Senior Media Manager

Full time: 35 hours per week  

Permanent position 

Closing date for applications: 7th August 2024  

First interview: 20th August 2024

Second interview: 28th August 2024 

About Us 

The Wildlife Trusts are a federated movement of 46 charities, supported by a central charity, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. Together we have 900,000 members, 32,500 volunteers and 3,400 staff across the UK. We are at an exciting moment in our 110-year history, with the development of an ambitious new strategy, setting out a vision of nature in recovery, with abundant, diverse wildlife and natural processes creating wilder landscapes where people and nature thrive. 

Wildlife Trusts have restored and care for some of the most special places for wildlife in the UK. Collectively we manage more than 2,300 nature reserves, operate 123 visitor and education centres and own 29 working farms. We undertake research, we stand up for wildlife and wild places under threat, and we help people access nature. 

The next few years will be critical in determining what kind of world we all live in. We need to urgently reverse the loss of wildlife and put nature into recovery at scale if we are to prevent climate and ecological disaster. We recognise that this will require big, bold changes in the way The Wildlife Trusts work, not least in how we mobilise others and support them to organise within their own communities. 

About You 

Can you use your expert media relations and proven line management skills to help put nature into recovery with one of the UK’s best-loved environmental charities? 

The Wildlife Trusts’ small, but brilliant national media team creates billions of opportunities to ‘see’ our work in print, radio, online and on screen each year: from our commentary on Government policy to stories about our work on the ground, our interviews, quotes, videos and press releases are used in national and international stories as varied as action on peat to whale sightings. We regularly appear on BBC Countryfile, Springwatch and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, as well as in international media such as National Geographic, Times of India and Washington Post. In 2023 alone, the team achieved c.43,000 appearances in the national media and a reach of over 530 billion opportunities to see. This coverage ensured that we remain at the heart of the national conversation on why we need nature. 

But we’re not standing still because the nature and climate crises demand greater and more urgent action. We’re therefore looking for a resourceful and strategic thinker who can exploit new opportunities for The Wildlife Trusts to continue to raise our profile and use our communications to drive greater awareness of and engagement with the things that need to happen to turn things round. 

This is a senior role and we’re looking for an experienced media manager with an excellent track record in media relations for high profile organisations, who can confidently deal with high-profile reactive media as well as developing and delivering evidence-based creative, innovative media strategies. You will be leading a small media team, so line management experience is essential to ensure the consistent delivery of high-profile, high-impact media activity, supervising the team’s research, writing and editing. Working alongside the Head of Media you will build an environment where your team can continuously develop to be their best and have space to innovate and find new channels to reach broader audiences with our messages. In particular, we are keen to do more to highlight the role of people power (community organising) in nature’s recovery. 

You will have significant previous experience of generating compelling news stories and features, and ideally you will have been involved in publicising policy and campaigns. There is never a dull moment at The Wildlife Trusts and you will need to thrive working in an extremely fast-paced environment where organisational skills, prioritisation and attention to detail are a must. 

The Wildlife Trusts value passion, respect, trust, integrity, pragmatic activism and strength in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgmental and are inclusive. We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. 

At The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts we take our Safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. Please click here to read our commitment statement. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For applicable roles, applicants must be willing to undergo checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the eligible level. 

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible. 

Please do not use artificial intelligence tools to assist you to complete the application form. We may not accept applications that have been completed utilising AI tools. If you would usually use tools such as these to assist you in filling in a form, please contact tash. stewart@iris.co.uk to discuss this further and understand other options.