Role summary:

Do you want to be part of making the UK the best place for LGBTQ+ people to truly thrive? Stonewall Housing is recruiting a brand-new post to help us do just that.

We are looking for a dynamic Comms Officer to join our team and deliver external communications which changes lives and strengthens the organisation as a whole. Our ideal candidate will be a creative thinker with first-rate communication skills and the ability to create compelling content.

You will use your experience to help us communicate our activities and impact to a diverse audience including potential beneficiaries, volunteers, funders and other stakeholders.

The role will involve working with the colleagues across the Stonewall Housing team to deliver accurate and engaging content which spans our work. You will work flexibly across a small team (the Development Team) and will report to the Director of Development.

Tasks may include but are not limited to:

Communicating with our audiences:

Shaping and growing Stonewall Housing’s ‘voice' and profile with key audiences, while protecting our reputation, by expertly delivering appropriate content across all channels available.

Ensuring our communications and online presence both reflect and serve the full diversity of our communities.

Managing Stonewall Housing’s owned social media channels to generate greater reach of our campaigns and messages. This will involve scheduling posts, community management (including responding to comments, messages and requests on social media) and social media monitoring (including staying up-to-date with trends, relevant sector activities and sentiment across channels).

Producing segmented email newsletters using Mailchimp, overseeing and ensuring best practice in email content, testing, delivery and response rates.

Researching and producing commentary/response pieces to media to highlight key issues and promote the organisation.

Supporting the delivery of marketing campaigns aimed at a variety of audiences, from forming partnership marketing opportunities to conducting research and advising on messaging.

Creating media lists, media sell ins, researching stories, coverage logging, proofreading articles and drafting pitches to journalists.

Managing stakeholder relations activity, for example by compiling lists of target stakeholders for a particular activity, or by ensuring that a new relationship is recorded in our CRM.

Providing monthly evaluation and reporting (marketing stats dashboard / any ad-hoc requests for stats).

Supporting key spokespeople including the Leadership team, Trustees and colleagues with media briefings/key messaging.

Supporting with updating and monitoring the website (WordPress).

Primarily responsible for the formation and release of information when managing crises/incidents – ideally having experience in crisis comms.

Content:

Developing on-brand creative assets and content ideas that might include video, flyers, brochures and impactful one-pagers.

Supporting in the creation of service user case stories and testimonials.

Events:

Drafting and editing engaging web copy for events.

Devising creative social media approaches for event series.

Managing event promotion across owned channels.

Engaging with partner agencies and supporter groups who collaborate with us on events.

General:

You will manage expenditure within agreed budgets.

Your skills and experience:

Experience in working in a comms-focussed role or similar.

Impeccable writing and proofreading skills, with the ability to write and edit content for a range of audiences.

Experience in managing social media channels, including scheduling and community engagement.

Experience in managing or supporting an organisation’s crisis comms.

Experience drafting and creating email newsletters.

Experience in drafting Press Releases and working with media contacts.

A great working knowledge of Canva to produce professional content.

Experience in updating a WordPress website or similar.

Experience in using Photoshop or InDesign.

Ability to monitor trends and identify creative opportunities that support campaign objectives.

Exceptional organisational skills, able to plan, manage and prioritise your daily, weekly and ad hoc workload.

Ability to work autonomously, predicting any potential crunch points in workload.

As with all members of Stonewall Housing’s Development Team, the postholder will also:

Be an adept and nimble multitasker who relishes being busy and can keep multiple plates spinning.

Have strong networking and relationship-building skills.

Have a positive and can-do attitude.

Be able to adapt to changing circumstances with flexibility, and to work well under pressure.

Be required to support the wider Stonewall Housing team when needed, to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.

Join Stonewall Housing’s All Team meeting in person (held near Liverpool Street Station) once per month.

Be able to travel occasionally around the UK for key events.

To work as part of a mostly-remote team, embracing online communication and collaboration tools.

To receive regular supervision from the line manager and attend training courses as required.

Your attitude and personal attributes:

A commitment to equal opportunities in all aspects of work.

A commitment to the aims, values and beliefs of the organisation.

Ability to empathise with vulnerable LGBTQ+ people.

Conditions:

This job description does not constitute a ‘terms and conditions of employment’. It is provided only as a guide to assist the employee in the performance of their job. Stonewall Housing is an evolving organisation and therefore changes to the employees’ duties may be necessary from time to time. The job description is not intended to be inflexible or a finite list of tasks and may be varied from time to time after consultation/discussion with the post holder.

More about who we are:

Stonewall Housing is the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ homelessness charity. We help LGBTQ+ people in the UK who are experiencing homelessness or living in an unsafe environment.

Founded in 1983, we provide specialist housing advice, advocacy and support for LGBTQ+ people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We have specialisms in Mental Health, Domestic Abuse and Supported Accommodation.

We’re a team of caring, driven people, fighting to end homelessness and ensure that everyone has a safe and secure space to call home.

Our Values:

We are LGBTQ+ informed.

We are tenacious.

We are empowering.

We are collaborative.

We are inclusive.

What we can offer you:

Whatever stage of your career you may be at, we’ll support you with the training and development that you to reach your goals.

Our benefits include:

Competitive salary

Flexible working

Generous annual leave – 30 days (FTE)

An additional ‘Stonewall Housing’ day off per year

Pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Stonewall Housing’s core hours are between 10:00 – 16:00 and staff can agree regular working patterns with their line manager.

Applying for the role:

No formal qualifications are needed for this role, and we encourage everyone with the appropriate skills, experience and potential to apply. We welcome applications from those who are able to understand and show empathy with our mission and purpose.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that represents the people we support. We particularly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian or from other minority backgrounds. We welcome difference whether it’s gender, gender identity or expression, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, national origin, or pregnancy and maternity status; so please be yourself! Additionally, we particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience of homelessness who we believe are an essential asset in our sector.

For more information about us, please visit our website and follow Stonewall Housing on our social channels.

Equity is important to the success of our team and work. We don’t want any barriers to applying so if you want to discuss particular aspects of our approach, or get a better understanding of whether Stonewall Housing (or this role) is right for you, then please contact Claire, our Director of Development by email at claire@stonewallhousing.org.

Interesting in researching more about us? If you're looking us up online to help with your application, bear in mind that Stonewall Housing is both a Community Benefit Society and Charitable Foundation. Our company number is IP24277R and our charity number is 1187437. You can find Stonewall Housing Charitable Foundation (SHCF) on the Charity Commission Register, and Stonewall Housing Association (SHA) on the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) Register.