Associate Communications Officer

The organisation

The Commonwealth Foundation is one of the three intergovernmental organisations of the Commonwealth. Our mandate, working with and supporting civil society, reflects the commitment of Member States to a Commonwealth that is much an association of peoples as of governments.
Through our work, we aim to:

1. support the active and constructive participation of Commonwealth citizens in all aspects of their governance
2. nurture the growth of vibrant and free civil societies in all Commonwealth countries
3. advance the principles and ideals of the Commonwealth.

The Foundation’s current Strategic Plan, which details what we are doing, how and why, can be accessed here.

The role

As Associate Communications Officer you will be a key facilitator of our social media and digital communications. You will work across our teams to support staff in all aspects of communication, including our Creative Commonwealth digital communications and social media. You will also support online and in-person events.

Working closely with the Manager and Programme Officers in the Knowledge, Learning and Communications team, you will engage with civil society issues throughout the Commonwealth.

As Associate Communications Officer you should have an interest in developing innovative digital content including copy and visual media for a range of online channels. You will need to be able to produce and schedule quality content related to our work to build engagement with civil society audiences.

You should appreciate the importance of applying brand and style guidelines consistently across all communications. You should also feel comfortable liaising with a wide range of stakeholders, including colleagues, media enquiries and external suppliers.

As Associate Communications Officer you will:

• Plan, create and post content for our website and all social media channels
• Undertake event coordination and promotion
• Support staff to use communications and IT effectively
• Support media relations
• Prepare copy and content
• Actively promote the values and aims of the Commonwealth

You must have an existing right to work in the UK to apply for this position.

The individual

The Associate Communications Officer will possess, or be working towards, the competencies set out in the Foundation’s competency bank under the ‘officers’ column. The Associate Communications Officer will also demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to the Foundation’s vision, mission and values.

You should be able to demonstrate extensive experience with digital communications and social media, especially Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You should also have experience using WordPress or other website content management systems. You should have strong writing skills and feel comfortable working collaboratively with others. Experience using the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite and Zoom Webinars (or other virtual event platforms) is highly desirable.

What we offer

We offer a starting salary of £27,000.
The Foundation is proud of our welcoming and accommodating working environment. We strive to be a great place to work.

We offer generous holidays (almost seven weeks a year excluding public holidays).  Fifteen percent of your salary is payable tax-free at stipulated periods in lieu of a formal superannuation scheme.

All Foundation staff are enrolled in our private health scheme, including dental cover.

We operate from a wonderful office at Marlborough House in Pall Mall, London. The successful applicant must live within commuting distance of Marlborough House. We are currently operating a flexible working policy requiring staff to be in the office several days a week. While the policy is still being trialled, we expect to retain, over the longer term, a measure of flexibility that enables the Foundation to maintain its high levels of productivity while preserving our team ethos and ensuring staff are happy.

Our commitment

The Foundation celebrates diversity, and we are proud of our diverse and welcoming team.  All qualified applicants already eligible to work in the UK will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or pregnancy.

If you need us to make any special accommodation in the recruitment and selection process because of a protected characteristic, please let us know.

The process

Interested candidates should apply online.

The application requires you to provide a comprehensive CV as well as a motivation letter that clearly addresses the criteria as outlined in the person specification and the competencies bank below.

You must possess and declare the right to work in the UK at the time of application submission for your application to be considered.

Closing date for applications

Tuesday 31 January 2023, 1pm GMT.

Interviews

First interviews (online) – week of 13 February 2023

Second-round interviews will be held in person within two weeks of the first.

Application documents

Download Commonwealth Foundation Competency Bank
Download Job Description: Associate Communications Officer