General outline:
Kids’ City manages after school activities and holiday playschemes for young children in the London boroughs of Lambeth, Merton and Wandsworth. It has a strong brand and enjoys a high profile locally and nationally. The charity’s communications are managed by the CEO and the Communications Officer will assist them in all aspects of communicating the charity’s work and mission to local and national stakeholders.
Salary: £17,500 rising to £19,987 after probation period
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full-time)
The role of the Communications Officer is to assist the CEO in:
1. Promoting our services to children, families and schools.
2. Advertising jobs, volunteering roles, training opportunities and other events to adults who can help us.
3. Developing approaches to funders who can support our work.
4. Maintaining a high profile with local and national government and other interested parties.
5. General relationship management.
The Communications Officer reports to the Chief Executive.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Promote Kids’ City services to children, families and schools:
- Respond to general enquiries through the information phone and email.
- Manage the regular development, publication, advertising and distribution of programmes of activities, by electronic and paper copy.
- Manage the regular publication of parents newsletter in electronic and paper copy.
- Manage the regular publication of staff newsletter in electronic and paper copy.
- Assist in face-to-face awareness-raising events for children and families.
- Assist with managing the brand at a local level.
- Assist in producing regular branch profiles for Headteachers and Governors.
- Stimulate press and other media interest in our work with children and families.
- Ensure that information is regularly uploaded to the website.
- Manage branding, look and feel of website information.
- Assist in procuring design and photographic services.
2. Advertise jobs, volunteering roles, training opportunities and other events to adults:
- Assist with the development of paid job and volunteer task descriptions.
- Manage branding, look and feel of paid job and volunteer task descriptions in line with the charity’s image, aims and objectives.
- Manage branding, look and feel of training opportunities in line with the charity’s image, aims and objectives.
- Assist in development and promotion of recognition activities and events to staff and volunteers.
3. Assist in developing approaches to funders who can support our work:
- Help to identify potential funders.
- Manage records of approaches and diary points for reports and re-applications.
- Assist in research, and project development .
- Assist the CEO in producing applications to funders.
- Assist in developing and promoting fundraising events with special regard to branding and communications.
- Help to develop an individual donor base.
- Liase with outside agencies and companies which can help resource our front line work in schools.
- Assist in researching for specific projects which can provide greater opportunities for children, otherwise contribute to the development of the organisation, or further its aims and objectives
4. Maintain a high profile with local and national government and other interested parties:
- Help to manage targeted news releases about our work.
- Help to develop awareness events for notable dates and achievements.
- Assist in producing comment or other responses to local and national initiatives or news.
- Help to identify meetings and events relevant to our work.
- Where relevant, attend with or represent the CEO at meetings and events.
- Stimulate press and other media interest in our work around policy and sector development.
5. General relationship management:
- Assist the CEO in managing internal and external relationships through good record keeping, writing letters and emails and making phone calls on their behalf.
- Organise rooms and hospitality for meetings.
- Assist the CEO in managing their diary.
- Make and maintain records of meetings where and circulate these to relevant parties.
- Provide cover in case of need and assist in any and all administrative capacities during peak departmental times.
- Assist the CEO in keeping abreast of current events and trends in the sector
From time to time the Communications Officer will be required to assist in other duties as requested by the Chief Executive, which can reasonably be considered to be within the remit of a Communications Officer role.
They will carry out all responsibilities with due regard to the organisation’s Equal Opportunities Policy, Environmental Policy, Confidentiality, Data Protection and all other other policies and procedures.
An Enhanced CRB Disclosure is required for this post.
Person Specification
The Communications Officer will be a dynamic, motivated self-starter, comfortable working on their own and within teams. They will be committed to high professional standards of service provision and to the development of the charity’s image and message. They will be adaptable and able to cope with the pressures of working in deprived areas, in a charity with limited resources.
Qualities and experiences required of the Communications Officer:
Essential:
- Energetic and enthusiastic about Playwork and working with children.
- Excellent written and spoken English skills and pleasant telephone manner.
- Ability to demonstrate attention to detail and to take the initiative.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively in all mediums to different audiences, with a wide range of individuals and deal sensitively with difficult issues.
- Very good organisational and time management skills.
- Proven experience of managing administrative tasks.
- Proven experience of marketing and creating marketing materials.
- Proven experience of research and reporting.
- Ability to remain calm and focussed under pressure and embrace challenges.
- High proficiency in the use of computers including the following programmes: Word, Access, Excel, Outlook and Internet.
- At least one year’s experience working in a busy office environment.
- Experience of managing confidential information.
- Knowledge of current trends, resources and information related to marketing.
Desirable
- Past involvement in brand management.
- Experience of working in either as a volunteer and/or in a role supporting volunteers or paid personnel.
- Experience of working with children, paid or voluntary position.
- Knowledge of local government.
- Hold a current, clean driving licence and have own vehicle.
The Communications Officer will be required to work occasional evenings, weekends and overtime to accommodate work related activities for which time off in lieu is provided.
Kids’ City is an equal opportunities employer