Help tell the stories that save lives
North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA) is looking for an experienced and dynamic PR, Media and Publicity Manager to lead our media relations and publicity activity, helping to raise awareness of our life-saving service across the North West.
Every day, our crews bring hospital-level care directly to patients across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria. As a charity, we rely entirely on public support to keep our helicopters flying and our critical care teams responding when every second counts.
This is a unique opportunity for a talented communications professional to shape the public profile of a well-loved regional charity, securing impactful media coverage, developing compelling stories and protecting and enhancing our reputation.
About the Role
Reporting to the Head of Marketing and working as part of our wider Marketing team, you will develop and deliver a proactive PR and media strategy that supports the charity's ambitious five-year vision.
You will be the organisation's lead media contact, building strong relationships with journalists, broadcasters and key stakeholders while identifying opportunities to showcase the incredible work of our crews, supporters, patients and volunteers.
From managing sensitive media enquiries and developing crisis communications plans to creating thought leadership content and preparing senior leaders for interviews, no two days will be the same.
Salary
£42,000 per annum
Working Hours
35 hours per week (agile working between 7.00am - 7.00pm)
What You'll Be Doing
- Leading and delivering NWAA's PR and media strategy, with clear objectives and measurable outcomes.
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with regional and national media contacts.
- Identifying, developing and pitching compelling stories that raise awareness of the charity's impact.
- Acting as the primary media contact for enquiries, interviews and press opportunities.
- Managing reactive and sensitive media issues, providing expert communications advice and reputational risk management.
- Preparing spokespeople for media appearances, interviews and public engagements.
- Writing engaging press releases, media statements, briefing documents, case studies and Q&As.
- Supporting major campaigns, fundraising initiatives, events and organisational milestones through strategic media activity.
- Developing speeches, keynote presentations, opinion pieces and thought leadership content for senior leaders.
- Managing media monitoring, evaluation and reporting to demonstrate PR impact and share of voice.
- Building relationships with sector partners, influencers and key stakeholders.
- Identifying and managing award submissions that celebrate the charity's achievements.
- Developing media guidance and maintaining the charity's crisis communications playbook.
- Providing media training and messaging support to colleagues across the organisation.
About You
We're looking for a confident and creative communications professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and understands the power of storytelling to inspire, engage and influence.
You will bring:
Essential Experience and Skills
- Proven experience in PR, media relations or communications, ideally within the charity, healthcare or public sector.
- Strong understanding of regional and national media landscapes and news cycles.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
- Exceptional storytelling and copywriting abilities across press, broadcast and digital channels.
- Experience managing multiple priorities and responding effectively under pressure.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- Confidence supporting and advising senior leaders and spokespeople.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate media performance and impact.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital communication platforms.
Desirable Experience
- Experience working within integrated marketing and communications teams.
- Knowledge of the charity sector and/or air ambulance services.
- Experience using media monitoring, media database and PR distribution platforms.
- Understanding of social media's role in supporting PR activity.
- Experience writing speeches, thought leadership articles and opinion pieces.
- Knowledge of crisis communications and reputation management.
- Understanding of public affairs and stakeholder engagement.
The Person We're Looking For
You will be:
- Passionate about making a difference and supporting the mission of North West Air Ambulance Charity.
- A credible and professional communicator with excellent judgement.
- Resilient, calm and confident when managing sensitive or high-profile situations.
- Empathetic and able to handle patient and supporter stories with care and discretion.
- A collaborative team player who builds strong relationships across the organisation.
- Proactive, creative and solutions-focused.
- Committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and confidentiality.
- Flexible and willing to support occasional out-of-hours media activity when required.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to use your communications expertise to make a genuine difference. You'll help tell stories that demonstrate the impact of a life-saving service, inspire supporters and strengthen the charity's reputation across the region and beyond.
If you're an experienced PR professional looking for a role with purpose, we'd love to hear from you.
