A specialist professional and standards body are currently seeking an Interim Policy & Communications Officer to cover a 2 month period of paternity leave.
Reporting to the Chief Executive, the successful candidate will be responsible for co-ordinating the process through which the organisation considers and responds to external consultations and reports. This will involve the identification of relevant consultations and reports, liaising with contributors and external bodies, drafting submission documents, ensuring that submissions meet required deadlines and maintaining records.
Further responsibilities will include:
- Responsible for managing and co-ordinating the development of the organisation’s policy;
- Co-ordinating the maintenance and development of policy-related publications and reports in liaison with the President, Committee representatives, shared interest networks and external stakeholders;
- Managing and co-ordinating liaison between the organisation and the media and other relevant groups in line with organisational policy;
- Drafting press releases for approval and issuing pre-agreed statements to the media when relevant;
- Overseeing the content management of the website and also the organisation’s social media presence;
- Development and co-ordination of other communication activities as required by the Chief Executive;
- Co-ordinating external representation. This will include briefing representatives, maintaining records, collating the reports from representatives and ensuring that relevant matters are considered by the organisation;
- Co-ordination and administration of meetings of the Policy and Communications Group and Ethics and Practice Committee and any other meetings and working parties as required by the Chief Executive.
The organisation is seeking an experienced policy and communications professional that is pro-active, can work on their own initiative and has public policy and media relations experience.
Other required knowledge skills and experience include:
- Education to degree-level or equivalent;
- Experience of developing policy outputs (consultation responses, policy reports), ideally from within a membership type organisation;
- Experience of policy committee administration;
- Demonstrable experience media engagement;
- Strong oral and written communication skills;
- Flexibility and willingness to take on additional responsibilities to support the wider team;
- An interest in medical research, science and/or innovation would be an asset.