Communications And Engagement Officer

This is an exciting time to join the Medical Research Foundation, as we prepare to launch our new five-year strategy. We are looking for a science communications professional who can help us engage and inspire more people about the research and researchers we fund. You will be passionate about communicating science and adept at creating compelling written and digital content.

The Foundation’s mission is to drive the life-changing advances of tomorrow, by laying the foundations for ground-breaking new discoveries today. We know that many health conditions are overlooked and underfunded, that new health threats will continue to arise, and that there will always be a need for high-quality, high impact medical research.

But to continue funding life-changing research, long into the future, we need to raise our profile and engage more people with what we do.

Reporting to our Head of Communications, you will tell the stories of the research and researchers we fund. Your main responsibilities will be to:

• Showcase the research and researchers we fund, through news stories, press releases, web content, social media campaigns, fundraising propositions, and sponsored events. 
• Write and create content for our research webpages and research-focused social media channels.
• Support fundraising through the provision of engaging research summaries.
• Build a strong understanding of the Foundation’s research funding portfolio and seek out inspiring science stories.
• Work with the Senior Research Impact Manager to source and produce impact case studies.
• Work with the Research team on expanding its science seminar programme, to engage supporters and donors.
• Support our funded researchers with any public-facing talks, events, or donor visits.
• Write content for corporate publications, including our Trustees Annual Report, Annual Review and Impact Report.
• Use your scientific literacy to advise and support teams across the charity, to ensure all our communications about medical research are clear, accurate and evidence-based. 
• Plan and manage researcher photoshoots.
• Identify and help to evaluate sponsorship opportunities for profile-raising purposes.
• Identify opportunities to engage with external media.
• Support communications activities around key events, such as the Emerging Leaders Prize ceremony.
• Maintain and protect our brand, ensuring it is used consistently when communicating with our audiences.

Who you are

You will be a communications assistant (or equivalent), looking to take the next step in your career. You will have experience of supporting successful communications strategies within a health/science-focused organisation, including translating complex scientific information for a lay audience. We would like to hear from you if you can:

• Communicate clearly (spoken and written) across a range of issues and to a variety of audiences.
• Use interpersonal skills to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Plan and organise work and have the ability to respond flexibly and positively to unexpected changes or demands.
• Provide communication advice and recommendations to colleagues.
• Prioritise and plan to meet multiple and/or tight deadlines without compromising quality or working relationships.
• Work independently and find solutions to problems by reviewing best practice elsewhere.
• Demonstrate high level of appropriate IT/digital skills, such as Adobe Photoshop, social media management software, Google Analytics, or generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.
• Act with discretion and with strict attention to confidentiality.

We will offer you

The salary will be £29,000 - £36,000 pro rata depending on experience and we will double-match pension contributions up to 10% max employer contribution.  The post is offered full-time (36 hrs) but we will consider part-time (min 0.8 FTE).  We offer 30 days of annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata), excellent financial, health and social benefits and an opportunity to join a dedicated team making a difference to human health.  We operate a hybrid working policy with part of the week office-based and part remote.

Visit our website to find out more about working for us and how to apply.