C/o Winchester Project

21 Winchester Road

London

NW3 3NR

T: 020 3286 5957

E:

Job Description

POST:Communications Officer

CONTRACT: Permanent

ACCOUNTABLE TO: CEO

SALARY:£24,575 pro rata

HOURS:18.75 hours per week to include flexible working necessitating out of hours telephone conversations and out of hours text messaging to young people and may on occasion involve weekends and/or evenings

LOCATION:MAC-UK, 21 Winchester Road, London NW3 3NR

POST REF NO:NMH001

The Music and Change Project Lead is a key post in the MAC-UK organisation, reporting to and working closely with the CEO, taking sole responsibility for MAC-UK’s press office Public relations, marketing and public persona.

  1. Main Duties or Key Tasks and Responsibilities

1.1Working alongside MAC-UK’s CEO to ensure effective communications on behalf of the Music and Change project, Mini MAC project and MAC-UK’s new and pioneering training and consultancy arm

1.2Working opportunistically to secure visibility in key media for MAC-UK, its projects and services through a proactive and effective press office and ongoing media relations securing wide opportunties

1.3Managing press, media and reputational issues relating to every area of our work promptly and effectively

1.4Develop strong relationships with appropriate media and influencers

1.5Support the CEO in communicating MAC-UK’s fundraising needs/strategies

1.6Initiate reactive expert commentary by harnessing the news agenda

1.7Engage in local business outreach with the aim of building strong cross-sector partnerships to harness corporate volunteering, sponsorship and financial donations

1.8To set up journalist familiarisations as appropriate and in consultation with MAC-UK’s CEO

1.9To respond to media targets set by MAC-UK’s CEO

1.10To proactively seek out celebrities, high network donors and ambassadors for MAC-UK

1.11To manage MAC-UK’s website in collaboration with MAC-UK’s pro-bono website support company

1.12To harness new social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook

1.13To build up local awareness of MAC-UK and to increase MAC-UK’s volunteer database

1.14To develop and update MAC-UK’s publicity and marketing materials

1.15To actively seek out training and consultancy contracts to support this new revenue generating arm of MAC-UK

  1. Professional experience/knowledge/skills

2.1Communications and media experience within the charitable, not‐for‐profit educational or business sectors

2.2Highly IT literate and confident

2.3Experience of leading effective communications via a wide range of traditional and digital media

2.4Excellent writing and communication skills

2.5Working effectively with limited budgets

2.6Negotiation skills

2.7Flexibility, with excellent organizational skills and proactive approach

2.8Ability to prioritise, manage complex workloads and deal with shifting deadlines

2.9Good judgement, comfortable with pragmatic decision‐making

2.10Ability to work remotely, relatively unsupported, on behalf of a small team

2.11A desire to take responsibility, and to carry projects from inception to completion

3.Person profile

3.1A confident, approachable manner, with a sympathetic and open‐minded approach to working

3.2A good and patient communicator, able to enthuse and convince

3.3A logical, enquiring mind, always looking for the best way

3.4Energetic and 100% reliable

  1. General

4.1To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s line manager

  1. Additional Responsibilities

5.1As a professional person, the post holder will abide by the legal requirements and statutory rules relating to practice, maintaining the confidentiality of children, young people and their families/carers at all times. He/she will maintain standards of conduct and dress to sustain public confidence, in accordance with the relevant Codes of Professional Conduct and policies, including Terms & Conditions of Employment and records of periodic registration.

  1. Training and Development

6.1All staff must take part in induction/orientation processes offered and any ongoing training as necessary.

CRB Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Criminal Records Bureau to check for any previous criminal convictions

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL

/

DESIRABLE

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS / University degree or equivalent qualification / Further training relevant to the post
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS / Excellent communication and IT skills
Experience of writing press and/or marketing materials
PR and marketing experience
Experience of cross-agency working
Media Experience / Experience of service promotion
Experience of both the voluntary and business sectors

PERSONAL

/ A strong desire to learn and to progress
A willingness to work with everyone regardless of their background, culture and where they live and to work as a member of a team
Ability to work independently
Self motivating and proactive
Excellent time manager
Extremely organised
Ability to work to targets

OTHER

/ Ability to accept and use line management appropriately and effectively
A desire to see MAC-UK expand and develop and a strong belief in its aims and objectives
Ability to appropriately represent MAC-UK
Show evidence of good preparation for your interview

MAC-UK Ltd is a registered charity (no 1126144) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (no 6693712)

Registered office: 26 Throgmorton Street, London EC2N 2AN