THE BARROW CADBURY TRUST

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job title:  Head of Communications

Startin salary: £55, 170 per annum for a 35 hour week.

Reports to:  Chief Executive

Introduction:
Communication is an essential part of Barrow Cadbury Trust’s work to achieve our mission.
We seek to effect long-term structural change through influencing, advocacy, campaigning,
convening and research. We work in deep collaboration with partners by: building
supporting alliances and ecosystems for social change; building an evidence base to
advocate for change; and ensuring the voices of people affected by social injustices are
listened to and heard both by us and by those in positions of power. Communication activity
(both internal and external) plays a critical role in helping us to achieve this. This role will
develop and oversee communication strategy to help the Trust achieve its strategic
objectives. This role will be of interest if you are committed to learning about and
communicating how social change happens and if you want to help the Trust build on its
work to make a real difference in tackling long-term structural inequality.

Purpose of the job:
1.  To support the Trust’s achievement of its mission and objectives by promoting social
justice messages, campaigns and learning deriving from our work and that of our
partners

2.  To develop and implement the Trust’s external and internal communications strategy.
3.  To advise and work alongside colleagues and other stakeholders to devise and

implement communications activities.

Responsibilities:
1.  Under the direction of the Chief Executive, develop and implement the Trust’s external
and internal communication strategy, ensuring that the strategy builds on the Trust’s
learning and reflects our place within the wider ecosystem of civil society.

2.  Manage media relations and identify opportunities for coverage of the Trust’s work.
3.  Develop and refine messaging and content and ensure that this is consistent across the
Trust, including press releases, social media, websites and internal communications.

4.  Write clear and articulate communication briefs, summaries, press releases and

communication tools for a wide range of audiences.

5.  Develop, implement and maintain a social media strategy to raise awareness of the

Trust’s social justice mission and the work it supports.

6.  Develop and implement crisis communication plans and strategies to effectively manage

adverse situations.

7.  Act as a brand custodian for the trust, protecting and nurturing the Trust’s brand identity,

messaging, and reputation.

8.  Develop the Trust’s web presence and provide editorial leadership on content. Oversee

the maintenance and security of the websites including making recommendations about
improvements to functionality and use and ensuring that all statements on DEI, privacy
etc are up to date.

9.  Work closely with the Director of Programmes and Learning, other Trust colleagues,

including Fair By Design, and grant-funded partners to develop and deliver activities to
communicate and disseminate learning from Trust-funded work (including amplifying the
voices of people with lived experience of inequality).

10. To offer support relating to external communication needs to grant-funded partners in

liaison with the programme team.

11. Manage all aspects of events to promote Trust-funded work in liaison with relevant team

members and/or external contacts where appropriate.

12. Lead and co-ordinate the production and distribution of the Trust’s regular publications

(e.g. annual report and e-news).

13. Develop targeted information to external stakeholders about the Trust’s programmes

and grant policies.

14. To commission freelance journalists, photographers or other freelancers as required and

review related subscriptions.

15. To work collaboratively with the Executive Team to ensure that the Trust is collecting and

communicating good quality information about its learning and impact across its
programmatic work, advocacy,  investment and social investment activity.

16. To manage external services and suppliers that provide specialist services such as web
site development, photography, film-making, design, exhibition displays and training.

17. To develop and maintain mechanisms for tracking and reporting on the social justice

outcomes of the Trust’s communications activities.

18. To keep the team informed about news, content, events, campaigning etc from our
grantees, stakeholders, other foundations, the media, etc.  where possible as well as
horizon scanning (e.g. on political events, new technology, AI and digital campaigning
skills) so we can be ahead of the game.

19. To work flexibly alongside other members of the Trust team and take on reasonable tasks

as appropriate over and above those set out above.

20. Ability to undertake occasional travel and out-of-hours work.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential:
1.  Experience of developing and delivering a communications strategy.
2.  Proven experience of press and media relations.
3.  Excellent research and writing skills with the ability to communicate complex, sensitive

issues clearly and effectively to internal and external audiences.

4.  Experience of successfully working with social media platforms to generate an engaged

audience.

5.  Excellent IT skills and the ability to develop and oversee websites and maintain a high

level of presentation.

6.  Ability to develop and implement crisis communication plans and strategies.
7.  Experience in project and event management.
8.  Experience of stakeholder relationship management and contract management of

communications-related work.

9.  Commitment to the promotion of social justice and a willingness to work within the

Quaker ethos of the Trust.

10. Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to work at all levels across a wide range of
constituencies including journalists, civil society organisations and people with lived
experience of inequality that they support, think tanks and senior officials.

11. Commitment to cross-organisational working, flexibility and willingness to take on a

range of tasks to further the objectives of the Trust.

12. Strong self-management skills with the ability to deliver to tight timescales and respond

effectively to changing priorities.

Desirable
1.  Some campaigning experience.
2.  Experience of producing videos or podcasts or working with others to produce them.