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News Manager

London

  • Organization: WaterAid
  • Location: London
  • Grade: Mid level - Mid level
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Job Description

News Manager

Permanent, full time
£44,500, with excellent benefits
Hybrid Working, 2 days in the London office (Canary Wharf).

WaterAid is located at Canary Wharf, London and this will be your location and contract base. In order to apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

Closing date: Applications will close 23:59 on 27 November 2022. Availability for interview is required in w/c 5 December 2022. The first round interviews will be held online.

How to Apply: To see the full job pack, please click 'Apply'. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter into one document in either Word Document or PDF format.

About WaterAid:
Want to use your skills in media to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone everywhere?

We need passionate, creative and dedicated people. In return, you will be encouraged and empowered to be yourself at your very best. Together, we will make a bigger difference.

Team description
WaterAid is determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Our UK and Global Media Team works hard and creatively to spread awareness of WaterAid and the issues it tackles through traditional and online media, and working with our celebrity supporters.

Job purpose
Join WaterAid as our News Manager and help to change normal for millions of people living without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene so they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good. On top of that you'll be joining a 2020 Great Place to Work® award-winning organisation.

The WaterAid Global Media Team is always busy, juggling lots of different projects at the same time. Every day brings new challenges and we need a proactive and efficient News Manager to drive the hard news side of the team forward. As News Manager, you will work closely with our Policy and Campaigns directorate and media colleagues around the world to ensure that ambitious media coverage plays an integral role in our global advocacy strategy, amplifying our message to decision makers and helping bring about change.

You will report to the Global Head of Media and work alongside a PR Manager who leads on fundraising related media work. Together you will co-lead the work of five Senior Media officers (with two direct reports). There may be limited international travel involved, for example when taking a journalist to see our work, or attending a global meeting such as COP.

Key accountabilities
* To lead WaterAid's pro-active news, policy and campaigns media work, line manage two Senior Media Officers and take overall responsibility for the work, including leading on higher profile and higher risk work.
* To help create and implement media strategies to achieve maximum impact for WaterAid's profile, specifically on WaterAid policy and campaigns work, advising internally on media and wider communications issues and working to promote WaterAid in the local, national and international media.
* To identify opportunities for WaterAid to cut through in international media and take the lead on developing ideas for new stories.
* To respond to breaking news by writing reactive lines, putting WaterAid at the heart of issues it has something to say on.
* To build and maintain excellent relationships with relevant journalists, broadcasters, online bloggers and commentators across the spectrum of on-line and offline media.
* To advise WaterAid staff up to the Chief Executive on communicating through the media, whether proactively or reactively, and on the risks of external messaging.
* To provide professional advice and support to colleagues in the UK and overseas involved in media relations work
* To help lead and coordinate media activity across WA's country programmes around major events or activities.
* To write copy -including op-eds- as required for print and web outlets, in-house or external.
* To act as a media spokesperson for WaterAid as required, briefing journalists on and off the record and giving radio and TV interviews where necessary.
* To monitor and evaluate media coverage and make recommendations to the media lead
* Join the 24/7 on-call rota and be prepared to travel in the UK and overseas - usually around two or three weeks per year - as well as some work outside normal office hours, such as when preparing for major news stories and international conferences.
* Undertake any other responsibilities, tasks or activities as reasonably required, including deputising for the Global Head of Media and representing WaterAid's media team in coalition work.

Essential skills
* Considerable proven experience of achieving high profile, impactful media coverage, preferably around policy or campaigns issues.
* Good understanding of the political landscape in the UK and abroad
* Proven experience of working as a journalist or in an in-house press office.
* Proven fast, tenacious and creative news-driven writer.
* Strategic thinker with sound news judgment.
* Proven experience of liaising with journalists at all levels, with strong contacts in key UK and international outlets.
* Experience in reputation management.
* Experience of using digital and social media to help deliver media objectives.
* Proven ability to prioritise workload and work under pressure.
* Proven ability to organise, coordinate and evaluate successful projects.
* Experience of leading, managing and motivating others and driving change.
* Excellent verbal communication skills.
* Excellent command of written English to produce written media work of high quality.
* Ability to forge effective working relationships within the team and with colleagues from other teams across the organisation.
* Commitment to personal learning, development and improvement in pursuit of own objectives and those of the team and organisation.
* Commitment to WaterAid's values and a working style that reflects these.

Desirable skills

* Experience of international development issues and/or working in the NGO-sector in a communications role
* Ability to speak French and / or Portuguese

Our Benefits:
* 36 days' holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)
* Option to buy an extra 5 days annual leave
* We offer a generous pension plan with employer contribution of up to 10%
* Wide range of flexible and agile-working arrangement
* Season Ticket Loan
* Free annual eye tests
* Pay as You Give charitable giving scheme
* Enhanced Maternity and Adoption/Surrogacy pay, Shared Parental Leave and Paternity Leave
* Sabbaticals
* Volunteer Day

Our Commitment

An inclusive workplace:

We are committed to being an organisation where everyone is included, respected, and empowered to be their best. We represent and celebrate our staff, partners and everyone we work with, and create a culture where everyone can reach their full potential.

Equal opportunities:
We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.

Safeguarding:
We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.

This vacancy is now closed.
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