Senior Media Officer

Full time: 35 hours per week  

Permanent  

Closing date for applications: 12 January 2025  

First interview: 24 January 2025  

Second interview: 29 January 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 

Are you a brilliant communicator who thrives in a busy media environment where no two days are the same? If you have experience in media relations and would like to work for one of the UK’s best-loved nature charities, then we have an exciting opportunity for you! 

Working within our small but brilliant national communications and media team, the Senior Media Officer will work to promote The Wildlife Trusts and our work, activities and messages to UK audiences through the national media, with a view to influencing key stakeholders, public opinion and action for nature’s recovery. From commentary on Government policy, through landscape recovery and restoration of iconic habitats such as Britain’s lost rainforests, to people organising for nature in their communities – we want our stories to be heard far and wide. You will develop and manage strategic relationships with the media and work to actively protect and enhance The Wildlife Trusts’ brand and reputation. 

We are looking for an innovative and creative individual who has proven research, writing, editing, sub-editing and proof-reading skills. You will have previous experience of generating compelling news stories and features and ideally publicising campaigns, combined with the ability to sell in stories to journalists and editors. You will enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, be organised and resourceful and have great attention to detail. 

We value passion, respect, trust, integrity and pragmatic activism and strength in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgmental, and we are inclusive. We want our people to be as diverse as nature, so we particularly encourage applications from people who are under-represented within our sector, including people from minority ethnic 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. 

RSWT are committed to increasing the diversity of its staff through its Levelling the Field recruitment pledge and will put any ethnic minority applicants that meet all the essential criteria for the post through to the next stage of recruitment. 

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 us to discuss this further and understand other options.