Media and Community Engagement Lead

Sounddelivery Media

2024-09-24 14:35:44

Not Provided, Not Provided, United Kingdom

Job type: fulltime

Job industry: Advert / Media / Entertainment

Job description

Sounddelivery Media is a dynamic charity that seeks to amplify lived experience stories and expertise to address social inequalities. We work alongside people with direct experience of injustice and inequality to advocate for themselves and their communities.

Our Spokesperson Network constitutes a network of media savvy spokespeople, who have direct experience of social injustices. Developed collaboratively with a network of leaders with lived experience, it aims to diversify the voices we hear in the media and make it more representative of the society we live in. Through training, media mentoring, peer support and speaking opportunities, we tackle the barriers that prevent these experts from engaging with journalists who have the power to influence coverage and ultimately drive change.

Members of our network have spoken on all the major news outlets from BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio Four, ITV News, to the Times, the Guardian, places where they can reach audiences of millions and have influenced documentaries and a storyline for a high profile drama. They ve become part of policy and advisory conversations: APPGs (All Party Parliamentary Groups), Governmental select committees, speaking at Party Conferences and joining advisory panels.

Our work additionally seeks to support the wider charity sector to develop and amplify lived experience stories and expertise themselves. We work closely with charities to help them develop and train their own panels and spokespeople and are currently facilitating Future Voices, a unique spokesperson training programme for migrant domestic workers in partnership with The Voice of Domestic Workers.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced media communications professional to join and shape a growing, friendly and flexible charity committed to advancing social justice through transforming representation in the media.

Sounddelivery Media is on the lookout for a dynamic individual with great media engagement know-how, a hands-on approach, strong relations with journalists and a passion to address how issues are represented in the media. Join our growing and impactful team working alongside dynamic leaders and their communities addressing social injustice and social inequalities. Our Media and Community Engagement Lead offers a fantastic opportunity to work closely with an incredible network of leaders.

This is a full time role (although we would consider a 4 day week) with 2 days a month minimum working with the team in London.

Could this be you?

Role Overview:

You will provide strategic support to our dynamic Spokesperson Network of leaders with direct experience of social injustices, through;

Managing our existing media relationships, and developing new ones, to create opportunities for our network of confident public spokespeople to be visible
This role will enable us to increase the visibility and impact of our programme participants and their communities by engaging with journalists, media professionals, and other influential platforms. You will be responsible for broadening speaking opportunities, such as broadcast interviews, opinion pieces, and identifying potential storyline collaborations across various media outlets. You ll also seek opportunities to feature our network in public forums like TEDx talks, conferences, and other platforms that influence public conversations.

Empowering Network members through training and support to develop and maximise media opportunities themselves.
In addition to media engagement, you will play a key role in empowering our network to create and share their own content. This includes helping participants build confidence and develop skills in content creation (eg vlogs), and pitching to the media, ensuring their voices reach those in positions to drive meaningful change.

Building trusted relationships with lived experience leaders in a ethical, trauma-aware, and holistic way
You will work closely with our community to activate and strengthen our network, driving collective action and amplifying the important issues they are addressing. Building trusted relationships with lived experience leaders is key, and you will ensure that all engagement is grounded in ethical, trauma-aware, and holistic support.

Sharing knowledge with other charities supporting Spokesperson Networks
You will help share what we learn through our work with other charities and learn from them too. Using peer-led sessions to share best practice, challenges and ideas for charities working to amplify the voices of people with direct experience of social injustice.

As a small but growing charity, this is an exciting opportunity to shape the direction of our organisation alongside a supportive trustee board, a dedicated team of four staff, and a group of skilled freelancers. Your contribution will be integral to our mission and the positive change we aim to create.

Who you are

-With a background in media relations and/or journalism at a senior level you are someone who cares about the way issues are framed, reported and covered in the media.

-You ll be driven by a desire to amplify the voices of those with direct experience of inequality and injustice from diverse communities, and will work closely with them so that they feel safe and supported in sharing their experiences and solutions for change.

-You are a creative self-starter, happy to work alone but also as part of a small team.

-You come with ideas to develop this work to have a bigger, positive impact. This work takes time and is deeply relational.

-You can adapt the way you work to meet the needs of different communities.

We re an equal opportunities employer aiming to recruit from a diverse range of backgrounds. All staff who work at Sounddelivery Media will be asked to have a DBS check.

What You ll Be Doing Key responsibilities:

-Taking the lead on strategic media engagement across all our programmes of work- maximising and creating media and speaking opportunities for our members

-Nurture and grow our network of journalists, updating them about our work and the issues our networks are speaking on through regular and responsive communications

-Supporting our community to feel confident and prepared for interviews, honing their media messages and accompanying them to interviews where appropriate.

-Regularly engaging our community and being a sounding board to help to develop their ideas

-Proactively source longer-term opportunities for the issues our community addresses to be more visible in the public eye this could include building relationships with soap storyliners and documentary makers.

-Support the team on Sounddelivery Media events that increase the visibility of our community and our work

-Support with delivery of media training and coaching on our programmes.

-Work with the communications team on content- ensuring messaging is impactful in blogs

-Participate in our peer-led meetings to share our learning and invite guest speakers to share theirs.

-Contribute insights on our media work for reporting to Funders and Trustees

Find the full description of the role in our application pack attached.

What skills and experience you ll have:

Essential

-Experience at a senior level working in media relations within a charity, journalism or similar.

-Significant experience of developing and maintaining good relationships with a range of journalists and media professionals;

-A sharp understanding of what makes a strong story with experience of pitching stories and ideas to journalists

-A confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills

-IT literate with multimedia experience video, audio, visual content (or willing to learn)

Desirable

-Experience of working with people who are using lived experience of social injustice to affect change including excellent understanding of safeguarding and risk management

Why we re good to work for

-Flexible working in a friendly, supportive environment

-A track-record in this work with great feedback from our clients.

-28 days per year holiday, plus bank holidays

-3% pension contribution

-Access to an Employee Assistance Programme

-A mentor following successful completion of the 6 months probationary period working with us

-Training allowance

-Team wellbeing budget

Please note that this is a London based charity and our training predominantly takes place in London.

Application process and key dates:

To apply, upload your CV and separate cover letter demonstrating your capabilities in relation to each of the points on skills and experience in the person specification. We will only consider applications with a cover letter. Where relevant, use your answers to illustrate how your competencies have helped you to achieve positive results. This will give you the best possible chance to be shortlisted.

Our downloadable application pack has more information.

Please apply as soon as possible by submitting your application through our recruitment portal

Weds October 9th 1-2pm Zoom webinar Meet the Sounddelivery Media team, hear more about what this role involves and ask any questions you may have. Register on our website.

Closing date for applications: Monday 21st October 2pm

First interview: . click apply for full job details