We are looking for a proven communications specialist to develop and deliver Ada’s strategic communications and content priorities, building our profile and enhancing the impact of our work to our stakeholders and audiences. 

The role 

As Head of Communications and Content, you will lead our communications and content activities, socialising our evidence-based research and continuing to develop the profile, influence and impact of the Ada Lovelace Institute in its mission to make data and AI work for people and society.  

This is a broad role, and your remit will include overseeing communications and content strategy development, brand and reputation, website and digital communications, press, editorial and publishing, events, stakeholder management and social media.  

You will be responsible for embedding an audience-focused, content-led approach and proactively identifying opportunities to maximise the impact of our work (including developing and overseeing our convening activities, blog, podcasts and events programme, to engage researchers, policymakers and practitioners). You will also be responsible for developing and projecting Ada’s brand, and for providing strategic and operational communications advice to colleagues, partners and stakeholders. 

Across all activities and outputs in this role, you will also develop and maintain impact reporting, setting up measures to effectively evaluate and report on Ada’s activity and evidence our impact. 

About you 

You will have a proven track record of leading the planning, implementation and evaluation of strategic, cross-channel communications and engagement activity to support organisational strategy and objectives – ideally gained in a research or policy environment.  

With your effective leadership skills, you will motivate and inspire the Communications and Impact team to continue to grow the profile of our work. You will build relationships with Policy and Public Affairs teams, and work collaboratively to maximise the reach and impact of our work. 

You will have robust knowledge and experience of brand, editorial and publishing processes, attention to detail and an appetite to continue to develop the high standards that underpin Ada’s reputation.  

You will be able to act as an ambassador for our organisation, being responsible for our brand and developing strategies, and building relationships with external partners and stakeholders (including journalists).  

You will also be curious and passionate about bringing evidence to the issues that arise at the intersection of technology and society, and committed to approaches that reduce harms and increase benefits, particularly for people adversely affected by emerging technologies. 

For further information about the role and the skills and experience we're looking for, please download the full job description here. 

About the Ada Lovelace Institute 

The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute funded and incubated by the Nuffield Foundation since 2018. Our mission is to ensure data and artificial intelligence work for people and society. We do this by building evidence and fostering rigorous debate on how data and AI affect people and society.  We recognise the power asymmetries that exist in ethical and legal debates around the development of data-driven technologies and seek to level those asymmetries by convening diverse voices and creating a shared understanding of the ethical issues arising from data and AI. Finally, we seek to define and inform good practice in the design and deployment of AI technologies.  

The Institute has emerged as a leading independent voice on the ethical and societal impacts of data and AI. We have built relationships in the public, private and civil society sectors in the UK and internationally. Please find details of our work here.  

Our research takes an interconnected approach to issues such as power, social justice, distributional impact and climate change (read our strategy to find out more), and our team have a wide range of expertise that cuts across policy, technology, academia, industry, law and human rights.  We value diversity in background, skills, perspectives and life experiences. As part of the Nuffield Foundation, we are a small team with the practical support of an established organisation that cares for its employees. 

We strongly encourage applicants from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the research, policy and technology sectors (for example those from a marginalised community, those who did not go to university or had free school meals as a child). We are committed to tackling societal injustice and inequality through our work, and believe that all kinds of experiences and backgrounds can contribute to this mission.    

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 09:30am (BST) on Monday 15th May 2023, with interviews taking place on 24th May 2023.

You will be required to complete some questions as part of this application process, and you are also required to upload an up-to-date copy of your CV. The Applied platform lets you save an application and resume it ahead of submitting before the application deadline. 

We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we will: 

• cover reasonable travel costs (and any childcare or care costs) for interviews where in-person attendance is required 

• make any reasonable adjustments – for example providing documents in different formats, extending timings, arranging for a sign language interpreter for interviews, etc 

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer a guaranteed first stage interview for disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role. 

Should you need to make an application in a different format or require any adjustments as part of the application process, please get in touch with us: recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org  

Our offering includes: 

• 28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days each year).  

• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.  

• Life assurance policy.  

• We offer family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay  

• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.  

• Regular opportunities for learning and development, which are reviewed as part of our probationary and personal review processes 

• Wellbeing support including an employee assistance provider and a network of trained mental health first aiders. 

• Regular lunchtime events and monthly after work socials