Purpose of post:
To support external affairs activity for RSPH through a mixture of policy development, campaigns and communications activity, including drafting releases and supporting the press office, on a range of public health and broader health and care issues.
Accountable to: External Affairs Manager
Type of person we are looking for: Self-starter, proactive and personable
About RSPH:
Having celebrated our 160th birthday last year, RSPH is the oldest public health body in the world, with more than 6,000 members drawn from the public health community in the UK and beyond. An independent health education charity, our vision is a world where everyone has the opportunity to optimise their health and wellbeing. We offer qualifications, conferences and internationally-renowned academic journals.
Despite our illustrious heritage, we are at the cutting edge of public health excellence and innovation. Our young and dynamic External Affairs team produce high-profile policy and campaigns that challenge and disrupt, bringing fresh thinking that pushes boundaries and deters complacency on issues that are important to the public and to their health – encompassing everything from drug policy reform to social media and mental wellbeing.
Main Tasks:
- Support the effective running of the RSPH press office, including media monitoring, drafting press releases/reactives, developing media lists for specific projects/keeping master media list up-to-date, and helping to sell-in stories with target journalists;
- Lead on specific policy research and partnership projects including desk research, surveys and polls, interviews, writing reports, liaising with designers. This may include leading on particular policy areas including obesity and physical activity and supporting our campaign around social media and mental health for young people;
- Provide ongoing support for RSPH campaigns, including public affairs activities, parliamentary engagement, funding bids, and other actions associated with campaign development;
- Ensuring RSPH stays ahead of the curve with effective intelligence gathering activity, including keeping forward planner up-to-date and external representation/networking on behalf of RSPH;
- Representing/networking on behalf of RSPH at external events and conferences, including the potential for public speaking and/or media interviews.
Person Specification:
The successful candidate will:
- Be proactive and personable;
- Be a team player, but also a self-started comfortable working with minimal supervision;
- Have a structured and systematic approach to work;
- Be politically aware and have a strong interest in current affairs;
- Have proven experience working in policy, public affairs, communications and/or media relations;
- Be comfortable and confident engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including journalists, policy makers and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.