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Job description

We are seeking a Communications Manager to join our team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing communication and marketing strategies that enhance Volunteer Now’s public image and ensure consistent messaging across all platforms.

Responsibilities

• Media Relations: Build and maintain relationships with journalists, bloggers, and other media representatives. Coordinate media outreach, including drafting press materials, pitching stories, and arranging interviews.
• Social Media Management: Oversee social media accounts, develop strategies to grow engagement, and monitor online conversations and sentiment.
• Impact sharing: Utilise the data within the CRM system and monitoring to highlight the impact of our work. Manage external communications, including the creation of the Annual Report, Strategies and Plans for promotion and development.
• Event Coordination: Assist in organising and promoting company events, including press conferences, conferences, and webinars.
• Analytics and Reporting: Track and analyse the effectiveness of communication strategies using analytics tools, providing insights for improvement.
• Content Creation: Write, edit, and oversee the production of internal and external communications, including the website, press releases, blogs, social media posts, newsletters, and speeches.
• Brand Management: Ensure that all communication efforts align with Volunteer Now’s brand identity, maintaining a consistent voice across all channels.
• Relationship Building: build relationships with funders and potential partners, including corporates, who could enhance our work and reach. Identify opportunities for improvement and income generation across the organisation.
• Strategic Planning: Develop and execute comprehensive communication and marketing strategies to support organisational goals, initiatives, and public relations efforts.
• Crisis Communication: Prepare and implement crisis communication plans when necessary, ensuring clear, timely, and appropriate messaging during a crisis.
• Capacity Building: Support, enable and motivate staff across the organisation to implement the communications and marketing plans ensuring a whole team approach.
• Internal Communications: Manage internal communications, ensuring staff and volunteers are informed about organisational news, updates, and events. Support leadership in conveying key messages to staff.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 3 years practical experience in a communications and marketing role.
• Understanding of techniques and principles of communications and marketing materials across different media and how different channels can be used individually and together to deliver objectives.
• Experience of developing communications and marketing plans.
• The ability to use and interpret data to understand local, regional and national data to evidence the creation of the plans/activity.
• Understanding of brand management.
• Proven track record in creating, using and editing content in different channels based on audience insight and evaluation.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to plan local and regional marketing communications activity in support of organisational objectives.
• Proficient in using communication tools and platforms, including social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite).
• The ability to operate within mandatory brand and channel guidance.
• Understanding of the elements that make up Volunteer Now’s brand and how to use them.
• Good eye for design and presentation.
• Understanding of how to plan journeys between channels and awareness of the importance of user experience and accessibility.
• The ability to gather and share information with a wide group of stakeholders.
• Strong editing and proofreading abilities, the ability to write copy, with attention to detail.

Desirable Skills

• 3rd level qualification in communications, marketing or other relevant discipline.
• Experience of liaising with corporates and funders to bring additional business/resources/income into an organisation.
• Experience/knowledge of communications and marketing in the 3rd sector.
• Experience of managing, motivating and supporting a staff team.

Further Information

This role requires a creative individual with excellent writing, editing, and project management skills along with a sound knowledge of online media. For further information and to apply, please go to www.volunteernow.co.uk/vacancies/ and download an application pack.