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Position
MSF UK is looking for an experienced communications professional to join our team as a Senior Press Officer. You’ll play a leading role in managing high-profile reactive media enquiries so we’re looking for someone with sound news judgement, people management skills and the ability to maintain resilience. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who can think strategically, make confident decisions under pressure, and build strong relationships with journalists.
Hours: Full-Time (37.5 hours per week) Mon - Fri
Duration: Permanent
Location: London – hybrid, 2 days per week London Office (including Wednesdays)
Salary: £54,452.47 – £66,553.01 per annum | Salary is offered in line with our pay framework and typically starts at the entry point of the band. Salary increases are considered annually and are subject to our appraisal and performance review process.
Job Purpose:
To raise awareness of the work and priorities of MSF with core target audiences via coverage in UK and international radio, podcasts, TV, print, online and documentaries.
Maintain relationships with international colleagues e.g. the IO, Communication Advisors, other press officers in key hubs globally as well as field communications teams.
Together with the other Senior Press Officer, deputise for Head of Media on rotation.
Secure both proactive and reactive media coverage – reacting in a swift manner to incoming news requests and seeking out new opportunities for coverage. The majority of the time you will be handling reactive news enquiries, and identifying opportunities in the news cycle to pitch proactively. During emergencies, the focus would be on reactive.
Support more junior members of the team – including line management of a press officer.
You will be part of an on-call / out of hours rota, including evenings and weekends, for which you will accumulate TOIL.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Demonstrable experience in senior press office work, TV production or international journalism, including substantial understanding of, and contacts in, UK media.
- Experience in pitching stories and features to print, radio, TV, podcast and online
- Good knowledge of world affairs and a demonstrable understanding of and commitment to humanitarian issues.
- Ability to cope with stress, competing priorities and short deadlines, retain good humour and make sound ethical and personal judgements in order to deal with ambiguities and conflict.
- Project management skills.
- Industry contacts - essential.
- Line management skills - desirable.
- Experience in the practical use of personal IT equipment and Microsoft Office 365 suite. The ability to effectively collaborate and communicate within a hybrid working environment utilising Teams, SharePoint, One Drive and Yammer.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Location (UK): London / Sheffield
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours, Part-time 28 hours (pro-rata) will be considered
Salary: £43,580.00 per annum (London), £41,504.00 per annum (rest of UK) – pro-rata for part time
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer
Contract type: Permanent
Travel: Occasional travel required in line with business requirements
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Thursday 3 September 2026
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
This is an exciting opportunity to join our busy, ambitious and collaborative Media and PR team and help shape the national conversation around arthritis and musculoskeletal health. Working across a fast-paced and varied news agenda across the UK, you'll develop and deliver proactive media campaigns, respond to breaking news, work closely with people with lived experience to amplify their voices in the media, build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and journalists while securing high-profile coverage that raises awareness, influences decision-makers and supports our campaigning and organisational priorities.
About the role
You'll work closely with policy, research, campaigns and fundraising to tell compelling stories, prepare spokespeople for media opportunities and help position Arthritis UK as the go-to voice on arthritis and musculoskeletal health. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced media professional who enjoys spotting opportunities, working collaboratively and wants to use the power of earned media to make a real difference to the lives of more than 10 million people living with arthritis across the UK.
About you
If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we’d love to hear from you:
• Significant experience of developing and delivering successful media campaigns that secure impactful national, regional and broadcast coverage.
• Strong news judgement and the ability to identify and respond quickly to emerging media opportunities.
• Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with journalists across print, broadcast and digital media.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience of producing high-quality media materials and briefing spokespeople.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced press office or media environment, managing multiple priorities and meeting tight deadlines.
• Confidence in handling reactive media enquiries and supporting reputation and issues management.
• Experience of monitoring and evaluating media activity, using insight to demonstrate impact and inform future work.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to build strong relationships across teams and work effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• A commitment to Arthritis UK's values and a passion for using media to improve the lives of people with arthritis.
*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.