Programmes and Communications officer

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Location London N1
Salary £25,000 Per Annum
  • Closing: 11:59pm, 11th Mar 2022 GMT

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Communications and Programmes Officer (UK Branch)

The Opportunity

The Communications and Programmes Officer will work with colleagues to assist the delivery of the UK Branch’s programmes and communications objectives. This post will provide dynamic support for the UK Branch’s three programme areas, ‘The Civic Role of Arts Organisations’, ‘Valuing the Ocean’ and ‘Citizen Engagement on Climate’, as well as assisting with corporate communications.

This is an exciting time to join our growing team. We are pivoting our strategy to focus on the challenges posed by climate change to all of humanity, land and sea – and the critical role of public engagement in addressing these challenges – while continuing to champion community engagement in the arts sector by advocating organisations to embrace their ‘civic role’. 2022 will see major global moments for public engagement in these spaces, including the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, COP27, and several events hosted by the Foundation and our partners.

Effective communications and collaboration are themes that run throughout all our work, and you will get to contribute to a variety of projects. You will be guided by a line manager and work with a diverse, friendly team in London, and with colleagues in our Head Office in Portugal. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone with 1-2 years of relevant experience looking for opportunities to learn and develop professionally.

Background

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an independent charitable foundation established in Portugal in 1956. It is one of the largest European foundations, with headquarters in Lisbon and offices in London (the UK Branch) and Paris. The fundamental purpose of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life for all through art, charity, science and education. The Foundation is dedicated to the future, to those most vulnerable, and to the value of culture.

The UK Branch is focused on building coalitions to tackle complex global problems. Based in London, the UK Branch sits at the heart of a world centre for philanthropy which enables us to deliver on the Foundation’s mission using our networks, experience and ways of working. We look ahead, thinking globally and acting locally, to create the conditions for change by connecting across borders of all kinds – national, cultural, organisational, disciplinary and social. We prioritise the vulnerable and underserved in the UK and elsewhere.

Our approach

  • We seek an impact greater than our limited resources might suggest

  • We believe in balancing the long view with quick wins that inspire confidence in uncertainty

This means looking over the horizon and helping each other to make the best use of resources

The big picture is important to us

  • We believe we all play different roles in a complex ecosystem

  • Comprehension of where we are best we’re placed to act and join the dots

We can’t achieve anything alone

  • We believe and promote collaborative relationships

  • This means being open to difference, having the right conversations, and learning collectively.

We are curious and enabling of others

  • We believe evidence is important and the solutions are out there

  • This means being creative, flexible and receptive to the outside world as well as investing in our own development

The role

The Communications and Programmes Officer will enhance the delivery and communication of our programmes.

Specific responsibilities

The following list is intended to provide a flavour of the role and is not exclusive. We are an agile team and we welcome team members shaping their roles based on skillsets and professional interests.

1. Programme development and delivery

  • Draft grant papers, briefing documents and partnership agreements

  • Undertake discrete policy and research projects to assist programme development and delivery

  • Work collaboratively with our partner organisations, joining meetings and building positive working relationships with key contacts

  • Contribute to the development of programme activities, for example attending learning communities and producing summaries of their discussions

  • Help with organising and coordinating events hosted by CGF

  • Attend external meetings, seminars, conferences etc on behalf of CGF, making connections and collecting intelligence from the wider sector.

 

2. Digital communications and channel management

  • Help manage our website, ensuring the content is kept up to date and reflects our work accurately

  • Oversee editorial plans and content for our social media channels (primarily Twitter), ensuring they are kept up to date, are lively and engaging, and reflect our core programme areas and activity (in conjunction with the Programmes Officer and with guidance from the Head of Advocacy and Communications)

  • Assist with writing and sending our quarterly newsletter, and other mass mailings as required, using Mailchimp

  • Manage our newsletter database and contact list, ensuring it is kept updated and identifying ways to improve it

  • Keep on top of trends in the digital communications space and help increase the impact of our work by identifying opportunities to improve our content and tactics, and regularly monitoring performance.

3. Strategic communications and advocacy

  • Assist in the development of communications and advocacy plans and aid their delivery

  • Manage discrete corporate communications projects, with appropriate guidance – such as delivery of key publications such as the annual review (coordinating contributions from designers, copywriters and the wider team)

  • Coordinate content producers (editors, designers), ensuring the content meets CGF standards and is signed off by appropriate staff members

  • Create marketing and communications materials for events, for example presentation decks, event banners and brochures (with input from external designers, as required)

  • Draft corporate communications material such as blogs, opinion-editorials, public statements, factsheets and reports on our work

  • Produce briefing documents for CGF spokespeople and/or stakeholders, for example ahead of events, media interviews or meetings with policy makers

  • Engage with media engagement plans and activity , for example monitoring news stories, helping to develop press releases and media toolkits, producing coverage reports, and sending materials to journalists

  • Identify external events for CGF members to prioritise attending or speaking at and helping prepare communications materials and logistics as necessary

  • Contribute to the development of our style guide and core corporate communications materials, and champion consistency in their use

  • Provide the UK Director and management team with internal communications (to UK Branch, Head Office and Trustees) as necessary.

4. Team projects, culture and internal communications

  • Attend and actively take part in monthly team meetings, and ad-hoc meetings with communications colleagues

  • Coordinate Programmes team meetings and other appropriate meetings, helping to diarise, prepare agendas, take notes, etc

  • Work collaboratively with colleagues taking on other tasks as necessary to ensure the smooth running of the UK Branch

  • Help liaise with colleagues in Head Office (in Lisbon) as necessary

  • Contribute to Head Office annual reports and materials on behalf of the UK Branch as required

  • Help answer the UK Branch office phone, door, emails, or greet guests, and organise hospitality as necessary.

  • Always act as a brand advocate on behalf of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to help advance our mission.

Accountability

Reporting to the Head of Advocacy and Communications, the post holder will be closely linked to our Programmes Team and will be expected to work with a range of colleagues in the UK Branch and overseas, including external organisations.

Person Specification

In this role, you will be proactive in planning and organising your own workload, but with supervision and guidance from your line manager.

Skills and Expertise

  • Fluency (written and oral) in English

  • Excellent writing skills for a variety of audiences

  • Good verbal communication skills

  • Strong IT and digital skills including use of Microsoft Office products and databases

  • Experience using digital communications software, such as Mailchimp and WordPress (or equivalent)

  • Experience developing content for social media and/or other channels or formats

  • Strong research skills

  • Experience managing projects

  • Awareness of, and an interest in, cultural and environmental policy and practice

  • Some design skills and/or awareness of good design

  • Fluency (written and oral) in Portuguese is desirable but not essential.

Experience

  • Prior employment in communications and/or a related field (ideally 1-2 years’ experience), or experience producing written and other communications in a formal context

  • An interest in the subjects on which the Foundation is currently working

  • Voluntary or paid experience in a non-profit project or organisation

Specific Qualities/Competencies

  • Positive and flexible approach to work

  • Good team-working and collaboration skills

  • Ability to listen and learn from different viewpoints to work effectively with others and jointly develop solutions

  • Ability to use own initiative and good judgement

  • Reliable and dedicated

  • Ability to prioritise and get to the nub of ideas quickly

  • Open-minded and able to consider different ways of achieving objectives

  • Willing to learn new skills and develop professionally

  • Willing to undertake some administrative tasks for the wider team

Qualifications

Completed education to A-level or equivalent

Other

An awareness and comprehension of diversity, equality and inclusion practices.

Terms

This is a fixed one-year full-time post based on a 35-hour week (plus one hour for lunch). The staff guide details other terms and conditions of employment.

Salary and Pension

The salary for this post is £25,000 per Annum. New employees are eligible to join the UK Branch’s stakeholder pension scheme, after a successful probation period, to which the Foundation makes a matched contribution of up to 10 per cent of salary per annum, plus other benefits.

Holidays

Leave entitlement is at the rate of 28 days per annum in addition to the statutory holidays.

Location

This post will be located at the UK Branch’s headquarters in central London. This role may require some national and international travel.

Although team members are currently working remotely, we expect to return to the office shortly with a hybrid approach (e.g. possibly 3 days per week in the office). CGF UK will provide equipment to enable effective remote working.

Equal Opportunity Policy

The UK Branch of the Foundation has an equal opportunity policy and implements a programme of positive action to make this policy fully effective by ensuring that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, colour, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, HIV status, marital status, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. The principle applies to recruitment, pay, terms and conditions of employment, promotion, training, career opportunities and service delivery.

 

February 2022

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Fri 11th Mar 2022

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Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You won't need a CV to apply to this job

Applications closed Fri 11th Mar 2022