Media and Public Relations Manager

About the Freedom Fund

The Freedom Fund (www.freedomfund.org) is a leader in the global movement to end modern slavery. The Freedom Fund works to combat many different forms of extreme exploitation, including forced labour, sex trafficking, forced marriage, and the worst forms of child labour. It:

• invests in those countries and sectors with the greatest incidence of modern slavery.
• analyses which interventions work best and shares that knowledge.
• brings together a community of activists committed to ending extreme exploitation and empowered by the knowledge of how best to do so.
• generates funding by demonstrating how effective interventions can protect those at risk of being exploited and free those in situations of exploitation.

In its first eight years, the Freedom Fund has supported over 140 organisations in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

About the position

This is an exciting opportunity to join our small but ambitious Communications Team as our first Media and Public Relations Manager. This is an important role initiating a concerted effort to build our reputation and profile through earned media channels, showcasing not only the Freedom Fund’s visionary approach and substantial impact, but also the inspiring efforts of communities around the world working on the frontlines to eradicate modern slavery.

This role calls for a talented and enthusiastic self-starter seeking an opportunity to set up a global media relations function from scratch. As a relatively new and complex organisation working in a sensitive and multifaceted field, the Freedom Fund’s first foray into proactive and sustained media engagement activity will take considerable effort. You’ll need to be incredibly adept at keeping abreast of what the media is reporting in the many areas our work covers, distil our insights into media-friendly briefing materials and find stories that journalists will want to cover. You’ll need to be equally as adept at setting up meetings and briefings with journalists across many types of outlets and geographies and sustain relationships with them. 

Reporting to the Head of Communications, you’ll be an excellent writer with a strong news sense. You’ll have substantial experience in journalism or media relations, ideally having covered human rights stories for a foreign news desk or at an international NGO. You’ll be familiar with the sensitivities of working in challenging and complex settings and interviewing survivors of exploitation. The Media and Public Relations Manager will initiate and deliver the Freedom Fund’s proactive media engagement strategy, playing an important role in building the organisation’s profile and reputation amongst existing and potential audiences. You’ll be part of our new Communications Team and discover a supportive and respectful working environment in an organisation that is committed to excellence in all we do.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a media and PR plan to advance the Freedom Fund’s strategic goals and objectives with external audiences.
• Plan, gather, create and sell-in high-quality, engaging and timely media materials that communicate the Freedom Fund’s work and priorities.
• Proactively seek and build relationships with target media outlets and journalists globally (mainly the UK and US but also in our hotspot countries, the Middle East and elsewhere).
• Produce media releases, features content, op-eds, reactive commentary, pitches and briefings targeted at a variety of media, and write media-facing versions or summaries of key reports.
• Monitor the news cycle and identify stories of interest globally; proactively create and identify opportunities for the Freedom Fund, our spokespeople and partners to provide expert input and frontline perspectives. 
• Proactively build relationships with colleagues around the world to enhance opportunities to identify news stories and ideas for features.
• Provide media and public relations advice, capacity-building and support to colleagues around the world.
• Provide media relations expertise for priority advocacy and policy conventions, meetings and events, and, if needed, provide front-line media relations at these events.
• Conduct media monitoring and provide regular news digests to colleagues on developments related to modern slavery, philanthropic funds and target donors.
• Create a plan to raise the profiles of and deliver opportunities for the CEO, MD North America and other Freedom Fund spokespeople to promote our work in target media outlets.
• Conduct media training and prepare spokespeople for interview; identify, nurture and media train Freedom Fund spokespeople to speak with journalists and at events; prepare and deliver written and verbal briefings for colleagues and advocates.
• Ensure all media material is targeted at priority audiences, delivers agreed key messages, and is on brand.
• Pitch, organise and accompany overseas visits/learning tours with journalists and other influencers or public figures.
• High-profile public figure liaison and other PR activity: lead on recruiting and working with high-profile public figures and other influencers; support our fundraising efforts by engaging with our Investors’ and other donors’ PR teams; work with allies’ PR teams on joint activity and campaigns.
• Work closely with the Global Communications Manager to create and deliver a relevant and timely content calendar and schedule of announcements.
• Support other communications team functions: help keep the website fresh by interviewing staff and partners and writing web articles and social media posts; develop newsroom section of website; help compile and promote slavery research bulletin; support content gathering commissions by hosting visits, briefing content gatherers, acting as producer and/or case study collector on visits; and editing visual and written materials as needed.

Qualifications and experience

• Considerable relevant professional experience in journalism, PR or media relations, ideally in the field of human rights, international development, foreign news or charity communications.
• Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating media relations and PR plans to promote an organisation, its work and spokespeople; a track record of success in delivering consistent media coverage to grow issue/topic and/or brand awareness, trust and support.
• Demonstrable experience of building relationships with news and trade journalists, ideally with strong existing contacts at relevant media outlets (foreign news and/or philanthropy outlets).
• Experience in identifying and leveraging reactive PR opportunities with accurate and impactful media statements to achieve profile and secure share of voice.
• Strong experience of working with sensitive stories and subject matter, gathered from around the world; familiarity with ethical guidelines for the collection and use of content, dignified and responsible portrayal, and informed consent.
• Experience of providing media training and briefing spokespeople.
• Experience of working consistently and creatively within brand guidelines and able to support the development of a brand across all communications channels.
• Experience in modern slavery, human rights or international development issues.
• Experience of working overseas, in foreign news or at an international NGO.

Personal attributes

• Team player committed to the Freedom Fund’s values.
• Ability to build relationships with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently, displaying strong initiative in solving day-to-day problems with limited direction.
• Ability to deliver on a multiplicity of tasks and deadlines in an organised and calm manner.
• First-class written and spoken English; other languages an advantage
• Fast, accurate, creative and versatile writing skills
• Excellent news sense
• Persuasive and confident manner in dealing with media and other internal and external contacts; tenacious
• Ability to understand complex information quickly and simplify for the media and other external audiences
• Sound political and personal judgement; tactful and diplomatic.

Compensation

• £43,080 – £45,348 per annum (dependant on experience)
• 10% non-contributory pension scheme.
• 25 days holiday pro rata, plus public holidays.
• Season ticket loan and cycle scheme available.

Application procedure

Applications should be submitted in English and include a CV, cover letter (maximum one page) and contact details of two professional referees, one of which must be the applicant’s current / most recent line manager or current / most recent Head of HR.

Please send applications by email in PDF format to [email protected], including ‘Media and Public Relations Manager’ in the subject line, before 9.00am (BST) on Wednesday 2nd March 2022.

Please note that only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. No agencies please. Applicants must be entitled to work without work permit sponsorship by the Freedom Fund.

The Freedom Fund is an equal opportunities employer. In line with our values of respect, agility and excellence, we value the strength of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, LGBT+ and from different socio-economic backgrounds.

The Freedom Fund is committed to the importance of meaningful survivor inclusion and leadership. As such, particular consideration will be given to applicants with lived experience of trafficking and/or forms of modern slavery.

The Freedom Fund prioritises Safeguarding. As part of our commitment to the protection of children and vulnerable people in our work, any offer of employment with the Freedom Fund will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks to ensure we recruit only those who are suitable to work with children and vulnerable persons.