Senior media manager jobs

We are looking for a creative, organised and experienced media and communications professional to join our External Affairs team within the Policy and External Affairs Directorate.

The Senior Media & Communications Manager will manage our press office and lead our media engagement activity to support our strategic impact and communications objectives, aligned to our business plan and wider corporate strategy.

You will use your skills and experience to help engage a range of media outlets on our expertise, insights and evidence on youth employment, placing our spokespeople appropriately for a variety of opportunities.

• You will also work closely with wider External Affairs colleagues and teams across the organisation to build our corporate impact narrative.

• At a time when youth employment is a high priority for Government and the news agenda, the post holder must also be able to demonstrate policy and political literacy and high comfort levels when working with policy, research and public affairs colleagues.

• This role is perfect for a proactive and agile professional with strong writing skills, who is excellent at building relationships internally and externally and able to engage external stakeholders and partners.

At a time when the youth employment agenda is so prominent, this role presents an exciting opportunity to be part of Youth Futures’ mission to help every young person achieve good work.

This role can be based at our Birmingham, Leeds or London hub. We currently operate a hybrid model of two-days per week in the office and three-days from home.

Please download our recruitment pack for more information on this opportunity.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

Senior Social Media Manager 

Contract type: Fixed term for five months | 35 hours per week 

Location: London, UK
UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40 % of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person. 

Salary: £52,468 per year with excellent benefits 

*We offer competitive, market-aligned salaries based on the grade and scope of each role. Roles are offered at the advertised starting salary, with any exceptions considered only in exceptional circumstances. 

Change starts with water. Change starts with you. 

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future. 

About WaterAid 

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen. 

About the team 

This post sits within the Digital Content and Experience team, which manages our organic and owned online platforms and content, and delivers unique digital experiences designed to increase brand awareness, engagement and income via a variety of channels.

About the role 

As our Senior Social Media Manager, you will champion the creation and production of highly engaging and strategic social-first content, working closely with the Social Media Manager, Digital Strategic Projects Lead and Creative Content Team to drive sustainable change. 

In this role, you will: 

• Continually optimise social media and creator strategies drawing on data and insights to deliver effective platform and audience lead activity delivering on WaterAid’s broader business and campaign goals. 

• Plan and produce creative and targeted digital communications based on an excellent understanding of our external audiences. 

• Act as strategic advisor, steering and signing off on social-first content for priority projects, ensuring projects are launched on time and within budget. 

• Mentor the Social Media Manager, acting as a sounding board on creative and strategic decisions and offering guidance on complex or high-profile work. 

• Champion WaterAid’s commitment to equity, inclusion and safeguarding. 

Requirements

To be successful, you will need: 

• Experience in digital strategic development and execution of social media channels and content 

• Ability to manage stakeholder relationships, influence effectively at all levels and work collaboratively as part of a matrix structure 

• Extensive editorial skills, including commissioning, creating and publishing innovative digital content, and making sound judgements (regarding video, copy, imagery and user interaction) 

• Ability to understand and translate data and analytics into actionable insights and successful digital strategies 

Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have: 

• A solid understanding of AI SEO techniques, user experience, testing and conversion optimisation 

• Significant experience of working with content management systems 

• Experience of international development issues and/or working in the voluntary sector. 

Closing date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time on Friday 7 August. Interviews are expected to take place on 18 and 19 August. 

How to apply: Click Apply to complete the pre-screening questions and upload your CV and cover letter

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application? 

At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well. 

Pre‑employment screening 

To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Benefits

• 36 days’ holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays) 
• Option to buy an extra 5 days’ annual leave 
• Employer pension contribution up to 10 % 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements 
• Season ticket loan 
• Free annual eye tests 
• ‘Give as you Earn’ charitable giving scheme 
• Enhanced parental leave (maternity, adoption/surrogacy, shared parental and paternity) 
• Sabbaticals 
• One paid volunteer day each year 

As part of our annual leave policy, all employees receive three additional days of annual leave on top of their standard allocation of 25 days. These days are designated to cover the period when our UK office closes between Christmas and New Year, allowing all UK WaterAiders to take a well-deserved break. 

These days are automatically scheduled and cannot be changed or moved. Annual leave is accrued based on your start date. If sufficient leave has not been accrued by the time of the closure, the 3 days will be taken as unpaid leave or pro-rated, depending on your circumstances. 

Our People Promise 

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values. 

Equal Opportunities 

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation. 

Safeguarding 

We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks). 

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change!

Senior Media Manager
Predominantly home-based with regular travel to locations across the UK
up to £45,000 per annum
Permanent, Full Time (35 hours per week)

This role is predominantly home-based with regular travel to locations across the UK. Office facilities are available at our Newark office (Tuesdays to Thursdays) for those within easy travelling distance.

There is a requirement to attend an in-person quarterly team meeting at the Newark office, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1WT.

This role includes participation in a rota for out-of-hours press office support, including evenings and weekends as required.

Closing date for applications: 9 August 2026

Shortlisting: 13 - 18 August 2026

First interview: 25 August 2026 1pm - 5pm (Online Interview) & 26 August 2026 9am - 1pm (Online Interview)

Second interview: 2 September 2026 11am - 12pm (Online Interview)

About Us

The Wildlife Trusts are a grassroots movement of people from a wide range of backgrounds and all walks of life, who believe that we need nature and nature needs us. We have more than 945,000 members, over 33,000 volunteers, 4,100 staff and 600 trustees. There are 46 individual Wildlife Trusts, each of which is a place-based independent charity with its own legal identity, formed by groups of people getting together and working with others to make a positive difference to wildlife and future generations, starting where they live and work.

Every Wildlife Trust is part of The Wildlife Trusts federation and a corporate member of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, a registered charity in its own right founded in 1912 and one of the founding members of IUCN – the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Taken together this federation of 47 charities is known as The Wildlife Trusts.

The next few years will be critical in determining what kind of world we all live in. We need to urgently reverse the loss of wildlife and put nature into recovery at scale if we are to prevent climate and ecological disaster. We recognise that this will require big, bold changes in the way The Wildlife Trusts work, not least in how we mobilise others and support them to organise within their own communities.

About You

Can you use your expertise in national media relations and people leadership to help drive nature’s recovery?

Join one of the UK’s best-loved environmental charities and play a pivotal role in inspiring action for nature through impactful national media engagement and brilliant team leadership.

The Wildlife Trusts’ small but highly effective national media team creates billions of opportunities to see each year across print, TV, radio and online media. From shaping national policy discussions through informed commentary on government policy, to sharing inspiring stories from conservation projects across the UK, our work helps ensure the nature and climate crisis remains firmly in the public eye.

Our interviews, expert commentary, videos and press releases contribute to national and international media coverage on topics as diverse as peatland recovery, climate resilience, red squirrel conservation, sea grass restoration and whale sightings. We regularly feature on programmes such as BBC Countryfile, Springwatch, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, and Channel 4 News, as well as in The Guardian, The Times and a wide range of other national and online media outlets.

In 2025 alone, our team secured around 46,000 media mentions, generating over one trillion opportunities to see. This coverage ensures that we remain at the heart of the national conversation and debate on environmental issues and solutions.

As the nature and climate crises intensify, the need for effective communications has never been greater. We are looking for a strategic, collaborative and creative media professional who can identify and maximise new opportunities for The Wildlife Trusts to increase our reach and impact throughout the national media landscape, while also supporting, developing and empowering colleagues to thrive and grow.

Working together, we will continue to raise the profile of The Wildlife Trusts, build public understanding of the challenges facing nature, and inspire more people to take meaningful action to help halt and reverse nature’s decline. Through compelling stories, trusted expertise and impactful national media engagement, we can help drive the change needed to bring nature back into recovery.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Media Manager with an excellent track record of securing national media coverage, building trusted relationships with journalists, and delivering impactful communications strategies. You will be confident managing reactive media activity in a fast-paced environment while also developing and delivering creative, evidence-led campaigns that engage diverse audiences and inspire action for nature.

This is a senior role with responsibility for leading and developing a small but talented national media team. You will bring experience of managing and supporting others, creating an inclusive and positive team culture where people feel valued, empowered and able to do their best work. Through coaching, guidance and constructive feedback, you will help colleagues develop their skills, grow in confidence, and achieve shared goals.

You will play a key role in ensuring the consistent delivery of high quality, high impact media activity. This will include overseeing the development and proofing of media materials, supporting story and campaign planning, creation and research, and contributing to the effective operation of a busy press office, including out of hours.

Working closely with the Head of Media Relations, you will build an environment where colleagues are encouraged to share ideas, test new approaches, and explore innovative ways to reach and engage audiences. We are particularly interested in increasing awareness of the role that communities and collective action can play in nature’s recovery, and we are looking for someone who shares our passion for enabling people to make a difference.

You will bring significant experience of identifying and developing compelling news stories, features and media campaigns that resonate with a wide range of audiences and national media outlets. Experience of working with policy, advocacy and campaign-led communications and contributing to broader public narratives, including the crafting of responses to political announcements, is also critical to this role.

This is a varied and rewarding role in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly. You will be confident managing multiple priorities, making well-informed decisions and delivering high-quality work under pressure. Excellent organisational skills, adaptability, sound media instincts and a collaborative approach will be essential to success.

Most importantly, you will be passionate about using the power of media and storytelling to inspire action for nature. If you are excited by the opportunity to support and develop others, build meaningful national media engagement, and contribute to nature’s recovery, we would love to hear from you.