Press and Public Relations Officer - Stop The War Coalition - London

Job description

Press and Public Relations Officer

Stop the War Coalition is the UK's leading anti-war organization. Since our inception in September 2001, we have been dedicated to ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, bringing the troops home and exerting democratic pressure on the British government to change its foreign policies. We have initiated many campaigns to oppose military intervention in Syria, ending the occupation of Palestine, opposing racism and Islamophobia and defending civil liberties.

Stop the War Coalition has organised around 40 national demonstrations, including the largest protests ever held in Britain, most memorably when up to 2 million gathered on London's streets on 15 February 2003. Other events have included thousands of public meetings across the country, direct action in the run up to the war in 2003, People's Assemblies, international peace conferences, vigils, lobbies of Parliament and cultural events.

About the role

An exciting role for a confident Press and PR officer has arisen within our organization. We are looking for a candidate who is sympathetic to our anti-war campaign, who has experience of supporting positive media and political campaigns and who has the ability to work independently, proactively managing their own workload.

Working within an established not for profit political organization, you will need to have strong PR skills, alongside a passion and tenacity to develop relationships and networks from scratch. You will bring your experience of delivering results, your passion for working with people and be excited by the ability to make the job your own, seeing through processes right from the creation stage.

Key Responsibilities

Liaise with MPs, trade unions, members of supporting organizations,

individual supporters and the media

Draft press releases and statements

Support our political and parliamentary campaigns

Respond to press enquiries from local, national and international media

Organise events, including conferences, public meetings, fringe meetings, fundraisers, protests/demonstrations/rallies, etc. as appropriate for the needs of the organisation

Manage Stop the War’s communications through newsletters, digital and social media

Manage an out of hours rota of spokespeople and office staff

Building collaborative relationships with members of the public and volunteers

Co-ordinate and maintain the team’s contact management systems

Provide administrative support in the national office and to Stop the War Officer's group

Update database and develop weekly media reports for Stop the War officers meetings and quarterly Steering Committee meetings

Play an active part in contributing to the on-going success and development of the organization through sharing and identifying ideas, giving suggestions and advice on strategy

Person specification

Essential

Educated at degree level in the relevant field.

Good oral and written communication skills.

Experience of working in a media environment and of working with journalists.

Experience of producing written materials such as press releases

Highly organized with the ability to meet tight deadlines

Flexible, confident and self-motivated.

The role will involve engaging with non-English speaking communities so the ability to speak one or more of the flowing languages is essential - Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Arabic

A good knowledge of the media and UK political system.

Ability to understand complex political issues and communicate them to a range of audiences

A commitment to equal opportunities and appreciation of diversity

Desirable

Administrative, organisational and planning skills, ability to prioritise competing demands and work under pressure.

Experience of appearing as a spokesperson in national media.

Advanced IT skills

This is a full-time role (Mon to Fri) and will be based in the national office at Finsbury Park, London but may occasionally require travel (sometimes on the weekend) to other areas across the country for meetings, demonstrations and conferences.

To apply, please send your CV and Cover letter before 5pm on 30th July 2015.