Duration: Fixed term 12 months (maternity cover)  

Salary: £57,000  

Job Level: Level 3 

Hours: 35 hours per week with the requirement to work outside core hours and be part of an on-call rota 

Disclosure Level:      Basic. This role will ocassionally involve direct or indirect work with children  

Reports to: Head of Media   

Location: Working from home and at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ 

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world.  We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.   

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights. 

ABOUT THE TEAM  

The Media team delivers world class media and communications work for UNICEF UK, leading on all public relations, news and emergencies and corporate communications work. It is part of the Communications Department, which sits within the wider Public Engagement Directorate. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Senior Public Relations Manager is responsible for leading the strategic thinking and delivery for UNICEF UK’s public campaigning and public fundraising media and communications work. 

You will manage high level external stakeholder relationships including funding partners, celebrity publicists, UK media, PR agencies and broadcast partners; leading internal strategic thinking about how to maximise our campaigns and fundraising communications output, including how to integrate these audiences wherever possible and devising ambitious media and communication strategies to promote our high profile communications projects such as Soccer Aid for UNICEF, World Children’s Day, fundraising gala events and high-profile supporter fronted media campaigns.  

This post acts as a senior member of the Media Team managing the Public Relations sub-team. 

 What we will expect you to achieve 

• To lead the delivery of an ambitious and creative strategy for UNICEF UK’s Media and Communications output around our public fundraising, public campaign, and brand awareness campaigns, working with a diverse range of teams across the organisation  

• Work with external and internal stakeholders including ITV, Triple S Communications, and the wider UNICEF UK PR team to help deliver a comprehensive fundraising media strategy for Soccer Aid for UNICEF which contributes towards the overall objectives of the campaign  

• Lead on the strategy, direction and overall approval of creative media ideas, talent-field trips, press releases, Q&As and crisis statements for Soccer Aid for UNICEF, with a major focus on fundraising, working in collaboration with the UNICEF UK Public Relations Manager, PR & Media Officer, ITV and Triple S Communications  

• Act as media lead for UNICEF UK’s Ambassador Relations team and work with them to deliver meaningful communication strategies and well-messaged media coverage, working with UNICEF UK Ambassadors and high profile supporters. Lead on identifying opportunities for them to fundraise and advocate for children around the world publicly and contribute to strategic thinking for new celebrity supporters for communications work.  

• Lead on new PR initiatives, including scoping support where needed, driving creative thinking, and working with the Head of Media to develop appropriate plans and resource. 

• Develop and manage relationships with senior and influential journalists, including consumer print and broadcast correspondents and producers, digital media, bloggers/vloggers and influencers working with them to secure well-messaged media coverage of key strategic issues.  

• Develop and manage excellent relationships with internal colleagues, including in globally dispersed offices, and external stakeholders to enhance and increase PR capabilities. 

• Line manage the PR Manager and PR & Media Officer to achieve excellent results, whilst supporting team personal and professional development. 

• Working with UNICEF UK’s Head of Media and Director of Communications to support on UNICEF UK’s crisis communication response on key PR, fundraising and celebrity issues.   

• Working with UNICEF UK’s Head of Media and other Senior Media Managers to input into and influence wider strategic communications planning of the organisation, ensuring a creative, integrated and digital first approach. 

• To deputise for the Head of Media as and when required. 

• To travel when needed to UNICEF programmes around the world alongside High Profile Supporters, helping to generate content for Soccer Aid appeal films and other PR priorities.  

• Be willing to work outside of normal office hours where required and take part in the out of hours on call media team rota. This includes some evening and weekend work. 

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work. 

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed in order to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential. 

Effective behaviours 

Supporter driven and mission aligned 

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards creating a better world for every child    

Leadership  

• Provides strategic direction, sets clear objectives, clarifies expectations and agrees the parameters for each person’s authority and accountability.  

• Delegates work appropriately, encouraging and empowering people to act on their own initiative and make decisions within agreed parameters. 

• Monitors workload and team resource and takes steps to proactively address resource issues. 

Communication 

• Conveys complex ideas using a variety of methods to engage an audience and win understanding and support  

• Presents complex and difficult messages clearly and with impact  

• Anticipates and responds to the needs of an audience, adapting content, style, language and use of channel to deliver maximum clarity   

Creating and innovating 

• Keeps abreast of relevant key issues, insights, and developments in the consumer media and third sector space. Develops unique and creative ways to strengthen our organisational position in a crowded media landscape.  

Positive relationships 

• Forms and maintains effective professional relationships with colleagues at all levels, and with journalists, external contacts, and partners to support the achievement of objectives 

Efficiency and effectiveness  

• Proven track record in turning organisational strategic priorities into successful media strategies and objectives for sub-team. Take a strategic, focused approach to problem solving to succeed in difficult circumstances 

• Manage conflicting priorities to ensure that objectives are achieved and deadlines met 

• Anticipates risks and puts plans in place to minimise their impact 

• Evaluates work, learns from results and adjusts strategies to provide the best results for children 

• Suggests simplifications to overly complex ways of working to improve results 

Relevant experience 

• Proven experience in line managing staff in a fast-moving, press office environment 

• Extensive experience of acting as the lead contact for senior consumer journalists and senior internal and external stakeholders  

• Proven experience of developing, implementing and evaluating high profile, innovative and ambitious multi-media strategies (consumer and digital) and securing effective coverage, ideally with a background in one or both of the following: experience of turning fundraising campaigns into engaging media material; experience of working on humanitarian issues.     

Specific knowledge and skills 

• Up to date knowledge of recent and ongoing humanitarian situations, international development issues and children’s rights. 

• Up to date knowledge of consumer media, including print, online and broadcast journalists 

• The best tools and tactics to use to ensure a truly multi-channel, digital first media approach