Would you like to use your communication skills to engage more people with the creation of wetland habitats across some of England’s most incredible landscapes?

We are looking for a communications officer to develop and lead communications and marketing activity for a new programme, funded by the Government's Species Survival Fund, which will deliver transformative landscape-scale restoration across 14 sites in the Solent, Greater Thames, Suffolk Coast and the Broads.

Working across both communications teams and project teams, you’ll be part of a fun, busy and dynamic team seeking to engage key audiences with the programme and tell the stories of the phenomenal nature conservation work taking place to halt species declines. 
You’ll work with colleagues to develop and deliver a communications plan to achieve programme objectives and reach new audiences, from recruiting a youth panel for nature to sharing the progress and successes of habitat restoration projects. You’ll also support with species stories and managing media and social media enquiries and risk. 

This role will report into the RSPB England communications team but will work closely with the Species Survival Fund programme manager.

The role will include exciting opportunities to travel across the project sites, including some overnight trips and occasional out-of-hours work with TOIL provided. It is desirable that the successful candidate is based in southern/eastern England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, Essex, Sussex), where most projects will be taking place. If not, you should be willing to travel there regularly (expected maximum once a month).

This project is funded by the Government's Species Survival Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

What is the role about?

• Building relationships with members of the programme team and partner organisations, and developing a deep understanding of the projects, objectives, and communications priorities.
• Working with the team to develop a communications and marketing plan to support the delivery of the programme and highlight species and habitat conservation.
• Producing clear, succinct, targeted and on brand content to support the delivery of key objectives. This could be across a range of channels including media, social media, RSPB publications and newsletters, marketing materials, reports, video, internal communications.
• Working with the rest of the RSPB England Communications team, and wider RSPB communications colleagues, to bring stories from the programme into overall communications planning.
• Leading media management for the programme, including identifying and managing potential reputational risks to the RSPB and working with colleagues and partners to agree action required to minimise impact. You will also be part of the RSPB England media and social media monitoring rota.
• Providing communications support and guidance to staff and volunteers to help them deliver effective and efficient communication in support of programme objectives.
• Supporting programme management team to coordinate media training and video production deliverables.
• Monitoring agreed outcomes from communications activities so that the effectiveness of work can be assessed and reported on, and contributing to the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• An interest in or passion for nature in England.
• An understanding and experience of communications planning and how to achieve objectives through multi-channel communications campaigns.
• Ability to summarise complex information and develop impactful story-led content e.g. through press releases, blogs, social media, video, audio, graphic design
• An understanding of how to use communications to reach younger audiences (18-35) and those with less awareness and understanding of nature conservation.
• An ability to persuade others and negotiate to reach agreement.
• Experience of managing communications risks as part of a team.
• Working in or with the media to sell and/or tell stories.
• Experience of working on, monitoring and creating content for organisational social media accounts.
• Experience briefing and working with external providers to deliver communications products
• Experience of balancing reactive work alongside planned proactive work.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Driving licence.
• PR/marketing/journalism qualification. 

This is a Fixed-Term, Full-Time role until 28th February 2026. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 28th May 2024. For all application/role enquiries please contact alice.weatherston@rspb.org.uk 

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.