Term: Permanent 

Hours: Full-time

Reporting to: Director of Development and Engagement

Closing Date:  Sunday 6th March 2022, 11:59pm

Interview Dates: 

Preliminary interviews: 16th or 17th March 2022 

Final panel interviews: 24 or 25th March 2022 (in London)* TBC 

About the role 

We are looking for a talented Communications and Engagement Manager to join a new and growing foundation to deliver its charitable aims and objectives. This is a great role for a creative and ambitious communications professional with experience of delivering strategic content that engages new and existing partner relationships. The successful candidate will be someone who is keen to work in a fast-paced, start-up environment and is passionate about young people and social justice. 

Working with the Director of Development and Engagement, you will be responsible for the design, development and delivery of the foundation’s external engagement programme, creating content and managing the promotion of its work across digital and traditional communication channels, with the purpose of cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with partners and funders. You will bring Mission 44’s work to life through compelling storytelling and impactful campaigns, increase engagement with our key audiences, support our ambitious fundraising strategy and transform our influence and impact.  

In this role you’ll also hold the important responsibility of managing our relationship with a new Youth Advisory Board, embedding the empowered voices of young people from underserved communities across everything that we do. 

About Mission 44

Mission 44 is a new charitable foundation launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton MBE to boost social mobility in the UK.  It aims to support, champion and empower young people from underserved communities to succeed through narrowing opportunity gaps in education, employment and wider society. Through grant-funding, research, partnerships and advocacy, Mission 44 is committed to driving long-lasting, transformative change to the lives of young people facing disadvantage and discrimination. To find out more about Mission 44, visit join-mission44.co.uk. 

Diversity matters at Mission 44

We offer a working environment that values and respects every individual’s unique contribution. We want to attract the broadest range of talented people and are committed to equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination practices. We positively encourage applications from all sections of society and are particularly interested in candidates from diverse and underrepresented groups.

Key responsibilities 

1. Marketing & Communications

• Deliver a cohesive and best in class marketing and communications strategy.

• Develop a strong and recognisable brand.

• Create and publish engaging content across all communications platforms, including articles, graphics, videos and publication. 

• Lead on developing Mission 44’s core messaging for a diverse range of audiences.

• Monitor and manage all media engagement, working with external consultants.

• Manage all of Mission 44’s external communication channels.

• Work with colleagues across the team to support Mission 44’s communications objectives linked to our grants, research, partnerships and advocacy work. 

• Build constructive working relationships and liaise closely with the communications teams across our range of partner organisations, including other funders and corporate supporters.

• Monitor the success of communication and engagement activities and campaigns; update strategies based on insights and learning.  

• Develop and manage an editorial calendar. 

• Optimise content reach using SEO and analyse website traffic data to monitor and improve engagement. 

• Ensure brand consistency across the organisation. 

2. Engagement 

• Working closely with the Youth Advisory Board, ensure that youth voice is effectively embedded across all Mission 44’s activity and follows safeguarding best practise.

• Support the maintenance of strong working relationships with a range of funders and supporters of Mission 44.

• Support the Director of Development and Engagement to establish and manage relationships with current and prospective partner organisations, providing information and updates on activity. 

• Develop, implement and review internal processes to ensure that relationship management is strong and consistent across the team.

• Maintain appropriate GDPR consent records for all contacts.

• Act as an ambassador on behalf of Mission 44, creating opportunities to enhance external profile and reputation amongst key audiences. 

About you

1. Knowledge and experience 

Essential

• Experience leading or managing communications across an organisation including across digital channels and for PR activities to further organisational objectives.

• Experience of managing and delivering social media and digital communications to maximise reach and  engagement.

• Understanding of public attitude formation and narrative development.

• Hands on experience with MS Office and Wordpress.

Desirable

• Knowledge of SEO and web traffic metrics.

• Experience working in the non-profit or youth sector.

• Experience delivering communications, brand or marketing training.

• Experience of engaging with high profile individuals.

2. Skills

• Exceptional time management and organisational skills with the ability to work effectively to deadlines, meet targets and achieve demonstrable results. 

• Excellent communication skills with ability to devise and create engaging content.

• A proven ability to spot opportunities to initiate or deepen positive relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including with senior, high profile or celebrity supporters.

• Excellent writing skills. 

• Excellent digital skills, including use of tools such as Adobe Graphic Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere), Mailchimp and Canva.

• Exceptional attention to detail.

• Ability to interpret complex information and data to create compelling content.

3. Personal qualities 

To be successful in this role, the candidate will need to:  

• Take a proactive and flexible approach and have a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude.

• Be flexible and creative; you thrive in a dynamic organisation. 

• Able to produce high-quality work at pace. 

• Be highly collaborative; your default is to work with others to deliver results. 

• Be adept at building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Enjoy managing multiple projects on parallel and competing deadlines. 

• Able to work independently, displaying strong initiative in solving day-to-day problems with limited direction.

• Be committed to embedding the values of equity, diversity and inclusion in everything that you do. 

• Be passionate about supporting and empowering young people from a diverse range of backgrounds to flourish and succeed. 

• Able to role model Mission 44’s values and bring them to life in all of your work.