Job Scope:
The UK Young Academy Membership and Communications Officer will play a pivotal role in supporting the recently launched UK Young Academy (UKYA) to establish itself in its initial years.
The UKYA is a new interdisciplinary membership organisation providing a voice to individuals who are early in their career and are passionate and enthusiastic about driving societal change. It has been established as a collaboration between the seven senior Academies operating across the UK and Ireland and is currently operating under the auspices of the Royal Society. The first group of members started in January 2023 and are currently deciding on the vision and strategy of the UKYA, including their first programme of work projects and activities.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a newly established organisation and help it to reach its full potential. Working closely with the UKYA Programme Manager, the UKYA’s new members and the project team, the role will support the membership cohort as they develop and establish the day-to-day activity of the UKYA. This will include developing and delivering a clear communications and engagement plan for the UKYA to engage its members, prospective members and the wider public across its various channels including email marketing and social media. An important strand of this work will involve facilitating membership engagement through events, trainings and learning opportunities to ensure members have an impactful and valuable experience over the duration of their term.
The post holder will be a proactive and confident communicator with experience of delivering engagement opportunities and co-ordinated communications campaigns across different channels including social media and be ready to explore evolving opportunities within the UKYA and its core audiences and networks.
Activities will take place at the Royal Society’s offices in Carlton House Terrace in central London, at partner national Academy locations across the UK or delivered virtually.
Reports to: UKYA Project Manager
Line manages: N/A
Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG plus hybrid remote working
Pay Band: C
Salary: £33,920
Contract type: Fixed term contract until March 2025
Hours: 35 hours per week (full time)
Closing date: Thursday 17 August 23:59pm
Interviews to take place: 24th, 29th and 30th August
Responsibilities:
The work of the UKYA Membership and Communications Officer will include:
- Implementing a communications strategy to help facilitate membership engagement, applications for membership and wider engagement with the public and the UKYA’s key networks.
- Coordinating the selection process for future membership rounds, including the promotion to interdisciplinary audiences and underrepresented groups within the existing membership cohort.
- Writing a variety of materials for use across external facing digital marketing and communications and internal documentation and reporting.
- Delivering and managing a social media strategy, including the current platforms to engage and build the UKYA’s network and reach, whilst reviewing opportunities for new platforms and digital activities in the future.
- Developing a training programme to facilitate membership engagement and provide suitable learning opportunities for members over the course of their time in the UKYA.
- Supporting with day-to-day membership requests and queries to ensure the smooth running of the Young Academy.
- Planning and developing of additional projects, as agreed with the UKYA Programme Manager to contribute to the UKYA’s strategy and activities as a whole.
- Working with the UKYA Programme Manager, Chief Officer - Programmes, Partnerships and Engagement and wider project team to support the new group of members in their initial years to establish the strategy and normal business of the UKYA, including its work programmes and projects.
Key Knowledge and Skills Required:
¨ Evidenced interest the research and innovation landscape and its broader social significance.
Essential
¨ Excellent knowledge of office systems and procedures, including computer skills in Microsoft Office
Essential
¨ Working knowledge of communications and marketing practices
Essential
¨ Knowledge of the research environment within the UK.
Essential
¨ Experience of working in a team environment
¨ Ability to build effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners
¨ Experience of implementing communication and marketing strategies
Essential
¨ Experience of identifying and targeting a variety of audiences
Essential
¨ Experience of writing for a variety of audiences
Essential
¨ Experience of establishing and maintaining a network of contacts
Highly desirable
¨ Experience of producing promotional material for a variety of media
Highly desirable
¨ Experience of event management
Desirable
¨ Experience of administering selection processes, for example for grants or awards
Desirable
¨ Able to be flexible about working hours, including working evenings and weekends on occasion, and travel across the UK.
¨ Able to work in a non-smoking environment
Competencies:
Self-management
Works unsupervised and can motivate self
- Produces results under pressure
- Can manage in stressful situations
- Pushes for the best results
Working with others
Contributes ideas and identifies opportunities to work with others both within the team and across the organisation
- Willing to provide feedback to sectional colleagues when requested
- Produces succinct presentations and papers for senior colleagues
- Understands when to seek senior advice on potentially delicate negotiations
Resource management
Makes the best of internal/external resources and coordinates well with external partners to best meet the needs of the Society
- Builds contingency into projects taking into account possible outside factors
- Sets and monitors performance against quality and results orientated targets.
- Focuses on both short and long-term goals
Critical thinking
Determines and clarifies the exact requirements of any situation
- Checks information for accuracy and raises concerns if information is inaccurate
- Extracts the key points succinctly, clearly and accurately
- Puts forward suggestions for improvement concerning current processes or systems
- Tries different ways of doing things to get the best results
Adaptability
Overcomes obstacles and is not deterred by setbacks; checks assumptions and first principles and works out alternative approaches
- Reacts proactively to new challenges and works in a flexible manner to produce solutions
- Provides feedback and participates in discussions surrounding new ideas approaches or projects
Managing people and relationships
Delegates effectively, setting clear expectations and authority
- Monitors results and feedbacks to team on a regular basis
- Recognises others’ contributions and acknowledges their limits
- Helps others to identify ways to improve their performance
- Prioritises supervisory responsibilities and carries them out in a timely fashion
- Understands and can identify client/stakeholder/staff needs and looks for opportunities to improve their experiences