Content Officer- Communications
Job description
Contract: Full time (80% considered for the right candidate). Permanent
Salary: £28,000-£32,000 p/a depending on experience
Location: Oxford office / hybrid / remote working (with some travel as required, including meeting in Oxford approx. every 6 weeks)
Responsible to: Communications and Media Manager
Responsible for: Producing content to support FHT’s communications programme
Closing date: 28th May 2024
Interviews: 12th June 2024 (in person – Oxford)
Background
Freshwater Habitats Trust (FHT) is the UK’s leading charity for all freshwaters. We are a friendly, evidence-based conservation charity that works to protect UK and European freshwater wildlife through practical and innovative nature conservation projects.
Our organisation is well respected nationally and internationally, and we work with a network of statutory, NGO and private partners both in the UK and Europe. Freshwater Habitats Trust was originally founded in 1988 (as Pond Conservation) and has a substantial track-record of originating new ideas through research in freshwater biodiversity conservation to inform and drive our practical conservation and policy work.
FHT is based in Oxford, with key regional hubs in the North of England and the New Forest. However, we work nationally with practical projects throughout the Midlands and in other locations throughout England, and out-posted staff based in Cornwall and Wales. We also work with partners on research and policy projects in the UK and internationally. Since 2017 we have seconded staff to the Newt Conservation Partnership (NCP), a new community-benefit society established by NatureSpace, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) and FHT, to create and manage habitats for the NatureSpace District Licensing scheme for great crested newts.
FHT operates mainly by running projects of variable size, length and duration to protect and enhance freshwater biodiversity. The income generated maintains core activities including fundraising and communications. Individual project budgets vary from a few thousand pounds to £1-2 million, the latter typically running on 1–3-year cycles. For further information on our project and activities, see: https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/
Role
The Content Officer will work with the Communications and Media Manager to tell our story by creating high quality, on-brand written, visual and video content. The post holder will produce a range of communications outputs to raise awareness of our evidence, experience and activities with key audiences, including policy makers, funders, our supporters, the media and our wide range of external partners.
This is a new role to support the Communications and Media Manager across all of our communications work as we grow our organisation and profile. This is an exciting time to join the charity as we launch our new strategy to build the Freshwater Network – a national network of wilder, wetter, cleaner, connected habitats to reverse the decline in freshwater biodiversity.
An accomplished storyteller, you will work with colleagues across the organisation to produce blogs, press releases and articles, and other written content to convey our messages and communicate our knowledge about freshwater. You will update our website with new content and will be responsible for producing our email newsletter.
You will manage our social media platforms and create engaging social media content that communicates our key messages to our diverse audiences. This will include designing content using Canva and working with external videographers and our own teams to produce engaging video content.
In addition, you will provide editorial support to our project teams, ensuring communications outputs are on-brand and produced to the highest quality. Because we are a small team, this role will include some administrative work, such as updating our picture library and contacts databases.
A key part of this role will be to develop credible content to communicate nuanced technical and scientific messages to other scientists and practitioners.
Key responsibilities
You will work with our Communications and Media Manager to produce a range of content to deliver our communications strategy. This will include:
- Social media:
- Monitor FHT social media accounts and respond to comments.
- Use Canva and/or other software to create engaging, informative content (including video) for social media accounts, supporting us to grow our social media following and increase engagement with our key messages
- Produce social media plans and schedule posts on Hootsuite
- Deliver social media campaigns for our strategy, the Freshwater Network, and for initiatives such as the PondNet Spawn Survey
- Produce social media evaluation reports on Hootsuite to provide data for our senior management team and trustees and to inform future communications activity
- Website
- Work with the Communications and Media Manager and staff across the organisation to keep our website up to date
- Produce, update and edit website content as required
- Work with staff to produce blogs and news articles to communicate our knowledge and passion for freshwater biodiversity and convey our scientific outputs to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- Media:
- Draft press releases and articles for local, regional, national and trade/technical/scientific media
- Deputise for the Communications and Media Manager as needed to act as point of contact for media enquiries
- Other
- Provide ad hoc proof reading and editorial support across the organisation
- Support the Communications and Media Manager to deliver internal communications work, including staff updates and staff away days
- Provide support with stakeholder communication work, including updating and managing contact databases
- Manage the FHT picture library and promote best practice in terms of permissions and copyright in relation to image acquisition and usage
Additional general responsibilities for the post holder
- Work closely and constructively with your line manager in all areas of your responsibility
- Undertake other duties as the senior management team may from time to time require
- Help to build a positive relationship between Freshwater Habitats Trust and its partners.
- Understand and follow Freshwater Habitats Trust’s internal procedures including Health and Safety, information management systems, site protocols etc.
Competencies
Qualifications
- Degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent training or work experience
Knowledge and experience
Essential:
- At least two years’ experience in a communications or content role
- Excellent writing skills, with a high standard of written English and proven experience in composing engaging and accurate copy for a range of different platforms
- Experience in communicating complex, technical information to a range of audiences
- Proven ability to manage social media platforms for a professional organisation
- Competent at using design software (eg Canva) to produce social media content and social media scheduling platforms (eg Hootsuite or other social media scheduling platforms)
- Experience of updating/editing websites
- Experience in producing/editing video content for social media and other platforms
- Computer literate: Word, Excel, database use and management, and website management tools (eg Word Press)
- Ability to travel to the Oxford office and other sites when needed
Desirable:
- Knowledge of producing SEO-optimised content
- Experience of producing newsletters on platforms such as Mailchimp
- Full current driving licence
- Experience of producing content to communicate scientific research or analysis
- Experience of dealing with the media
Personal qualities
- Excellent attention to detail
- Creative
- Proactive and able to spot opportunities
- Ability to manage workload and meet deadlines
- Team orientated and comfortable working with a wide range of partners
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills – approachable, professional and courteous
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
What we have to offer
At Freshwater Habitats Trust we value employees’ unique views and encourage them to develop their interests. Besides paying a competitive salary, we also offer the following benefits:
- The option to work flexibly, including hybrid or remote working
- 35-hour week
- 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
- Pension with 6% employer contribution
- Mobile phone allowance
- Working from home allowance
- Free eye tests
- Free Employee Assistance Program
- Mileage pay
