Media & Publications Officer

Job purpose

As part of the communications team and reporting to the Media & Publications Manager, you will support all aspects of our media activities and media relations, produce accurate and engaging copy and stories for RCVS print and digital publications and for other communications activities, and, through your writing and creativity, help to raise awareness of our activities and enhance our profile amongst all our key stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

We will need you to…

• Assist the Media & Publications Manager in implementing media strategies and campaigns, and work with colleagues across the organisation to agree planned media activity.

• Draft and edit high-quality and engaging media stories about our activities, ensuring all copy produced to deadline and approved before release. This includes press releases, features, briefing documents, web news articles, e-newsletters and social posts, and may involve carrying out interviews and liaising with stakeholders.

• Help drive our proactive media relations and secure national, regional and industry online, print, social and broadcast coverage – pitch ideas and stories to media, and research key targets and topics.

• Support our reactive media activities by handling press queries (including on an out-of-hours rota) and preparing appropriate responses, in discussion with the Media & Publications Manager and relevant RCVS spokespeople.

• Monitor social media and other online communities for relevant conversations and comments, identify opportunities to engage with stakeholders and coordinate responses where appropriate.

• Liaise with colleagues across our different teams to plan and produce our scheduled and ad hoc email newsletters, and to draft copy for reports and print publications.

• Maintain the media database, monitor and evaluate internal and external media activities across all channels, and produce regular media reports to help inform future activities.

Other responsibilities

We would also like you to…

• Assist the wider team in producing, editing and proof-reading content for our campaigns, events and websites.

• Stay abreast of print/web copywriting best practice and Plain English guidelines and help colleagues across the organisation to adhere to these, and our house style.

• Bring new ideas of working to the team, to contribute to our evolving communications strategy.

• Carry out any other relevant tasks that may be reasonably requested within the team.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level, or with a Certificate/ Diploma in a relevant subject eg public relations, journalism etc.

Required skills, knowledge and experience

We need you to have…

• Demonstrable experience in a similar or related field with a similar focus on the importance of engagement across all media platforms, eg journalism, editing, PR, science communications. This can be in-house or agency (please be prepared to show examples of coverage, copy and other successful activities).

• Excellent ability to write accurate and engaging copy to deadline that is suitable for either technical or non-technical audiences, and appropriate to all media types, ie print, online, social etc

• Excellent attention to detail, with experience of editing and proof-reading other people’s copy.

• Ability to absorb complex, technical information quickly and distil into accurate summaries, reports, stories and posts in plain English.

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work to agreed deadlines, often with competing priorities.

• Excellent communication and relationship-management skills with confidence to approach journalists with a story.

• Ability to work proactively and think creatively, along with the enthusiasm and willingness to learn, to work as part of a team, to network and to develop contacts.

• A strong understanding of our culture and values.

Desired skills, knowledge and experience

We would like you to have…

• Experience of using media databases, e-news platforms and CMS systems, along with good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially Word, PowerPoint and Teams) and Zoom.

• Excellent working knowledge of key social media channels and management platforms.

• A willingness to question the way we do things, with a view to improving them.

• An eye for a strong image, photography skills and image editing/library experience.

• Competence in shorthand and/or accurate note-taking.

• Experience of working in a not-for-profit, membership or regulatory organisation.

Here at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, improving animal health and welfare by advancing the ethical, professional, and clinical standards of the veterinary professions is at the heart of all our work. We also strive to advance veterinary standards with programmes of work around mental health, leadership, environmental sustainability, diversity, and innovation.

We set the standards for and monitor the quality of veterinary education; we hold Registers of those vets and veterinary nurses who are qualified to practice; we set professional standards for vets and veterinary nurses, and we help practices raise their standards through our Practice Standards Scheme.