Salary: starting from £35,666 + Benefits (possible to increase salary via incremental steps in the first 12 months)
Role duration: Permanent. Full time or part time from 4 days a week
The purpose of this role is to support the News and Media Manager in promoting, strengthening and protecting the reputation of the Academy by delivering clear and consistent messages about our work to key audiences through print, broadcast and digital media.
You will achieve this by creating high quality materials for journalists, responding to media enquiries and generating compelling written content for our owned channels. You will work collaboratively with colleagues and partners, including influential UK and international medical researchers as well as patients, carers and the public, to help shape our work.
You will strive for excellence to develop an exceptional news sense, a flair for pitching stories and an ability to communicate complex information in accessible ways. You will be agile in how you support colleagues working on multiple long- and short-term projects and will work well under pressure to meet short deadlines.
You will behave with integrity to build effective relationships quickly and inspire trust as you collaborate widely with science and health journalists, influential UK and international medical researchers, and press officers in partner charities, universities and government bodies across all four nations. You will act on evidence to deliver factually sound and impactful communications that resonate with the journalists, public, patients, researchers and policymakers.
We’re looking for someone with the energy and passion to actively seek diversity and inclusion across our communications activities. Someone who lives our values of kindness and resilience by modelling healthy working practices and supporting wellbeing and work life balance for colleagues, collaborators and most importantly themselves.
Closing date for completed applications is 5pm on Wednesday 1 May 2024.
Interviews will likely be held online the week commencing on 13 May 2024.
Requirements
About the role – what you will be doing
* Monitor the news agenda to identify opportunities, contacts and outlets for Academy input, and work with colleagues to leverage these opportunities.
* Build and maintain comprehensive lists of media contacts, including specialist journalists, feature writers and commentators.
* Act as a first point of contact for media enquiries, ensuring a timely response to requests for comment and spokespeople, and providing out-of-hours cover when necessary.
* Write engaging press releases, response quotes and other press materials in collaboration with the News and Media Manager, coordinating sign-off and managing distribution once agreed.
* Organise media briefings, interviews and filming, ensuring journalists are briefed and have access to spokespeople.
* Assist in delivering media and communications training to Fellows, grant awardees and other spokespeople.
* Develop and maintain effective working links with appropriate representatives at peer organisations including the Science Media Centre, Stempra, other National Academies, Government departments, universities and research funders.
* Monitor, record and evaluate the media profile of the Academy, helping to assemble and present impact reports that demonstrate delivery on KPIs and showcase successes and learnings.
About you – what you bring to the role
* An interest in science and health communications.
* Insight into the way the media works and an ability to identify newsworthy stories, preferably from experience working in a busy news environment.
* Skills in media monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex information in an engaging and accessible way.
* Team player with the ability to work collaboratively and support colleagues.
* Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
* Anticipates reputational risks and takes ownership to ensure robust results.
* Motivation, determination and persistence even in difficult situations.
Download job description
For information about the Academy and our strategy 2022-2032 click here .
Benefits
* Salary progression framework
* Hybrid and agile working
* 29 days annual leave including Christmas closure dates, plus bank holidays.
* Pension (the Academy contributes 7.5% of gross salary to a pension scheme, with an employee contribution of 3%).
* Life assurance
* Season ticket travel loan (interest free)
* Family friendly benefits - enhanced maternity and paternity leave (subject to qualifying period) coaching for parents returning to work)
* Subscription to Headspace and Class pass
* Staff training to support your development including EDI training (you can see more information on our EDI values, principles, and behaviours here )
Click here for information about working at the Academy and the agile and flexible working style available and the full range of staff benefits