Media and PR Officer

Role Overview & Responsibilities

Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - London / Chesterfield
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Salary: £31,875 per annum (London), £29,000 per annum (rest of UK) (Pending pay review)
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offeron our profile page
Travel: If based in Chesterfield, travel to London offices once a month, and travel to other national offices on an occasional basis.
Closing date: 23:59, Thursday 27 April 2023

Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

Versus Arthritis is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process Versus Arthritis will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

About the role

This role will help build understanding of the issues affecting people with arthritis in line with high-profile and impactful media and PR coverage, via a programme of media targeting and journalist engagement. Working with teams and colleagues across our Income and Engagement Directorate the role will maximise coverage and reach through combining news, PR, marketing and social media, including outreach activity with online-only outlets and influencers.

As part of the Press Office, this role will participate in the out-of-hours and reactive rota - spotting opportunities, responding to daily media enquiries, engaging with journalists and reacting quickly and confidently to developing issues and breaking news.

Key requirements

• Experience of securing impactful media and PR coverage, gained in a communications or journalism role.
• Experience of working with influential media figures, including celebrity supporters and/or online influencers, to secure coverage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience of planning and delivering PR plans and campaigns, including working with colleagues to develop and agree approaches and content.
• Experience of working with internal colleagues to ensure relationships with celebrity supporters and other influencers help deliver wider organisational objectives, including income generation.

*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.

We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £29,000.00-£31,875.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Wellness programme
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• London, EC1N 8TS: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• Public relations: 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in London, EC1N 8TS