The British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – is seeking a Media & PR Officer to join the Communications and Marketing department to increase exposure and generate media coverage about the British Academy’s public events, policy programmes, funded research and subject advocacy.

ROLE PURPOSE / OVERVIEW

The Media & PR Officer will be responsible for collaborating with colleagues from across the Academy to generate engaging and concise news stories and pitch them to national, regional, broadcast and higher education sector media. On a weekly basis, you’ll be planning, writing and editing stories about our public events programme, higher education or public policy work, Fellowship, and social sciences and humanities research findings.

The role holder will lead on media stories from start to finish, from spotting newsworthy stories to writing integrated comms plans, to delivery of media coverage and social media content. Your main objective will be to build the Academy’s profile and increase public awareness of the humanities and social sciences. Working closely with the Media & PR Manager, and the wider Media and Public Affairs team, you will identify opportunities, respond quickly to incoming reactive queries from journalists, academics and press offices, using your judgement to respond clearly on a variety of topics. You will also be responsible for sourcing and coaching media spokespeople when needed.

As someone who loves to write and edit, you should consume a variety of news daily, think creatively, and proactively take the initiative to suggest story angles to the team and look at improvements to ways of working.

You will be joining at an exciting time, with a new President starting in July 2025, and a new themed programme of public events seasons held at our home in the heart of St James’s, London, transformed last year after a £10 million redevelopment. You will be part of a friendly and supportive team. You will also have the chance to work with some of the top intellectual minds from across the humanities and social sciences.

OFFICE LOCATION - 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, St James Park, London, SW1Y 5AH

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. News writing, editing and planning

• Write clear, lively and newsworthy press releases, pitches to journalists, op-eds and reactive comments.

• Create integrated media plans for online, broadcasts, podcasts and print that showcase the Academy’s work and the value of the humanities and social sciences.

• Manage the life cycle of a news story, identifying and pitching stories to boost the Academy’s public profile.

• Navigate sign-off processes and identify internal and external stakeholders with whom to engage in comms work.

 2. Collaboration, teamwork and proactivity

• Collaborate effectively with other teams, especially the Content & Channels Team on social media and other digital collaboration.

• Work closely with our policy and events teams, to suggest speakers or chairs, and to ensure that policy reports and public events are newsworthy and getting exposure wherever possible.

• Alongside colleagues, proactively manage day-to-day press office admin, including logging your proactive and reactive interactions with journalists, media evaluations, photography and filming tasks, image library management, and contribute to wider Academy discussions and events.

• Support with the Fellows-led Communications and Engagement Committee meetings.

• Build relationships with British Academy funded researchers, proactively supporting them to publicise newsworthy impact of their research in line with the overall communications strategy.

• Support the Media & PR Manager across the full range of their responsibilities as directed, including deputising for them when necessary.

• Help the Media Manager and Deputy Head of Media with forward planning, feeding into the communications planner with knowledge and intel about upcoming stories or external moments.

 3. News knowledge and responsiveness

• Keep up to date with UK news, particularly policy and higher education news affecting the humanities and social sciences and related to the Academy’s policy themes. Monitor the media activity of British Academy Fellows, funded researchers and high-profile people who support our subjects and flag these media mentions for the daily news monitoring email.

• Build relationships with journalists and supply them with timely and relevant news material. Work to increase their understanding of the Academy, the subjects we represent, and the work of our Fellows and funded researchers.

• Prepare key spokespeople for press interviews, including ahead of public events and policy report launches. Give press interview coaching and support to key media spokespeople from the British Academy’s senior staff, Fellowship and research community.

 4. Reputation and risk management

• Stay informed about issues within Higher Education, Research and Policy, as well as wider UK politics, to identify and monitor risks that could affect the British Academy.  

• Co-ordinating with the press team, respond quickly to reactive incoming requests from journalists, using your judgement to represent the Academy’s interests and positions accurately and responsibly.

• Be an ambassador at British Academy public events, including our flagship Summer Showcase, our annual festival of ideas. Proactively speak to journalists and VIPs who attend these events and, when necessary, provide assistance to members of the public, Fellows and academics.

 5. Digital communications

• Upload press releases and analysis pieces to the website, as well as writing and scheduling social media posts to publicise news stories. Work collaboratively with the Media and Content & Channels teams, ensuring important news content is highlighted on the homepage of the website on a rolling basis.

• Commission, edit and publish comment pieces for media and for the ‘Analysis’ page of the British Academy website.

• Source pictures to accompany press content on the Academy’s website.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Internal

Head of Media and Public Affairs; Deputy Head of Media and PR; Director of Communications; Content & Channels, Events and Public Engagement, Research Funding, Development and Policy teams.

External

Fellows and other academics; BA funded researchers; Journalists; University press officers; Communications leads at key funding organisations, e.g. Wellcome, The Leverhulme Trust.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Works and communicates effectively

• A team player who takes the initiative to get to know and work collaboratively within the press and public affairs team, and with colleagues in other teams. Forges strong relationships across the media and public affairs team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, and an ability to communicate well with people at all levels.

• Handles difficult situations calmly and with sensitivity and respect.

• Demonstrates a positive attitude towards helping others by providing appropriate support, using initiative and not waiting to be asked.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Demonstrates and develops appropriate knowledge and skills

• Excellent news writing and editing skills, with a strong instinct for what makes a compelling press story. The ability to source and research news stories from scratch.

• The ability to distil complex or technical information into clear, accessible and succinct writing.

• Previous experience of press and media work, including social and online media in a relevant sector such as education, policy, culture or the non-profit sector.

• A record of successfully identifying, planning and placing news stories in the national press.

• Excellent understanding of the UK press, and good journalist contacts. Good knowledge and understanding of up-to-date PR, social media, digital and marketing techniques.

  PROACTIVITY AND PLANNING

Manages time and resources effectively in order to achieve own and organisational objectives

• Good planning, organising, negotiating and listening skills.

• Uses initiative to make independent decisions and suggestions, with a commitment to efficiency and high-quality work.

• Manages time and resources well, with the ability to be flexible in a fast-paced environment.

• Keeps relevant colleagues informed throughout press work and seeks input and feedback.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

Ensures good decisions are made through a rational and methodical approach

• A proactive and can-do attitude; takes personal responsibility for correcting problems or resolving issues.

• Anticipates obstacles and thinks ahead, but with the ability to cope with the unexpected.

• Sets the right balance between referring decisions to the appropriate level and taking things forward without referral

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Occasional out of hours (evening or weekend) work, where necessary.

• Mandatory attendance to the office for specified events, such as in-person meetings or training

WORKPLACE VALUES

The Academy’s workplace values and supporting text are set out below. We share these core values with each other. They guide how we work together and with others. We demonstrate them through our behaviours.

COLLABORATION- We consistently work together to a common purpose, supporting each other, communicating openly and sharing knowledge. We are flexible and adaptable, receiving feedback constructively

CREATIVITY - We bring imagination and curiosity to our work, valuing learning, diverse thinking, and innovation. We are open-minded, receptive, and responsive, taking account of alternative perspectives

EMPATHY-We are understanding, sensitive, compassionate, and considerate, mindful of our own wellbeing alongside that of others

EXCELLENCE - We always do our best, without striving to be perfect, applying our expertise and experience to develop and grow

INTEGRITY - We are open and honest with each other, accepting personal responsibility and demonstrating loyalty. We are reliable and dependable, having belief that we will be transparent and clear

RESILIENCE - We are confident, bold, and tenacious, knowing when to listen as well as when to speak up. We respond positively to challenges and overcome problems

RESPECT - We are inclusive in our regard for each other, showing courtesy and appreciation. We treat people fairly and equally, welcoming everyone’s contribution and difference

APPLICATION PROCESS

We have a two-step approach to hiring, beginning with submitting an application through the Applied platform. This will be followed by a panel interview and may involve a task component.

Please note that you may be asked to reference any literature that you may refer to, as applications that are highly plagiarised and not your own work. e.g. ChatGPT, will be declined.

The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on 19 May 2025, however, we may close this role sooner if we receive a high volume of applications.  In these circumstances we will give those who have shown interest 24 hours notice of the change of deadline.

Interviews for this role are currently scheduled for 5 June 2025 but this may be subject to change.