Job Scope
Royal Society Assistant Press Officer
The Royal Society is dedicated to putting science at the heart of the UK’s cultural life and our public profile is central to our work. We have an excellent entry-level opportunity for an Assistant Press Officer to join our high-performing team.
Whether it is about climate change, funding for science or how new technologies are changing our lives, this role will present the views of the Society on the high-profile scientific issues of the day.
This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is interested in developing a career in PR. We will support you to develop and equip you with the wide-ranging skills you need to become a Press Officer in the future. If you think you would thrive as an important member of our busy team, we want to hear from you.
What you'll be doing
As the Assistant Press Officer, you’ll be doing important work to make sure that our projects in areas as diverse as climate change, education and artificial intelligence are seen and heard across the UK.
You will be responsible for promoting the Society’s peer-reviewed journals, monitoring and analysing our coverage, reporting our achievements in a compelling way, and ensuring that our Press Office systems are up to date. You will also be our first point of contact for liaising with journalists via email, phone and in person.
Please note, this is primarily an in-person role based at our London office on Carlton House Terrace.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for someone committed to a career in PR, who will bring enthusiasm and the desire to excel in our team. We need someone who is a quick learner, with excellent attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise tasks and juggle workload. We will expect you to be interested in science and current affairs, and to be alert for opportunities to turn the Society’s work into compelling news stories.
This is a great first step into an exciting career at the Royal Society and we will be looking for evidence of interest in our work your writing ability to come across in your cover letter and task.
Reports to: Senior press officer
Line manages: n/a
Location: 6-9 Carlton House Terrace
Hours: 35 hours per week, occasional work outside standard office hours as required
Salary: £30,250
Pay Band: B
Contract type: permanent
The application closing date will be 30 March 2025 at 23:59.
Interviews will take place on 9 and 11 April 2025.
Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Responsibilities
* Being the first point of call for reactive media enquiries and helping the team as required in answering those media enquiries.
* Managing the promotion of the Society’s weekly journals; including updating the e-press site, producing press releases and responding to journalist enquiries.
* To take the lead on allocated PR projects and deliver them.
* Ensuring the smooth operation of the press office’s administrative processes and monitoring and evaluation functions.
* Ensuring that the Society’s contact database of journalists is up to date and fully operational.
* Analysing coverage and compiling informative, insightful weekly news updates and project coverage reports.
* Providing press office support to specified areas of the Royal Society’s work, with the guidance and direction of other members of the press office team.
* Helping the team as required with writing and issuing press releases and statements by uploading them to the website or distribution service.
* To assist with preparations and delivery for press briefings and events, which may include work outside of core hours.
* To assist members of the press team and wider communications team with other tasks as necessary, including research relating to upcoming projects or team priorities.
Key Knowledge and Skills Required
Essential
* Educated to degree standard or equivalent – the Society will consider any background, provided you meet the other essential criteria.
* Awareness of and interest in science and topical science issues.
* Understanding of news values and interest in news media and current affairs.
* High level of organisational skills.
* Ability to undertake tasks with a ‘can-do’ attitude.
* Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills.
* Good IT skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office or equivalent.
Desirable
* Experience of working in an office environment: knowledge of office systems and procedures.
Competencies
Self-management
* Enthusiastic and positive attitude.
* Reliable and consistent.
* Output is accurate and of high quality.
* Punctual and meets deadlines.
* Confident of own abilities.
* Knows personal values, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and limits.
* Gains insight and learns from mistakes.
* ‘Let’s go’ of an issue and knows when to move on.
* Is open and non-defensive when faced with criticism.
* Ensures actions are consistent with words and messages.
Working with others
* Willing to cooperate and share knowledge within the team, Shares all relevant, critical and useful information.
* Willing to help others in times of need.
* Listens to and acts upon feedback from senior colleagues and willingly learns from others.
* Able to give simple presentations to sectional colleagues.
* Understands that one’s own actions and behaviours will influence how others perceive and engage with the Society.
* Offers their assistance if they have the capacity, without the need to be asked.
* Actively seeks opportunities for gaining feedback from others.
* Presents with confidence within own section and area of remit.
* Communicates confidently, asks questions and checks for understanding.
* Values the input of others, balances that with a sense of purpose to get the job done.
* Possesses self-awareness and senses situations prior to acting or communicating.
Resource management
* Is aware of and works within budgetary and resource constraints.
* Organises own workload prioritising according to business need.
* Is flexible and adapts to changing circumstances and priorities.
* Looks for ways to improve quality or results.
* Meets the standards of quality expected of their role.
* Maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines.
* Does work right first time, corrects own errors and regularly produces accurate, thorough, professional work.
* Is able to multitask and manage urgency in a calm and practical manner.
* Performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change.
* Undertakes additional responsibilities and responds to situations as they arise with minimal fuss and supervision.
Critical thinking
* Thinks tasks, queries and problems through and considers what they need to know.
* Uses relevant information when providing a service, solving a problem or dealing with a query.
* Is open to new ideas and willing to try them.
* Makes decisions within well-defined guidelines.
* Uses initiative to select most appropriate solution to straightforward problems.
* Analyses both successes and failures for clues to improvement.
* Prepares for problems or opportunities in advance.
* Distinguishes the main issues from side issues.
* Proposes various solutions or options for consideration defining the pros and cons of each.
Adaptability
* Adapts to changes in workload without letting standards slip.
* Listens to and accommodates the alternative views of others.
* Takes on new challenges when asked to do so.
* Is receptive and accommodating when asked to take on new projects outside of their usual job specification.
* Remains open-minded and changes opinions on the basis of new information.
* Performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change and with minimal disruption or fuss.
Managing people and relationships
* Values and appreciates the importance of feedback.
* Shares responsibility for the performance and workload of the team where appropriate.
* Handles requests promptly and politely.
* Respects opinions and deals appropriately with complaints.
* Works to improve the performance of oneself and others by pursuing opportunities for continuous learning.
* Constructively helps others in their development.
* Exhibits a “can-do, will-do” approach and inspires peers to excel.
* Asks questions and probes to understand stated and underlying needs, issues, concerns and problems.
* Addresses concerns and problems fairly, empathetically, decisively and promptly, maintaining a diplomatic and professional manner.
* Manages expectations and keeps everyone concerned up-to-date on progress.
* Raises concerns and recommends potential solutions for those processes that negatively impact on relationships, customer service or the fair treatment of customers.
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