Job Description and Person Specification

Please note this statement is for information only and does not form part of a contract. This list is not exhaustive and you will be expected to undertake such duties as may be assigned to you by ActionAid from time to time. Employees are expected to be flexible in their work in order to deliver the objectives of the organisation.

Job title / Copywriter and Editor
Contract type / 12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Grade/starting salary / Band 4
Reporting to / Senior Editorial and Stories Manager
Team and Department / Editorial, Stories & Education Team, Communications
Direct reports / None
Date JD reviewed / November 2015
Context

Are you passionate about making a real difference?

As part of the global ActionAid family, we are helping to build a fair and just world where everyone can claim their rights. To achieve this we work with local people in more than 45 countries to fight hunger and disease, seek justice and education for women, hold companies and governments to account and help communities cope with emergencies.

In the UK our role is to raise funds to reduce poverty in the communities and countries where we work, to take action for long term change and to act in solidarity with people fighting poverty and injustice in poor countries. We aim to make a global difference by working closely with ActionAid International and our country programmes around the world. We want to achieve a way of communicating that creates a powerful emotional, intellectual and practical connection between people here and in developing countries, to motivate and engage our supporters. We are a value driven, forward thinking organisation, focused on achieving long-term and sustainable change in the lives of the poorest people in our world.

Purpose of the Role

Varying their tone and style, the Copywriter and Editor will use their writing and storytelling skills to position ActionAid UK as the charity of choice for those looking to support women and girls to fight poverty worldwide.

Working closely with teams across ActionAid UK, the post holder will write and edit for a range of communications, fundraising, supporter engagement, policy and campaigns materials. They’ll help develop our key messages and uphold our house style, embedding both within the organisation and building our brand with external audiences.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Writing and editing

·  Provide copy writing and editing support for public-facing communications including ActionAid’s supporter magazine, annual review, DM mailers, letters, speeches, policy reports and campaign materials.

·  Attend meetings, take accurate briefs, challenging them where necessary, and work across the full life-cycle of written projects – from first draft to final proofread.

·  Edit copy provided by other teams and provide feedback on suitability of content, tone of voice, brand story and messaging.

·  Check final proofs for spelling and grammar errors, consistency, awkward phrasing and layout mistakes.

·  Uphold the charity’s brand in all content, ensuring editorial quality, consistent style and tone of voice in keeping with the charity’s brand guidelines.

·  Work with the Senior Editorial & Stories Manager and Production Manager to ensure that copywriting and editing services are planned and delivered on schedule.

Project management

·  Manage the research, writing, editing and updating of ActionAid UK’s country fact sheets, drawing on the latest global facts and statistics, as well as compelling stories about ActionAid’s work.

·  Build and maintain excellent working relationships with communications and programme colleagues across the world to ensure we are using the latest information about our work in individual countries.

·  Manage the development of story gathering guidelines for ActionAid UK, including the writing of different elements, as well as making them available on our intranet.

Brand and key messaging

·  Work with the Head of Team and Senior Editorial and Stories manager to develop key messaging, including carefully sourced facts and statistics on key global challenges and areas of ActionAid’s work.

·  Support the Head of Team to develop Editorial Guidelines for ActionAid UK

·  Work closely with colleagues in the Brand Marketing team to deliver short-form copy (taglines, calls to actions etc.) in a timely manner, and to check copy for new branded materials as required.

Training and innovation

·  Lead on developing and implementing training for AAUK staff on effective copywriting.

·  Innovate, experiment and be on the cutting edge of creative storytelling, seeking new audiences and placing AA’s story at the heart of communications trends.

·  Regularly share learnings, audience and sector insight so that we can continually improve our communications.

Other responsibilities

·  Undertake any other duties, appropriate to the post, as delegated by the Senior Editorial and Stories Manager.

·  Work out-of-hours and at weekends as necessary to provide effective support when needed.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential / Desirable
Excellent writing, editing and proofing skills across different channels, with a portfolio of recent examples.
Experience of compiling accurate and compelling desk-based content from a wide variety of sources
Strong understanding of what makes a compelling story and how to tell charity stories in an engaging and appropriate way.
Experience working in a busy communications environment, with shifting priorities and needs.
Good understanding of international development and communicating the issues to a range of audiences.
Skills and Abilities
Excellent writing and editing skills, with a strong eye for detail.
Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage own time and work on several projects at once.
Strong people skills, with experience of building effective working relationships at all levels and across departments.
Mature, compassionate approach to telling real-life stories and dealing with difficult subject matter.
Engages with and is committed to, AAUK's mission, vision, values and strategic aims