Suite 5B, City Cloisters, 196 Old Street, London EC1V 9FR

Suite 5B, City Cloisters, 196 Old Street, London EC1V 9FR

Tel: 0207 566 9800

Email: / Website:

JOB DESCRIPTION

Press & Digital Media Officer

£27,000 pa (including London weighting) plus pension

About Alcohol Concern

Alcohol Concern is the national charity on alcohol misuse campaigning for effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol Concern works at a national level to influence alcohol policy and champion best practice locally. We support professionals and organisations by providing expertise, information andguidance. We are a challenging voice to the drinks industry and promotepublic awareness of alcohol issues.

Alcohol Concern is governed by a Board of Trustees. It receives income from charitable grants, consultancy and training fees and individual or corporate donations. It is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Chief Executive, supported by the Director of Fundraising and Campaigns.

Purpose of Role

Good relations with the media and, increasingly, with the wider public through the use of digital media are at the heart of our campaigning impact. We need someone with strong communication skills to help us maximise our coverage. A strong presence in all forms ofmedia is vital for our profile as it enables us to reach key decision makers and the general public which in turns helps us deliver both our lobbying and fundraising work.

The successful candidate will have outstanding written communication skills and proven experience of writing for a range of audiences. They will need to have proven experience ofsuccessfully working with the UK press on a regular basis.They will also have a highly developed knowledge and understanding of digital and social media and experience of using them for campaigning. The Press & Digital Media Officer is responsible for drafting press releases, setting up media interviews, promoting stories to the press and managing relationships with journalists. Working to the Communications & Fundraising Manager, they will play a key role in updating our website.

Areas of Responsibility

Main Duties

This role will look for opportunities for Alcohol Concern to promote its key campaign messages to decision makers and opinion formers via the media. Working to the Communications & Fundraising Manager, you will maintain a busy press office and will be the first port of call for enquiries from journalists; you will maintain a database of contacts and media messages based on our policy lines.You will also work with other colleagues to develop proactive media plans, write press releases, organise interviews and come up with new ideas.

You will take responsibilityfor maintaining our existing social media work -- managing our Twitter and Facebook accounts as well asupdating relevant parts of our website – and seek to develop new avenues and approaches in orderto maximise our presence, impact and donor recruitment through digital means.

Fundraising is a core part of everyone’s role at Alcohol Concern. You will be involved through promoting our fundraising initiatives via different media channels and supporting our work with celebrity supporters.

Specific Duties

Press Function

1.Act as the main point of contact for press and media enquiries. Respond to enquiries from journalists with initiative, speed and accuracy ensuring that each opportunity is fully maximised.

2.Maintaina database of journalist and media contact details.

3.Draft press releases and press statements.Ensure that all press statements are authorised by the Communications & Fundraising Manager or, in their absence, the Chief Executive or Deputy Chief Executive, before release. Support staff authorised to act as media spokespeople by organising interviews, coordinating media activity and briefing them on key issues.

4.Support theCommunications & Fundraising Manager in developing and successfully implementing PR campaign plans. Work proactively to disseminate our campaign messages through a variety of media including print, broadcast and online. This includes working with television or film makers as well as journalists.

5.Organise events such as media briefings, photo calls, launch activities, and other related activities.

6.Keep standard media lines, key messages and statistics up to date and provide these to journalists as required.

7.Monitor media coverage of alcohol issues, and circulate key stories in a media summary to staff on a regular weekly basis.

8.Work with Alcohol Concern project staff to promote our work via the media. You will also work with partners and our supporters to promote joint activities. You will develop and promote a database of relevant case studies to help with media activities.

Communications

9.Write articles for publication both in print and on the web.

10.Support the Communications & Fundraising Manager in ensuring that the Alcohol Concern brand is used appropriately and within guidelines.

Social media and website administration

11.Manage and edit our Twitter & Facebook accounts and other social media channels as required. Develop further digital media channels and initiatives. Respond to enquiries from social media channels appropriately.

12.Update, add copy to and edit the Alcohol Concern website under the direction of the Communications & Fundraising Manager.

Fundraising

13.Assist with fundraising for the charity by promoting fundraising events or initiatives via the press or social media.

14.Support the Communications & Fundraising Manager in work with corporate partners, trusts, individual donors where appropriate to promote joint initiatives to the press and help to ensure a highly professional relationship with potential or existing donors.

General

15.The postholder will respond to new situations and demands as they arise and be prepared to take up such other duties as are commensurate with grade and status. Some occasional out of hours and weekend work will be required.

16.The postholder will attend staff meetings, team meetings and other internal meetings as appropriate.

17.The postholder must have a commitment to and a willingness to work within Alcohol Concern’s Dignity at Work Policy, its Health and Safety Policy and other policies as set out in the Alcohol Concern Staff Handbook.

Accountability

18.The postholder will be accountable to the Communications & Fundraising Manager.

Conditions of Service

This is a permanent post and is for 35 hours per week worked in a five day week. The standard working day is 9am to 5pm, 7 hours per day with 1 hour for lunch. Under the Alcohol Concern flexible working policy, most staff are permitted to work their 7 hours on a flexi time system around Core hours of 10am to 4pm.Flexi time is agreed individually by the line manager.

The annual holiday entitlement is 28 days per year, not including public holidays. The salary for this post is including London Weighting. There is a contributory pension scheme (Employer 7%, Employee minimum contribution 3%).

The post is based at Alcohol Concern's offices at 196 Old Street, London EC1V 9FR.

Alcohol Concern is committed to implementing a comprehensive Equal Opportunities Policy and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential skills, knowledge and experience required for this post are:

1. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate and engaging copy for a range of audiences.

1. Proactive approach with the ability to create interesting, newsworthy stories.

1. Highly self-motivated creative and determined with the ability to take initiative and problem solve effectively.

1. Ability to prioritise and manage own workload when juggling numerous projects on a range of different projects or enquiries.

1. Ability to build positive co-operative working relationships with clients and journalists.

1. Knowledge of digital communications tools and tactics including video, updating and maintaining web pages, managing social media channels. IT literate and fully conversant with Microsoft packages.

1. Excellent organisational skillswith a proven ability to meet deadlines,attention to detail and ability to work in a small team.

1. Good negotiation skills with the ability to manage relationships with tact and diplomacy.

Desirable:

1. Knowledge of alcohol policy and related issues.