonstrate the ability to secure high profile sustained media coverage to convey complex stories in an engaging and relatable way, and have exceptional news sense, with the ability to take a creative approach when seeking out new media opportunities. You will have an excellent track record in national campaign and parliamentary influence, familiar with how parliament works and competent in influencing politicians.

Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.

We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities, and backgrounds.

Working at Crisis

Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.

Our staff, members and volunteers are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We’ll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive salary. Please note, our salaries are fixed to counter inequity and we do not negotiate at offer stage
• Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy
• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Flexible working around the core hours 10am-4pm
• Wellbeing Leave to be used flexibly And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience, and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How do I apply?

Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.

Closing date: Monday 1st June at 23:59

Interview date and location: In person, on Tuesday 9th June 2026 at Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, Cranston House, 271 Canongate Edinburgh, EH8 8BQ

AI in Job Applications

We understand some candidates use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we want to learn more about you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences

Accessibility  

We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Talent Acquisition team to discuss how we can help.  

   
Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094