Press Officer
Founded in 1681 by King Charles II, the Royal Hospital Chelsea has stood for centuries as a national symbol of gratitude to the soldiers who have served our country, and is home to the iconic Chelsea Pensioners. Today, the Hospital’s role remains to ensure that those who have served are always supported.
We are now looking for a proactive and creative Press Officer to support the delivery of our press and media, helping bring the stories of the Chelsea Pensioners to life and ensuring they reach audiences across local, regional and national media.
If you’re an excellent writer with a strong news instinct, some experience in PR or journalism, and a desire to work with meaningful, human stories – this could be the role for you.
Where you fit in
You’ll join an ambitious Development, Marketing and Communications team focused on raising the Royal Hospital’s profile, increasing fundraising income, and building new audiences through compelling, emotive storytelling.
Supporting the Communications and PR Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering an ‘always-on’ press office, ensuring our stories land where they matter and contribute to organisational objectives.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll support the delivery of proactive and reactive PR activity, helping to generate consistent coverage and maintain strong media relationships.
You will:
- Support the delivery of ‘always-on’ PR, securing regular local and national coverage
- Manage the observance calendar to identify opportunities around key dates such as Founder’s Day and Remembrance
- Build and maintain relationships with journalists and media contacts
- Draft press releases, media briefings and Chelsea Pensioner case studies
- Play a key role in the day-to-day running of a busy press office, handling media enquiries quickly and effectively
- Coordinate media visits, facilitating interviews with Chelsea Pensioners and spokespeople
- Monitor and evaluate coverage, maintaining tracking and reporting tools
- Support the team with gathering of digital/social content to support the Royal Hospital’s press and wider marcomms objectives.
- Ensure records are accurate, up to date and GDPR compliant
We’re looking for someone who is:
- A strong writer, able to produce clear, compelling content tailored to different audiences
- Experienced in PR, communications or journalism (ideally within a charity or purpose-led organisation)
- Developing relationships with media and building a strong contacts base
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
- Confident working both independently and as part of a team
- Sensitive and empathetic when working with personal and beneficiary stories
- Calm under pressure, with a good understanding of reputational considerations
- IT literate, including Microsoft Office and media monitoring tools
This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your career in PR within a national institution, working on stories that have real impact and meaning.
About Us
The ethos of the Royal Hospital is one that puts a premium on selflessness and companionship. Our values of nurturing belonging, respect individuals, encourage pride and enjoy life underpin that ethos. We are united in a shared purpose, living and working together and ensuring everyone has a place in our diverse social and military community.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is dedicated to equality, diversity, and inclusion, where all backgrounds and abilities can reach their full potential. We pride ourselves on attracting a wide range of talent, removing potential barriers, and promoting equal opportunities. We know, the more varied and inclusive our teams are, the better our organisation will be for our community. We are a Disability Confident employer dedicated to hiring diverse talent and ensuring you are treated with respect throughout the recruitment process and upon joining our community.
Our selection process
Should your application be successful you will be invited to a formal interview, where you will be asked questions relating to your experiences and key requirements of the role. If you are successful after the interviews we will:
- Ask for references from those you have listed on your application form
- Check your right to live and work in the UK
- Check any declarations you have made on your application form
- Ask you to complete a medical form
- Carry out an Enhanced DBS application.
To apply: please submit your CV and a covering letter of up to 500 words to emma.sweetland@chelsea-pensioners.org.uk
Early applications are encouraged as we will be reviewing applications and interviewing candidates throughout the recruitment process.