Senior Communications Officer

This senior role is for a highly creative, confident, robust and professional communications individual, who will be working closely with the Head of Marketing Communications and wider team to help plan, create and activate the Trust’s annual communication plan.

You will:

• Deliver creative communications activities and branded digital content campaigns across the Trust’s key communications channels to increase the Trust’s reach, develop new audiences and convert initial awareness of SWT into measurable engagement/action for nature.
• Devise a plan with tactics to grow the Trust’s key communications channels and digital communities and increase engagement using engaging and dynamic content.
• Provide communications support and project management for a range of exciting projects and campaigns across the whole organisation, liaising with the internal Directorate teams to do so
• Liaise with the central Wildlife Trust (RSWT) team on national campaigns and communications.
• Track analytics and create regular reports detailing effectiveness of communications campaigns and our digital channels.
• Day to day guidance and project oversight for the wider communications team to support them to deliver a high-quality service to the wider organisation and inspire innovation and improvement in all that the team delivers.

Job Description – Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Responsibility 1: Leading Digital Channels

• Designing and implementation of SWT’s digital and social media content plan (for both paid and organic content) with the support of the Content & Communications Officer, ensuring it complements the Trust’s overall Wilder Somerset 2030 strategic goals and objectives, marketing plans, key campaigns, engagement and fundraising activity. Driving the high performance and growth of SWT’s social channels – ensuring increasing engagement and reach.
• Working with and supporting the Content & Communications Officer to create a calendar of high-quality engaging, range of content for sharing across internal and external marketing communications channels in support of the strategic vision, ensuring consistency in terms of tone of voice, branding, messaging and frequency of communications across all key channels. The Senior Communications Officer’s social media content plan will aim to grow all SWT’s social media and digital communities and increase organic engagement.
• Expanding reach to bring new supporters on board with the Trust’s mission, to get involved with SWT’s work across the county, take action for nature, and to grow membership and income.
• Working closely with the Website & Email Lead to understand and optimise user journeys and conversions between social channels and the website, and providing support and counsel to the Website & Email Lead with regards to the delivery of impactful email campaigns to support key integrated projects, campaigns and core strategy programmes. Also providing support and guidance on ensuring the website is as effective a channel as it should be as a central destination hub for social and digital journeys.
• Liaising with the Wildlife Trust (RSWT) central office to ensure central content and advocacy campaigns are delivered as agreed on local social channels with local messaging and that the Somerset message is clear, with the use of local case studies and stories.
• With the Content & Communications Officer, and liaising with external providers where necessary, providing brand design support for communications collateral, reports, newsletters, brochures, flyers, posters and presentations. Using appropriate software (e.g., Canva, Adobe, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) for a range of audiences, creating templates where appropriate for internal staff to utilise to deliver small-scale projects independently.

Responsibility 2: Marketing & PR

• Marketing opportunities including a range of channels from print, media, events to paid online adverts.
• Developing strong relationships with local and national journalists and be the lead day-to-day SWT media contact for press enquiries, with the Content & Communications Officer taking on administrative press office tasks and handling some incoming queries.
• Recommending and developing feature ideas for key publications working up ideas with colleagues across the Trust, selling in stories, and coordinating the provision of spokespeople, background information and logistics.
• Working with, and providing guidance to the Content & Communications Officer, creating and distributing targeted press releases or media alerts where appropriates, following up with key media contacts to maximise coverage and amplify SWT’s successes and impact.
• Be alert and responsive to the news agenda, keeping abreast of issues affecting the Trust and identifying PR opportunities and trends on social media that SWT can engage with, whilst also horizon planning for key contentious issues so as to provide PR support during crisis and major issues.

Responsibility 3: Project Management & Reporting

• With excellent project management and coordination skills using our Monday.com work system, and working with internal stakeholders, design, coordinate and deliver bespoke plans to support a range of key projects across the year such as appeals, big events, campaigns and nature recovery projects.
• Working with the team to deliver any relevant communications training or resources to make available to staff.
• Supervising the monitoring and measurement of campaigns and their success, and reporting key KPIs to internal stakeholders on a monthly basis.
• Internal communications - updating the staff portal on Sharepoint with regards to communication assets, training and resources.
• Representing the Communications Team along with others across the Trust as part of the Trust’s project management working group, feeding back on best practice and new innovations that result in a consistent approach to project management.