Job Description

Job id: 071666. Salary: \xc2\xa341,386 - \xc2\xa348,414 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance..

Posted: 19 July 2023. Closing date: 23 July 2023.

Business unit: King\'s Climate & Sustainability. Department: KCS Academic Development.

Contact details: Rosie Smith. rosie.smith@kcl.ac.uk

Location: Strand Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

Job description

King\'s Climate & Sustainability (KCS) is a new university-wide initiative to step up our response to the challenge of the climate emergency and global sustainability, and to accelerate and connect research, education and action across King\'s. We have already made progress to embed sustainability into our operations and have climate and sustainability research and educational programmes. King\'s is now uniquely positioned to amplify, connect and scale impactful research, education and action, build new connections between fields of study - including technological, socio-economic, legal, geopolitical - and create meaningful external partnerships to deliver strong, distinctive and visible contributions to the challenge of achieving just and fair transitions to sustainability.

The Senior Communications Officer is an interim role to support a wide range of communications activities within KCS. This will include developing internal and external communications campaigns, managing comms and social media channels, developing content and visual materials, planning events and contributing to the development of a communications plan.

The successful candidate will have a thorough working knowledge and experience of a broad range of communications activities. Excellent writing skills and the ability to communicate the work of KCS in an engaging and innovative way are important aspects of the role.

This is a hybrid role and post holders will spend part of their working week on campus and part of the week working remotely.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract for 6 months.

This is a full-time post.

Key responsibilities

• Creative development of internal and external communications campaigns that boost awareness of King\'s climate and sustainability ambitions and targets.
• Management and oversight of King\'s climate and sustainability communications channels including social media, newsletters and the internal and external Climate & Sustainability webpages.
• Seek out climate and sustainability-related stories and examples of progress from across the university\'s Faculties and central Directorates, producing rich written and digital content for King\'s internal and external communications channels, in partnership with Strategic Communications & External Engagement colleagues.
• Work with King\'s central Strategic Communications & External Engagement team to develop proactive media opportunities and campaigns to raise awareness of King\'s climate and sustainability ambitions across research, education and operations.
• Identify and coordinate external communications and engagement opportunities aligned to the university\'s climate and sustainability priorities e.g., podcasts, conference speaking opportunities, thought leadership etc, in partnership with Strategic Communications & External Engagement colleagues.
• Manage a forward planning calendar for to communications opportunities and events aligned to climate and sustainability ambitions.
• Generate content across core university channels (copy, images, video and other) that builds meaningful connections and encourages community members to take action.
• Support regular information dissemination across King\'s Faculties and Directorates.
• Maintain the internal and external Climate & Sustainability webpages, monitoring King\'s news, external press and social media.
• Produce visual materials (photos, videos, graphics, collaterals).
• Support the development of an internal and external visual identity for King\'s Climate & Sustainability.
• Manage continual evaluation and review of communication channels and activities, including gathering, interpreting and presenting data; identifying areas for improvement; and collecting feedback.
• Support the development of a communications plan and calendar of events.
• Support internal and external events, including work on logistics, publicity and participation, event style and appearance, and co-ordinating feedback and evaluation.
• To develop effective relationships with internal colleagues, senior stakeholders and key partners.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent

2. Excellent writing skills and ability to translate complex information and policies into accessible information for a range of audiences and multiple channels.

3. Thorough working knowledge and experience of a broad range of communications activities (websites, social media, media, publications).

4. Excellent IT skills and a high level of technical aptitude (including use of Office, image and video editing software, content management systems).

5. Significant experience of developing and delivering engaging, innovative and interactive content, optimised for different audiences across digital channels (email/web/social media/mobile).

6. Experience of developing and coordinating content with multiple contributors and stakeholders, including reviewing and editing the work of others.

7. Advanced digital skills and ability to design clear visuals (tables, graphs, infographics) to convey complex information, ensuring consistent visual style and tone.

8. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with evidence of building good working relationships with, and offering strategic guidance to, stakeholders at all levels.

9. Accurate and methodical approach to work, with a keen eye for detail.

10. Excellent time management and organisational skills, able to manage own workload and prioritise tasks in a busy work environment.

11. Proactive approach with the ability to work independently and flexibly, but also as part of a team.

12. Self-starter with experience of identifying communications opportunities, and devising and delivering projects with multiple stakeholders, adhering to timelines, and ensuring successful delivery.

Desirable criteria

13. Experience of supporting successful small and large-scale events

14. Demonstratable passion for the field of climate and sustainability

King\'s College London