The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is Recruiting for a Communications and Support Officer – External Affairs
Closing Date: 12 August 2024
The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is Recruiting for a Communications and Support Officer – External Affairs
About the Institute of Development Studies
The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) delivers world-class research, learning and teaching that transforms the knowledge, action and leadership needed for more equitable and sustainable development globally. IDS is ranked first in the world for development studies by the QS University Rankings, together with the University of Sussex.
The Institute of Development Studies’ vision is of equal and sustainable societies, locally and globally, where people everywhere can live their lives free from poverty and injustice. IDS contribute to this by transforming the knowledge, action and leadership needed through its world-class research, learning and teaching.
Job Description
This role is within the IDS Communications and Engagement Team (CET) which exists to build awareness, consideration and engagement with the institute, its research, publications, and partnerships. The CET has a pivotal role to play in supporting the institute to achieve its strategic objectives, above all in delivering world class marketing and communications campaigns that increases research take up and contributes to the institute’s sustainability and financial resilience.
The CET’s key activities include building the IDS website, social media presence and media engagement; delivering the IDS event programme; teaching marketing campaigns; policy engagement; research communications; and, overall, managing IDS’ reputation with key audiences from students to partners, policy makers to the media. The team works closely with IDS senior leadership, researchers, the IDS Knowledge, Impact and Policy team (KIP), IDS Fundraising and Development Office, external stakeholders and partners to produce a wide range of content from IDS Policy Briefings to IDS website and IDS social media.
Overall purpose of this role
The Communications and Support Officer – External Affairs– is responsible for a range of activities that improve awareness, understanding and engagement with IDS amongst global and national policy, media, research and advocacy organisations. Line managed by the External Affairs Manager, the Communications and Support Officer would make a direct contribution to strengthening the institute’s reputation, developing high level policy and media relationships to contribute IDS’ strategic priorities by improving policy influence, media profile and research uptake. Importantly, the role would also contribute to managing the IDS social media channels, including creating and publishing content, and monitoring for emerging reputational risks
The role holder would contribute to the development of IDS briefings for UK policy stakeholders (e.g. parliamentary select committee evidence submissions and consultation responses) and help organise policy stakeholder events (e.g. roundtables and events with APPGs). They would also support providing internal briefings for the IDS Senior Leadership Group on external affairs updates relevant to IDS as required. They would maintain the institute’s external horizon scanning, identifying reputation risks and opportunities for IDS to engage in policy and media discourse.
A key part of the role would be to identify potential key contacts from across media, social media, policy and stakeholder organisations, working to establish and secure relationships as part of a programme of proactive engagement. They would draft media materials including press releases, comments and planning notices. The impact of their work would be to deliver a regular pipeline of media coverage and policy engagements that ensures IDS is a global leading voice on development issues with influence on policy related to the IDS strategic priorities – from climate and environment justice, pandemic response, poverty reduction to evidence use in policy and practice.
A fundamental part of the role is to provide copy writing and editing support. This would include briefings for policy influencing, media materials but also drafting/editing long form copy such as Opinion Blogs submitted for the IDS website and the IDS Policy Briefings. The role holder would be expected to have an exceptional eye for detail and experience in translating research communications and/or technical information into highly engaging, accessible copy.
A key part of the role is to share management of the IDS social media channels, including maintaining a regular publishing schedule, responding to comments and using analytics to identify ways of improving output. With the total reach of the IDS social media channels over 300,000, these channels are critical way of reaching development audiences.
General responsibilities
• Attend and contribute to regular peer learning sessions at the IDS Strategic Communications Group supporting development of communications expertise across IDS.
• Keep up to date with latest policy and media debates, significant landmarks or events relating to international development and contribute to the CET marketing and communications planning process.
• Offer advice and feedback to IDS colleagues who are involved in the development of partners’ external affairs work.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of CET’s programme of events as required.
Person Specification
Skills and experience
| Selection Criteria Description | Essential [E] or Desirable [D] | Assessed by * | |
| Qualifications | |||
| A degree or relevant professional qualification; experience in communications or external affairs. | E | A/I | |
| A professional qualification in PR and/or copy writing/editing. | D | A/I | |
| Knowledge | |||
| Knowledge of media relations and policy/external affairs in the UK and/or globally. Experience in social media publishing including content creation, scheduling and evaluation. | E | A/I | |
| Knowledge of and interest in international development. | D | A/I | |
| Skills | |||
| Strong all-round communication skills, including verbal and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills. Writing for the web and social media. Media relations skills, including journalist engagement and creative approaches to developing stories. Good copy editing skills with a strong eye for detail. Good knowledge of MS Office applications. | E | A/I | |
| Proof reading. | D | A/I | |
| Experience | |||
| PR and communications experience. Translating research communications and/or technical information into highly engaging, accessible copy. Experience of copy writing/editing. | E | A/I | |
| Experience in the international development or charitable sectors. Journalism experience. | D | A/I | |
| Public affairs/policy influencing experience in the UK context. | E | A/I | |
| Public affairs/policy influencing experience in a global context. | D | A/I | |
| Attributes | |||
| A passionate and creative PR/external affairs professional with a determination to make a difference – to IDS and to the development sector more broadly. Ability to work well in a team and share ideas as well as take own initiative to identify then realise external communications opportunities for positive impact for IDS. Highly organised with an ability to work to deadlines by setting priorities and managing a diverse workload. | E | A/I | |
| Other | |||
| There will be some UK travel involved in this role, and the possibility of occasional short overseas trips | E | A/I | |
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