This vacancy has now closed

Communications Officer (Scotland)

  • Full time
  • £30,000 – £32,000
  • Hybrid: Linked to our Edinburgh office
  • Closing 31st December 2021


  • Advertised from 13th December 2021
  • 35 hours per week. 6 months contract

Role

We are looking for a Communications Officer to join Samaritans on a six month fixed term contract. As Communications Officer, you will be joining a busy and dynamic Influencing Team working across established Samaritans’ campaigns, reacting to the day-to-day news and supporting the delivery of two exciting areas of brand-new work.

• Start date is January or early February 2022

• 6 months fixed term contract

• Full time (35 hours per week)

• £30,000-£32,000 per annum, pro rata

• Hybrid: Linked to our Edinburgh office

• We encourage flexible working, talk to us about your preferences

It’s a busy time for Samaritans Scotland just now, we have significant opportunities to influence Scotland’s approach to suicide and self-harm, a major new project to establish in the western Highlands, and a new strategic delivery plan to develop and launch. We are looking for someone to join our Influencing Team to provide us with communications expertise and help us get our message out across Scotland’s national, local and digital media channels.

You will liaise with volunteers in branches across Scotland, senior volunteer management and staff in other nations. You will also engage with national and regional media and with members of the public via social media channels, and support members of the public to tell their stories of lived experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Support development of our first phase work in the West Highlands, working with the marketing team to promote Real People, Real Stories in Scotland and, particularly, in the west Highlands through local channels

• Support communications around fundraising and policy campaigns, publications and activities in Scotland, attending events where appropriate

• Promote awareness raising of Samaritans services through all appropriate channels

• Support engagement in, and communication of, the new Samaritans Strategy and the Scottish Strategic Delivery Plan in Scotland

• Provide reactive media support for stories arising in Scotland

Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience in successfully delivering media campaigns, across channels, in Scotland

• Experience of working sensitively with people to support them to share their stories

• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills

• Attention to detail and strong organisational skills

• Ability to work calmly under pressure and within a small dynamic team

• Ability to manage a complex workload and work to tight deadlines

• Thorough understanding of social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.)

• Proven experience of representing an organisation to the public or/and media (desirable)

• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the environment in which non-governmental organisations operate (desirable)

• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of working with volunteers and a volunteer led organisation (desirable)

Application notes

For further information and to apply please visit our website

Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. We warmly welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.

The closing date for this role is 31st December, video interviews taking place w/c 10th January