Address
Form of work
SalaryJob Title
Interim Head of Communications (maternity leave cover)
Salary
£60,000 - £65,000 per annum pro rata, depending on experience
Location
Remote first with an office available in Central London and regular team meetings in the office
Reporting to
Chief Executive Officer
Employment Type
Fixed-term 9-12 months to cover maternity leave.
We are happy to talk about flexible working.
Application Closing Date
10am, Monday 22 April 2024
Introduction to the role
In a world of generative AI and political spin, it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. Bad information, whether used deliberately or accidentally, ruins lives. It promotes hate, damages people’s health, and hurts democracy.
Full Fact is a team of independent fact checkers and campaigners who find, expose and counter the harm of bad information. We build world-leading technology to identify and counter misinformation, and we lead the fight for honesty and accuracy in public debate.
This is a brilliant opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced professional to take on the crucial role of Interim Head of Communications, covering 9-12 months of maternity leave, in the run up to the next UK general election and the advent of a new parliament. It’s never been more important to ensure that facts matter, and your role will be to put Full Fact at the heart of the debate, to create external impact, and help us campaign for change.
You will be comfortable working to deadlines within a fast-paced news environment, and will have an in-depth knowledge of UK politics and media. You will also understand all our audiences and the most effective ways to communicate with them, and lead a team of social media, press and digital marketing experts to enhance the Full Fact brand, as well as our aims and objectives.
2024 is a pivotal year for Full Fact. We will fact check the general election, reaching millions with impartial, independent information at a critical time, and raising our profile and impact. With a new CEO having joined last year, we are also creating a new three year strategy and investing in new areas of work that combat the harms of misinformation to our lives and communities.
You will be a key member of our senior management team and will work closely with teams across the organisation and our high-profile, experienced board to shape organisational ambition and effective external communication. We are experimental and collaborative, with a strong commitment to learning and development.
If you are interested in applying but not sure you have all the skills, please do apply. We are open both to supporting learning on the job and to rearranging tasks within the team to suit the skillsets of the best applicant.
Job Definition
Leading Full Fact’s external communications in all forms of media and with the wider public, creating lasting impact by making sure we are a leading voice in the debate about accuracy, honesty and trust in public life.
Demonstrably maintain the highest standards of accuracy and fairness in all our external communications.
Outcomes
Ensure that Full Fact maintains a high profile, and plays a leading role in promoting accurate, honest information during the UK general election campaign and the opening months of the next parliament.
Lead a team that is proud to represent Full Fact and does so effectively with external partners, with the media and with our supporters and other members of the public.
Ensure that Full Fact’s communications framework and brand are consistently used in all outputs in order to create impact, and implement a dynamic strategy based on new audience research to improve internal and external understanding of Full Fact’s aims and values.
Develop partnerships that build our reputation with new audiences and promote the Full Fact brand.
What we are looking for from you
Political impartiality and sensitivity:
You are committed to the political neutrality of our work and have a good understanding of impartiality (please see the rules on our website).
Understanding of public debate in the UK and sensitivity to the political context we work in.
Job skills/competencies:
Communication skills
Proven experience of leading a communications team at a strategic/senior level
Ability to understand and meet media deadlines at key moments and to ensure colleagues do the same
Expert in professional Communications and brand management
Deep understanding of public and political debate in the UK, and the UK news landscape
Ability to build and grow professional networks and partnerships
Strong analytical skills with an eye for detail
Strong judgement under pressure
Proven ability to create partnerships that build our reputation with new audiences and promote the Full Fact brand
Management skills
You can run a team that’s effective and happy
Commitment to recognising and developing people’s talent
Understanding of budgeting
Experience in developing OKRs and KPIs in the context of digital communications
Understanding of the value of open, inclusive, and diverse teams and proven commitment to building a team where people feel empowered and valued
Contributing to the management team with a high level of mutual support and accountability
Personal skills
Able to communicate persuasively in person and in writing
Able to build internal and external relationships with integrity and empathy
Able to analyse and process large amounts of sometimes complex information and identify the most relevant aspects
An organised and proactive approach to work
Committed to seeking and giving constructive feedback that strengthens the whole team
What we offer
Starting salary of £60,000 - £65,000 per annum depending on experience.
Workplace Pension
Generous holidays
25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
In addition, we close the office for a period between Christmas and New Year.
Day off for moving home.
Comfortable, centrally located London office with good transport links.
Employee Assistance Programme.
How to apply
Upload your CV and cover letter using the link below by 10am on Monday 22 April 2024.
Our recruitment platform will remove identifying details such as email addresses to allow us to sift applications anonymously.
Before applying, please read the requirements we place on staff to protect Full Fact’s independence and non-partisanship. This can be found on our website.
How the application process will work
We want to see you at your best to understand your strengths and the contribution you could make at Full Fact with strong support, including for your learning and development. We also want to make sure that we use your time well during this process and don’t ask for more from you than we need to. We will make any reasonable adjustments we need to make to this process to help ensure you can perform at your best. For more information about this before applying, please contact us.
The interview panel will be Chris Morris, CEO and two members of our management team.
The process starts off with an anonymised covering letter and CV. This will be read by at least two people to produce a shortlist for interview.
The first round interviews will be a phone (not video) interview, lasting no more than half an hour, at a time that’s convenient for you. We will record it so at least two people can review each interview to decide who we invite back for the second round. The recordings will be deleted at the end of the process.
The second round will include a structured interview and a timed task which assumes no prior knowledge. The task can be completed prior to the interview, at a time that most suits you.
The interview will be with the full panel by video and last no more than an hour. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to prepare, including anything we’d recommend reading in advance
