Fundraising & Communications Manager

Media and Communications Manager

Job Description & Person Specification

Reports to: Deputy Director

Salary: £41,000 per annum, pro rata (£24,600 per annum for 3 days per week)

Contract: 3 days per week (22.5 hours), with flexibility over working hours (core hours 10.00-16.00).

Start date: As soon as possible

Location: This role is based in London at our offices in Tottenham Hale, with possibility of hybrid working at home and in the office (minimum attendance in the office is 1 day per week on average.)

Duration: Permanent

Anti-oppressive statement: Feedback is actively seeking to move through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive journey in every aspect of its work. We acknowledge that the environmental sector is less open to people from under-represented backgrounds, and we are strongly committed to identifying and correcting where we may be perpetuating patriarchal, white supremacist values and other forms of oppression in our organisational culture, partnerships, and community work. We especially want to hear from you if you feel that you have lived experience of power structures preventing you from accessing opportunities like this.

ABOUT US

Feedback is a UK- and Netherlands-based campaign group working for food that is good for people and planet. We want a world where:

·         All people have secure access to delicious, culturally appropriate food that is nutritious and does not cause environmental harm

·         Global supply chains, farming and fishing contribute to food sovereignty, good livelihoods, mitigate climate change and enable nature to thrive

·         Communities have agency to create food economies that are inclusive, equitable, resilient and celebratory

To meet these objectives, we carry out the following activities:

·         We delegitimize corporations

·         We ideate and advocate for policy change and regulation

·         We nurture community agency

·         We widen our circle of allies

·         We change culture and public discourse

ABOUT THE ROLE

The purpose of this role is to manage all aspects of how Feedback communicates our work to help achieve our strategic goals. This includes centring communities, building our public profile with key audiences including journalists, developing our range of allies, reflecting our understanding of historical injustice in the food system, and fostering an experimentation and learning culture. As Feedback has recently rebranded and changed its name, this role will involve carefully managing the journey of embarking with a new brand.

This role would suit an experienced communications professional who is excited to think deeply about the way communications can support systemic change in the food sector. Experience with managing relationships with journalists and media outlets, identifying and pursuing stories, managing change, and contributing to organisational learning will be important.

Everyone at Feedback is engaged in our journey towards fully embodying the principles of an anti-racist and anti-oppressive organisation, and as Communications Manager you will take the opportunity to think deeply and act on these principles in our approach to communications. Feedback’s activities span communities/grassroots and policy/corporate campaigns and one of our priorities is integrating these two aspects of our work, so an understanding of the reality of working with communities, either professionally or personally, or a willingness to learn, is vital.

As Feedback’s strong media profile is a key aspect of our campaigning success, you will help build this profile and take an organised and proactive approach to identifying story opportunities from across the organisation.

JOB DESCRIPTION

This role is responsible for delivery, alongside colleagues, of two strategic objectives:

PUBLIC PROFILE  

By the end of 2025, we will have good public visibility with frequent media impressions and a strong recognized brand, raising awareness of our work, and raising the credibility of our asks amongst diverse audiences  

SUPPORTERS  

By the end of 2025, a strong and engaged online supporter base will be integral to us achieving our goals through online actions and donations 

Alongside this, you will be responsible for ensuring our work at Feedback fulfils our wider strategic objectives to:

·         Centre communities in our policy asks, while building support for our campaigns amongst partner communities; 

·         Demonstrate our impact annually and foster a learning culture amongst our team to enable us to continually improve our effectiveness;  

·         Build relationships with a range of allies;

·         Support Feedback’s journey towards our anti-racism objective.

These responsibilities will be met by:

1.      Build and develop Feedback’s media profile (approx 30% of time) by:

a.      Building relationships with journalists.

b.      Identifying and developing new hooks and stories to pitch to the media from across Feedback’s portfolio of work. Pitching these to key journalists alongside campaigners where relevant.

c.      Drafting media materials including pitch documents, press releases and Q&A documents.

d.      Preparing colleagues ahead of media interviews.

                                                              i.      Managing external PR support where relevant.

                                                             ii.      Supporting key media moments alongside campaigners.

2.      To manage Feedback’s brand and public profile (approx. 30% of time) by:

a.      Overseeing our communications channels, working with other staff and external consultants to ensure our channels reflect the diversity of Feedback’s work and contribute to meeting our strategic objectives.

b.      Fully deliver the roll-out of Feedback’s new brand and its application to every aspect of our communications work.

3.      To manage the communications pipeline (approx. 30% of time) by:

a.      Acting as a quality control and adviser on all communications outputs from across the team to ensure that form and content are as effective and creative as possible.

b.      Thinking and experimenting with the application of our anti-racism and anti-oppressive work to our communications.

c.      Managing sub-contractors as necessary to deliver high quality content in a timely manner.

d.      Managing the communications budget.

4.      Develop a learning system to continually learn and improve on how we do communications at Feedback (approx. 10% of time) by:

a.      Monitoring and tracking impact of Feedback’s communications outputs

b.      Identifying appropriate indicators which provide opportunities to learn about how we meet our strategic objectives through our communications.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential knowledge and experience:

·         Extensive knowledge and experience of using communications to achieve campaign goals.

·         Strong understanding of developing and enhancing organisational brand profile

·         Experience of working closely with journalists to generate strong media coverage.

·         Experience of managing sub-contractors or other external delivery partners.

Essential skills:

·         Ability to distil complex topics into accessible and relevant communications materials and other outputs

·         Confidence in communicating with journalists and at senior level with Feedback’s partners   Excellent digital skills including using social media and other digital platforms to achieve organisational or campaign goals.

·         Ability to prioritise under pressure, identify routes to maximum impact and work efficiently.

·         Ability to build strong internal and external relationships, give appropriate advice and manage expectations.

• A can-do attitude, flexibility and adaptability, alongside a willingness to pitch in on delivery and help colleagues across the team, recognising that Feedback is a small, nimble organisation with fast-changing priorities.
• Shares Feedback’s values: audacity, collaboration, impact, celebration, solidarity.

Desirable knowledge, experience and skills:

·         Experience with change management, for example a rebrand or new website process.

·         Understanding of the principles of anti-oppressive practice and their application to communications.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply via Charity Jobs with a CV and cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) explaining how you meet the person specification and why you would like to work at Feedback. Please view the full job description and person specification for more information.

Deadline to apply: 9am, Thursday 11th July 2024

Successful candidates for interview will be notified by Thursday 18th July 2024.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 24th July 2024