Guardian Foundation - Communications Manager

Job title: Communications Manager 

Contract type: Full-time, 35 hours per week, 12 Month Fixed-Term Contract 

Salary: £42,000 - £45,000 per annum

Hybrid working: 3 days per week at Kings Place, London, 2 days remote or home working

Join our team at The Guardian Foundation and be a part of a diverse and inclusive organisation whose purpose is to promote global press freedom and access to liberal journalism through news and media literacy and support to aspiring journalists from underrepresented backgrounds. Our vision is a world where people have access to reliable information from a diverse range of sources, strengthening their ability to hold power to account. This is an exciting time to join The Guardian Foundation as we prepare to launch a new five year strategy in Spring 2027.

Our programme participants include children and  young people, and people who are underrepresented in the media industry, particularly those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ communities, and disabled people. We recognise the value of lived experience and welcome candidates who can bring this.

We value and respect all differences (seen and unseen) in all people at the Guardian Foundation. 

We have a warm, inclusive and people-focused culture and are ambitious about the impact our work has in the world. We work hard, promote mutual accountability and hold each other to high standards, and we welcome and provide opportunities for people who bring enthusiasm and ideas to help build our future. 

As Communications Manager, you will play a critical role shaping internal and external communication of the strategy, developing and delivering a plan which includes the production of written and audio visual content, designing events and engagement activities and drafting and disseminating key messages across multiple platforms.

About the Role

• Developing and implementing a communications strategy aligned with the charity’s overarching goals.
• Managing and growing the charity’s website and social media channels.
• Identifying trends and behaviours in our landscape and feeding insights into operational and strategic decision making.
• Producing engaging content, including copy and simple graphic design (e.g. using Canva).
• Commissioning engaging content, including photography, graphic design and video.
• Managing the communications budget.
• Acting as custodian of The Guardian Foundation brand, developing brand assets and providing guidance to colleagues to ensure brand consistency and awareness.
• Proactively identifying reputational risks and creating mitigation strategies.
• Tracking and reporting on analytics, using insights to make strategic communications decisions.
• Designing and managing events, including the production schedule and content.
• Providing guidance, templates and advice to programme colleagues that enable them to own and manage programme-specific communications activity.
• Managing internal stakeholders, negotiating with and influencing colleagues, including senior leaders.

About You

• Proven experience in a similar role, ideally within the media and/or not for profit sector
• A great story-teller and ability & skills to translate complex information into digestible copy
• Strong digital skills and proficiency in Google applications and Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of social and digital channels and platforms (in particular Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) with experience of publishing on behalf of an organisation
• High level of project management and marketing skills and the ability to work to deadlines
• Excellent written, oral communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to create concise, relatable content that is accurate and visually well presented
• Communicates clearly and confidently to senior team members, presents information effectively, surfacing any issues as they arise
• A natural forward-planner, who anticipates and reacts to change 

How to Apply

To apply, please upload your latest CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining why you’d love to take on this role, and why you’re a great match for what we’re looking for.

Closing date: Friday 3rd July

All roles at the Guardian Foundation are open for everybody to apply. It is important to us that you feel supported and comfortable throughout your recruitment process, in order to perform your best. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to help your application, this includes providing documents in accessible formats or personalising the process to better support your needs. Please contact James Dyer on [email protected] to discuss further so we can work with you to support you through your application.

Benefits

Although this role is within The Guardian Foundation registered charity, staff are entitled to all benefits made available to Guardian News & Media employees, including:

• Culture & Wellbeing: inclusive employee forums, access to daily newsroom briefings, free yoga and pilates, corporate gym membership discount, cycle-to-work scheme.
  
   
• Learning & Development: a wide range of professional development opportunities, with support for vocational courses and qualifications.
  
   
• Workplace & Flexibility: modern office space at Kings Place with excellent facilities and hybrid working.
  
   
• Additional Benefits: 30 days annual leave plus 5 days purchase scheme, generous pension (5% employee / 8–12% employer), life cover, income protection, enhanced family leave, and specialist support policies including IVF, menopause, baby loss, and trans equality.

We appreciate the time taken to prepare each application we receive. We do not use AI-assisted technology to review applications; every application is reviewed by a member of the Guardian Foundation team. 

We value and respect all differences in all people (seen and unseen) at The Guardian Foundation. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future. The Guardian Foundation actively encourages applications from candidates underrepresented within the media and not-for-profit sectors. 

In particular, we actively and warmly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, and candidates with a disability as they are currently under-represented within The Guardian Foundation, alongside those with lived experienced and nuanced understanding of the communities we are seeking to reach.