About The Future Governance Forum (FGF)

We are a new, fast-growing think tank with a mission to shape a comprehensive new operating model for the way the country works.

We are more than a traditional policy-focused think tank. We concentrate on the how as much as the what of policy design and implementation. Our current workstreams focus on mission-driven government, impactful devolution, investing to rebuild the nation, and institutional reform and renewal.

We also place a premium on our role as a forum and convener of different voices, especially those with practical experience of delivery. We believe that good policy can only be developed through effective dialogue, and all our work is informed by a wide network of experts and advisers with key proposals tested through private pre-publication engagement.

About the role

We are looking to appoint a Media Manager to lead our growing communications and media activity, aiming to increase the impact of our work as well as raising the profile of the organisation.

The Media Manager would report to FGF’s Deputy Director and be jointly responsible (along with the Head of Policy and Research) for line managing one Communications and Research Officer.

Key responsibilities:

To plan, lead and deliver creative communications campaigns for FGF outputs including:

• Working with the Deputy Director to develop the overall FGF media and communications strategy
• Leading on development of specific campaigns for individual projects, including identifying key project messages with a clear press angle, target audiences and collateral across a range of platforms
• Managing the production of final outputs – written reports, presentations, live events and others – including editing content and liaising with external designers and other stakeholders to ensure the highest possible quality
• Planning output launches, including press handling, placement of stories and opinion pieces, publication of final reports and dissemination across social media and other channels in order to maximise impact and effectiveness
• Liaising with communications team counterparts in partner and funder organisations where a project is part of a broader, collaborative approach

To deliver targeted media activities, both proactive and reactive, including:

• Building a comprehensive network of journalists and opinion-formers, raising awareness of FGF among this group and increasing their propensity to come to FGF for views on our core issues
• Identifying and pitching stories for projects, responding to journalist queries, producing press releases, articles and opinion pieces to deadline, and/or managing an external PR agency on specific projects
• Developing and maintaining an up-to-date bank of media lines to facilitate both proactive and reactive FGF engagement with the press
• Being creative in the range of formats you pitch to, from news to opinion to podcast
• Providing media training to colleagues
• Working with the Communications and Research Officer to monitor and report on media coverage and spot opportunities for FGF interventions
• Tracking and evaluating the impact of FGF media and communications activity

To manage and deliver communications to promote FGF’s mission, values and profile, including:

• Providing advice and support on media and communications strategy to colleagues
• Overseeing delivery of FGF’s digital communications, including blog, website, main social media channels and newsletters – supported by the Communications and Research Officer
• Maintaining FGF’s brand, ensuring all materials produced fit within our guidelines and templates, and to promote understanding of FGF’s brand and brand guidelines internally
• Supporting colleagues on the delivery of FGF’s events programme, both standalone events and launches of particular pieces of work
• Contributing to other projects and tasks within the team and across FGF, as needed

Person specifications

We would encourage applicants with strong background in media and communications roles (be that in government, politics, think tanks, business, civil society and/or academia) and with particular experience of having successfully managed communications campaigns and placed impactful stories with national media outlets.

The successful candidate will have:

Essential

• Experience of managing and delivering effective communication and media campaigns, with a sound understanding of how to promote research and other think tank activities
• Experience of having run an organisation’s press operation
• An understanding of what makes a good story and how to proactively and reactively respond to media
• A wide range of existing contacts within FGF’s target media
• Excellent written and editorial skills and a track record of writing in a clear, engaging manner for different audiences with an understanding of what makes accessible communications
• A creative and innovative approach to problem-solving and the ability and appetite to spot new opportunities to advance FGF’s mission and messages
• Strong internal and external stakeholder management skills
• Strong project management skills and an ability to multitask and meet deadlines
• Strong IT skills and the ability to learn new programmes quickly
• An understanding of and commitment to FGF’s mission, values and ways of working

Desirable

• Experience in having developed and deployed communications for crisis situations
• Experience or ability to write for senior organisational leaders, adapting to their specific tone of voice and for particular audiences
• Experience of having provided media training to colleagues and/or preparing colleagues for media appearances
• Previous use of journalist databases and media monitoring tools
• Experience with communications software tools and programmes such as Canva, WordPress, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, Substack and social media channels including X, BlueSky and LinkedIn (or experience of having managed teams using such tools)