Terms: 30 hours per week / 0.8 FTE, 4 days per week; two year contract with possibility for extension
Salary: £41,200 - £56,650
Location: Remote working and quarterly in-person team away days.
Line Manager: Executive Director
Please note that you must have the right to work in the UK.
Closing Date: 4th January 2026
About BASIC
BASIC is an independent, non-profit think tank working to safeguard humanity and Earth's ecosystem from nuclear risks and interconnected security threats, for generations to come. Our vision is for a global security consensus founded on multilateralism, the recognition of the indivisibility of security, adherence to Earth's planetary boundaries, and consideration of future generations.
For nearly 40 years, we have built a global reputation for groundbreaking dialogue and incisive thought leadership to strengthen international peace and security. We are an intellectually and culturally diverse team of 20 expert-practitioners with deep institutional experience, headquartered in London with additional presences in Berlin and Rome. We are independent, receive no core funding from any state, and our project work is funded transparently.
BASIC's approach to resolving contemporary nuclear dynamics is centred on dialogue as both a practice and a philosophy. We interpret dialogue broadly, recognising that meaningful engagement takes many forms: from facilitating direct strategic conversations between adversaries grounded in conflict resolution principles, to developing networks and diplomatic initiatives that build consensus around shared objectives, to shaping the intellectual foundations of policy discourse through rigorous research and thought leadership.
BASIC is a fast-paced and rewarding environment with an exceptionally positive and inclusive team culture. We have experienced rapid growth over the past decade and are well-suited to people who are motivated by our mission, able to work at a sustained pace, keen to develop professionally, and enjoy being part of a collaborative team working on consequential issues.
What We Offer
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Competitive salary with room for growth
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30 days annual leave (pro rata), plus bank holidays and closure days over the December festive period
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Employer pension contributions of 5% (above the national minimum)
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Flexible working arrangements, with set days (Wednesdays required) but flexibility on hours
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Remote working with option to use co-working space
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1-2 all-staff in-person team away day per year, as well as other in-person working opportunities
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Opportunities for professional growth and development
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Excellent team culture built on respect, openness, and inclusion
The Role
BASIC is seeking an experienced and strategic Communications Manager to lead and implement effective communication strategies that amplify our mission, enhance our brand identity, and strengthen engagement with key audiences. The ideal candidate will have exceptional written and verbal communication skills, a proactive approach to storytelling, and the ability to collaborate across the organisation to ensure clear, consistent, and impactful messaging.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Communications Manager will play a central role in shaping BASIC’s external presence, working across programmes to craft compelling narratives for social media, the website, and other digital platforms, as well as press contacts.
The Communications Manager will be the point of contact for all communication activity and will be responsible for setting the strategy and communicating this to the team. As an organisation, BASIC is keen to develop brand identity, particularly amongst our programmes and the Communications Manager will be instrumental in developing this work.
Key Responsibilities
Organisational Communications & Strategy
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Develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with BASIC’s mission and objectives including a strong link to impact.
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Lead the evolution of our social media strategy, ensuring increased engagement and impact.
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Develop and implement strategic online communication plans to enhance BASIC’s digital presence, ensuring consistent and engaging messaging across all platforms.
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Oversee BASIC’s branding and identity development, ensuring consistency across programmes and platforms. This includes: organisational brand asset, image, review and refresh.
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Act as BASIC’s press officer, managing media engagement, journalistic contacts, and public relations.
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Plan and execute BASIC’s website redevelopment strategy, including better functionality for fundraising efforts and overseeing all aspects of website content/management.
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Draft, edit, and manage organisational newsletters using MailChimp/MailerLite, ensuring clear, engaging, and audience-focused content that aligns with BASIC’s communications strategy.
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Provide communications training to staff, fostering a culture of shared responsibility for communications.
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Create promotional materials to advance BASIC’s initiatives.
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Strengthen BASIC’s internal and external communications, ensuring alignment with key stakeholders.
Programme Responsibilities
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Develop and execute tailored communications plans for specific programmes, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and effective audience engagement.
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Collaborate with programme teams to create and distribute engaging content that highlights programme achievements and key messages
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Work with programme teams to define the strategy, vision and purpose of newsletters
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Coordinate programme events (virtual and in-person), in terms of communications outreach to increase visibility and structuring of success stories
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Support the creation of digital content (social media posts, website updates, videos, etc.) to promote programme activities and initiatives
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Assist with publishing programme reports including proofing and providing guidance for branding and imagery
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Provide communications support for programme fundraising activities
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Monitor and analyse communications impact across programmes, using feedback and data to suggest improvements and ensure messaging is reaching the right audiences
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Help to manage relationships with key stakeholders for each programme by ensuring ongoing engagement and support for programme objectives
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Ensure consistent branding and messaging across all programme communications to maintain coherence with the organisation's overall identity
Person Specification:
Essential:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Marketing, Education, Business, Fundraising)
- 8+ years of working in a communications role
- Knowledge of global security or related issues with linkage to UK policy
- Proven experience in developing and implementing communication strategies aligned with organisational goals and objectives
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft clear, compelling messages
- Ability to generate innovative ideas and content that engage target audiences and enhance brand visibility
- Strong networking and stakeholder engagement skills
- Experience in monitoring and evaluating communication impact through media coverage, engagement metrics, and analytics. Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and identify areas for improvement.
- Strong collaborative skills with the ability to work effectively across teams to ensure consistent messaging and brand representation.
- Keen eye for detail with a commitment to accuracy and quality in all communications materials
Desirable:
- Experience in crisis communications, including drafting statements and managing sensitive issues.
Why Join BASIC?
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the communications strategy of a respected international security think tank. If you are a creative, strategic, and proactive communicator who thrives in a collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you.
Registered Charity
1 - 5
Working to safeguard humanity and Earth’s ecosystem from nuclear risks and interconnected security threats
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
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Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
We offer hybrid working and we are committed to paying the Real Living Wage.
About Us
Yorkshire is one of the regions hardest hit by cancer. Together, we can change this.
Yorkshire Cancer Research is a charity dedicated to funding research so that you and those you love live longer healthier lives, free of cancer.
Thanks to supporters, the charity funds vital cancer research and pioneers innovative new services for people with cancer. These life-giving medical breakthroughs are helping more people survive cancer – in Yorkshire, and beyond.
As an inclusive employer, our aim is to ensure our workforce reflects the rich diversity of our region. We believe a diverse workforce is vital to us taking action to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire. We offer equal opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnerships.
The Benefits
We offer all employees a wide range of benefits including an enhanced contributory pension scheme, 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service), flexible working arrangements, private medical insurance, enhanced maternity leave, career progression, learning and development, wellbeing initiatives, offices within walking distance of Hornbeam Park train station, free onsite parking and a whole lot more.
We’ve got a strong set of values that inform everything we do and we’re looking for people who are aligned with these. As our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, you will put people in Yorkshire at the heart of everything you do, unite with colleagues and other organisations in this cause, and dare to think big and bold to make positive solutions happen.
The Role
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Policy and Public Affairs Manager to join our Research, Policy and Impact team.
Supporting the Head of Cancer Insight, you will continue to develop and deliver a policy and public affairs strategy, including influencing at a local, regional, and national level, with the aim of helping the charity achieve its strategy and bringing benefit to the people of Yorkshire. You will develop evidence-based policy reports and recommendations that can be used to influence a variety of audiences and project manage the development, delivery and evaluation of public affairs campaigns and events. As Policy and Public Affairs Manager, you will also act as a source of expertise across the organisation and externally on key policy areas and the wider policy environment.
Specifically, you will:
Influencing
· Support the further development, refinement and delivery of the charity’s influencing strategy and impact evaluation process, in line with the charity’s own strategic ambitions.
· Lead the development of insightful written materials and reports to aid influencing.
· Lead the charity’s response to regional and national consultations relevant to cancer in Yorkshire, making a robust and evidence-based case for the charity’s position.
· Oversee the continued growth of the charity’s political monitoring work and ensure the effective pursuit of every opportunity offered.
· Engage with regional and national decision makers to influence policy-making for the benefit of people in Yorkshire and beyond.
· Grow relationships with key stakeholders across Yorkshire and beyond (such as DHSC, NHSE, Integrated Care Boards, Cancer Alliances, national policy groups, and other charities, to influence change based on policy recommendations.
Policy development
· Support the continued development of the policy production and dissemination process, including the policy development pathway, internal/external dissemination and impact evaluation.
· Lead the research, production and dissemination of high quality, evidence-based cancer-related policies and the strategic development of key policy recommendations.
· Oversee regular updates of existing policies and position statements, ensuring that topical policies are updated frequently.
· Ensure external insight is built into policies and policy development, such as gaining views from the Patient and Public Involvement Community, the inclusion of external patient and public contributors and endorsements from clinical and academic experts.
· Oversee work with relevant internal teams to create key messages for a range of internal and external stakeholders, ensuring these are in line with the latest evidence and are used correctly, and provide expert commentary on media stories.
· Act as a source of expertise on the charity’s cancer-related policies and position statements, both internally and externally. Undertake media interviews as required to communicate key messages with the public.
Campaigns and Events
· Project manage the development, delivery and evaluation of public affairs campaigns, in collaboration with the Brand and Relationships team where relevant, manage relationships with third parties to support campaign delivery where required.
· Lead the outreach and delivery of influencing events, including visits to charity-funded projects and party conference activity.
· Further develop and deliver of a strategy for growing and maintaining a handraiser supporter base, to enhance public affairs campaigns activity.
About You
To be considered for this role, you will need:
· To have a degree in a relevant subject area, for example public policy, public health, scientific, medical etc.
· To have substantial experience of writing influencing materials such as briefings, letters, blogs, campaign materials.
· To have substantial experience supporting the implementation of high impact campaigns that engage the public and are designed to influence. Experience of working on campaigns that encourage behaviour change.
· To have experience of evaluating campaigns, and assessing the impact of policy and public affairs activities.
· To have excellent Public Affairs experience including understanding of local, regional and national government, the current health policy landscape as well as knowledge of UK parliamentary processes along with a proven track-record of engaging politically to make change happen.
· To have substantial experience of developing evidence-based policies for a health focused organisation.
· To have substantial experience of communicating health policy positions to a variety of audiences including for influencing purposes.
· To have a good understanding of the health care system in England.
· To be a strategic thinker with strong analytical, judgement and decision-making skills.
· To be able to sift out the essential elements from a mass of complex information, integrate and synthesise ideas, and present information to others in an accessible way.
· To be a pro-active and creative approach to policy work with an ability to identify and use external opportunities and a desire to succeed.
· To have excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills with the ability to interpret complex information and communicate this to a range of audiences so it is clear and accessible.
· To have excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise work, handle conflicting demands and meet tight deadlines with exceptional levels of accuracy maintained.
· To have strong management and leadership skills, with the ability to coach team members to encourage continued development and learning.
· To have strong networking, influencing and relationship management skills, with the ability to inspire and influence others, as well as the confidence and personal authority to work with external organisations.
Application
Before applying, please visit our Careers Page to view the full role profile and find out more about working for Yorkshire Cancer Research.
To apply please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to Claire Wooldridge, Head of People,before 15 December 2025. Please read our privacy notice before applying.
Yorkshire Cancer Research is a responsible and flexible employer. We welcome any discussion for flexible working at the interview/offer stage where we will consider an individual’s circumstances against the needs of the charity.
We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. If we can make any reasonable adjustments to support your application please contact us via our website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.