About the UK Council for International Student Affairs 

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) supports international students and the institutions, students' unions and organisations who work with them.  

UKCISA’s vision is that every international student who comes to the UK has a positive experience and is able to tell friends and families that the UK is a welcoming place to study, and live. To help achieve this, we work towards a transparent immigration system which is easy to navigate, whatever the level or length of study, and an inclusive and competitive post study work offer that enables our world class education system, in schools, colleges and higher education institutions to attract and retain ambitious and talented individuals from across the world. 

We are passionate about supporting our members to deliver an excellent student experience, from application to completion of study, and curating a body of evidence that demonstrates the value of international students and internationalisation in education. 

Further information about us and the services we provide can be found on our website: ukcisa.org.uk 

Role title: Digital Communications and Content Officer 

Contract type: Hybrid contract at 35 hours a week (flexible working patterns available)  

Reporting to: Communications Manager 

Salary: £26,160.10 - £28,171.55 (dependent on experience) plus generous pension contribution 

Applications Deadline: 9am on Monday 20th January 2025.

Interviews: 30th/31st January 2025.

We are looking for a Digital Communications and Content Officer to join our Engagement & Partnerships team and play a vital role in raising awareness and generating support for our vision – that every international student who comes to the UK has a positive experience.  

In 2025, we’re on a mission to amplify the voices of international students across all our platforms and foster a vibrant online community for our members. The Digital Communications and Content Officer will drive forward our social media strategy, and support delivery of our communications for student engagement, membership, policy and events. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to develop their skills in a wide range of communications functions including storytelling, digital and social media, website management, email marketing and brand awareness. 

We’re a small, passionate team, dedicated to creating strong, accessible, and engaging communications. Staying ahead of trends—from the latest social media features to AI—is crucial for us to work efficiently and ensure our message stands out. We’re bold, we experiment, we learn quickly from our failures, and we support each other to play to our strengths. 

Please Note: Our recruitment system requires that applicants report whether they recieved free school meals during school. If you completed your education outside of the UK, please respond to this question with 'Don't Know'.

Core Responsibilities 

Storytelling, content planning and creation 

• Collaborate with our #WeAreInternational Student Ambassadors to tell their stories and increase awareness of current issues affecting international students.   

• Attend UKCISA conferences and events to collect stories and create content to be used throughout the year to share advice with students, market our events and training, and engage our membership community.  

• Work closely with colleagues in membership, policy, events and advice to understand what content is needed to promote and support UKCISA’s work. 

• Create, source, edit and commission digital content including images, graphics and videos using ClipChamp, Adobe Premiere Pro, Canva and other tools.  

• Update the content calendar to plan relevant content and messaging throughout the year. 

Manage our digital channels 

• Manage UKCISA’s social media community, including monitoring posts for comments, responding to messages, and generating conversations. 

• Implement our social media strategy through planning, creating and scheduling content for UKCISA’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.  

• Create and send out our newsletters, keeping our members, international students and stakeholders engaged and informed.  

• Keep our website up to date by working with colleagues to plan new content, monitor existing content, and remove out-of-date content.   

• Review our analytics and create reports for the staff team, Board of Trustees, and funders. 

• Continuously monitor and review our approach to our digital channels and work with the communications team to try new ideas to increase our engagement and reach.  

• Monitor wider digital marketing trends, keeping up to date with the changing landscape, including attending training and events through the CharityComms network, LinkedIn training and wider learning opportunities.  

Brand 

• Ensure that all external communications are on-brand and in UKCISA’s style, creating templates, reviewing web copy and working with colleagues across the organisation. 

• Support the implementation of processes and procedures for the UKCISA staff team to ensure effective internal and external communications.   

• Design and/or commission visual templates, infographics, and videos for projects, events, and publications.   

• Support the creation and promotion of UKCISA publications such as annual reviews and policy updates, including liaising with external designers. 

About you 

This is a broad role across all areas of digital marketing and content creation. We are not expecting you to have professional experience of ALL areas of the core job responsibilities and are able to provide training and support. We encourage anyone with a passion for creating engaging communications and an interest in the international student experience to apply.  

It is essential that you are able to demonstrate that you are: 

• A resourceful, innovative and creative communications professional with experience in digital marketing and content creation. 

• A creative storyteller, able to adapt content and messages to all our digital platforms. 

• Confident in navigating social media platforms and their audiences, able to adapt and flex your approach according to the channel and the charity’s tone of voice, including social media support applications to monitor and schedule content.   

• Someone who enjoys creating visual content and infographics using basic design and video editing software. 

• Able to tailor communications to different audiences and have experience of communicating complex information in a simple, accessible way. 

• Able to proactively build and maintain effective working relationships in a hybrid working environment. 

• Can effectively communicate with colleagues, trustees, and external partners in positions of authority to ensure seamless collaboration and successful project outcomes. 

• Able to produce accurate, quality work at pace, have excellent written English and verbal communication skills and strong attention to detail. 

• Enthusiastic and self-motivated, with a positive approach to your work and supporting your colleagues to achieve shared objectives. 

• Highly organised and able to manage time and work independently, while seeking appropriate guidance and support. 

• A commitment to UKCISA’s vision and mission, and a keen interest in the international student experience and/or UK education policy. 

It is desirable to have experience of: 

• Creating and uploading website content including news, blogs, and general webpages. 

• Designing, writing and sending email newsletters to engage audiences. 

• Use of any of the systems we have including Canva, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Umbraco, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Google Analytics 4.  

• Working within a membership organisation, education provider, or students’ union. 

• Writing and developing content for non-profit/membership organisations. 

• Knowledge, experience or an interest in international higher education including working in a university, college or organisation in the education sector or being an international student.

Working for UKCISA 

UKCISA offers a supportive, reflective work culture where all the staff team are active participants in the shaping of the organisation. Our values are quality, innovation, collaboration and trust. We’re a charity in an exciting period of transition, offering a unique opportunity to be part of meaningful change for us and the sector. 

We are currently working on a hybrid basis. Our staff mainly work from home, but we have an office in London for collaborative work and for staff who want access to an office space. We also meet in person for regular all staff days in London. We welcome applications from throughout the UK, as long as you are able to join us in London for one day every month.  

Travel to member and student events across the UK, including overnight travel, is occasionally required and can be expensed.  

Ongoing training and development opportunities will be provided, and attendance may be required to contribute towards an ever-changing comms skillset needed for this role. 

We are unable to sponsor visas for this role, so you must have the right to work in the UK. We encourage and welcome candidates on the Graduate route visa.  

Staff benefits include: 

• A generous staff pension as part of the USS Pension Scheme, contributing 21.6% of gross salary. 

• Annual leave allowance of 25 days plus bank holidays and additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year. 

• Bi-annual eye tests and contribution to prescription glasses (conditions apply). 

• An employee assistance programme.  

• 3 days personal development leave.  

• Expensed flu jab. 

• Allocated budget for learning and development opportunities. 

• Access to all the benefits of Charitycomms organisational membership, including mentor opportunities and training.