Digital Communications Officer

The Policy Institute at King’s College London is unique among UK university policy units, combining the rigour of academia with the agility of a consultancy and the connectedness of a think tank. Our work regularly generates significant media, political and public attention, helping to shape and inform policy debates in the UK.

Based within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, the institute is home to several leading units, including the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, the Strand Group, the NIHR Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit, the International School for Government, as well as the independent UK in a Changing Europe think tank.

We are looking for a Digital Communications Officer to work across the Policy Institute, with a focus on supporting the institute’s core team of researchers, as well as the teams at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and the International School for Government, and more ad hoc support for the NIHR Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit and Strand Group.

The successful candidate will join a friendly and hard-working team who work on some of the highest-profile projects being undertaken at King’s, across a wide range of pressing issues. Recent studies have focused on issues as varied as culture wars, gender equality, mental health, climate change, higher education, and social attitudes and values.

This role also offers the opportunity to collaborate and engage with leading researchers, current and former policymakers, and well-known public figures. In recent years, the Policy Institute and its constituent units have held events or conducted research with the likes of Hillary Clinton, Julia Gillard, Theresa May, John Kerry, Tony Blair, John Major, Louise Casey, Ed Balls and many more.

Reporting to the Head of Communications, this role will be essential as the institutes look to raise their public profiles further and ensure their work has even greater impact. Key to this will be supporting the production and dissemination of research outputs, developing and expanding the institutes’ online presence and the types of content they produce, as well as generally helping their work reach new audiences.

The job would suit someone who’s digitally savvy, with excellent graphic design skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage projects effectively. An interest in politics and public policy would also be beneficial. 

Typical responsibilities for the Digital Communications Officer include designing social media graphics, editing blogs, laying out policy reports, producing charts and simple data visualisations, managing websites, creating digital mailings and helping with online promotion of events.

Given the range of research areas covered by the role, and the need to work across different teams, the successful candidate will need to be flexible, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and willing to pitch in with a variety of tasks when needed.

The team follow a hybrid working model, with staff able to work remotely two or three days a week and the rest of the time spent in our central London office. 

This is a full time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

Alongside a CV and  supporting statement, for this role, please also submit examples of previous relevant design work – for example, reports, social media graphics, data visualisations or promotional material.

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1.        Strong graphic design skills, with a high level of proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Photoshop.

2.        Proven experience of working within a brand identity.

3.        Ability to translate complex messages into accessible and engaging content. 

4.        Excellent writing skills, with a strong attention to detail and the ability to engage with a variety of different audiences.

5.        A proven track record of content creation, including graphics, videos and other digital content.

6.        Experience of managing websites and social media channels in a professional capacity.

7.        Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities at pace.

8.        A demonstrable interest in the work of the institutes.

9.        Educated to degree level or equivalent.

Desirable criteria

10.   Experience working in an academic, charity or think tank environment.

11.   Knowledge of HTML and CSS. 

12.   Experience of creating charts and simple data visualisations.