Job Description

Communications and External Affairs Manager

• Job Reference: 1178378509-2
• Date Posted: 1 December 2023
• Recruiter: SPORT & RECREATION ALLIANCE
• Location: London
• Salary: \xc2\xa332,000 to \xc2\xa336,000
• Sector: Business development, Marketing, Print
• Job Type: Permanent

JOB TITLE: Communications and External Affairs Manager SALARY: \xc2\xa332k - \xc2\xa336k per annum BACKGROUND The Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA) - representative body and voice for the sport and recreation sector in the UK - is looking for a passionate communications and external affairs professional to join our energetic and ambitious team. At the SRA, we strongly believe in the transformational power of sport and recreation to positively shape lives and help drive societal and economic growth. We recognise the untapped potential of our sector and actively advocate on its behalf to help foster a happier, healthier and more prosperous nation where more people from all backgrounds can participate and be active. As one of the main and longest standing bodies in the Sport and Physical Activity sector, our role is to protect and promote the interest of our members who range from traditional governing bodies of sport (including the FA, the RFU, the ECB, England Netball, Skateboard GB), to outdoor and water pursuits (including British Canoeing, Camping and Caravanning Club and the RYA), to movement and dance organisations (including the British Dance Council and the Royal Academy of Dance). The SRA places real emphasis on life-work balance, and while we are a team of high-achievers, who all work hard, strive to deliver for our members and create real world impact, we equally prioritise fostering a fun, inclusive and supportive culture and environment. ROLE SUMMARY In what is an exciting year leading up to a General Election, we are looking for a strategic comms and external affairs professional to join the team to support our communications, campaigning and advocacy work. The Communications and External Affairs Manager will play a large role in shaping and driving forwards the work of the SRA, highlighting and advocating the interests and work of our members and boosting our reach, profile and impact across the sports sector, media and Government. We are looking for a self-starter, with excellent communication and inter-personal skills, and a strong understanding of the media (national and trade), parliamentary and political landscapes. The successful candidate will support the Head of Public Affairs and Communication and help to oversee a small but highly motivated and talented team, while working in tandem with the SRA\'s policy, research, membership and governance teams. MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support and manage the overall communications strategy, developing and delivering content - across all official platforms including press releases, website, livestream, owned social media, printed publications and newsletters.
• Support the development of campaigns and strategies proactively and in response to policy proposals, legislation and other political developments.
• Lead on media relations, building the Alliance\'s and its members\' reach and impact with journalists and media, pitching in and amplifying stories and generating coverage.
• Help to lead the Alliance\'s public affairs work to protect and promote our members\' and the sector\'s interests with Government, parliamentarians and external stakeholders; keeping across and advising on policy and public affairs risks and opportunities; and building and maintaining effective networks in Government and Parliament and across wider political ecosystem.
• Engage and build relationships with members and partners across the sport and physical activity world.
• Support with the organisation and delivery of internal and external committees and groups, principally the APPG for Sport but also other groups as required.
• Assist with the planning and delivery of Alliance events, policy, governance and research activity as required. Assist the Chair, Chief Executive and other senior Alliance staff as appropriate with the preparation of speeches and presentations.
• Responsibility for line management and financial management related to marketing, communications and public affairs activity.

PERSON SPECIFICATION The ideal candidate will have:

• A track record of developing and delivering successful communications plans and public facing campaigns to drive meaningful engagement.
• A strong background in external affairs and experience of developing strategies to influence UK decision makers.
• Experience of parliamentary engagement and strong knowledge of how Westminster and Whitehall operate, in particular knowledge of parliamentary procedure and how best to influence parliamentarians.
• Strong skills in networking and the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a range of people at different levels of seniority including parliamentarians, journalists, civil servants and other external stakeholders.
• Experience of successfully managing relationships with journalists and UK media contacts and good understanding of the UK media landscape i.e. leading media broadcast and print publications across political and sports sectors
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail - with experience drafting press releases, briefings and speeches, and with the ability to engage key stakeholders and explain complex issues in written work or through verbal briefings.
• Ability to read and understand complex documents and distil from these the key implications for the sport and recreation sector.
• Ability to respond flexibly to changing priorities, work autonomously, applying careful judgement in pressurised situations. Ability to manage a range of tasks effectively, meeting tight deadlines with high quality work.
• Experience working effectively within a small and highly focused team.
• Highly skilled working across different social media platforms.

An ideal candidate, though not essential, might demonstrate:

• Understanding of the Alliance\'s and the sport sector\'s key strategic policy objectives and how our policy and public affairs work supports these.
• Understanding of the impact of social and fiscal policy on sport and recreation, and how investment in sport and recreation can in turn contribute to a healthy and prosperous nation.
• Knowledge of the breadth of organisations that make up the sport and recreation sector.
• Passion for sport and physical activity.

How to apply For full details of the position, please visit . To apply, please send a CV with a covering letter outlining why you want the role and how you meet the role specification. Your covering letter should be 2 sides of A4 maximum.