Apply to be our new Press and Communications Lead

Job title: Press and Communications Lead

Reports to: Campaigns and Communications Director

Salary: £36,000 – £38,000 dependent on experience

Benefits: Nine-day fortnight (with alternate Fridays designated as a day off), Pension, 25 days Annual Leave plus Christmas-New Year, staff learning fund, enhanced parental benefits package

Based in: London office, with an optional hybrid model, but expected to be in the office at least three days a week

Application deadline: 5.00pm on Thursday 25th April. However, we reserve the right to close applications should we have a reasonable number of shortlisted candidates early on.

Why this role is important – and why you’ll make a difference doing it:

HOPE not hate is the UK’s leading anti-fascist organisation. Our mission is simple: To monitor and challenge the far right, to engage in the communities that are susceptible to them and to address the issues and policies which give rise to them.

Over the last five years, we have grown steadily, with our research and intelligence work exposing and undermining the far right, even foiling a murder plot, our community engagement providing expertise to vulnerable communities and our work in schools growing exponentially to teach young people to recognise and challenge prejudice and hate.

HOPE not hate is the UK’s leading anti-fascist campaign group. Our communications work has told the story of HOPE not hate foiling a murder plot, provides vital intelligence to media outlets, and how our work in schools counters prejudice and hate.

HOPE not hate is seeking a new Press and Communications Lead to join our Campaigns and Communication team.

You’ll be solely responsible for using the media to best tell our story, promote our work and generate coverage which will further our goals. This is a campaigning role that will suit someone with an eye for detail, and an eye for a good story, and the drive to get results.

If you’re passionate about pushing back the rise of the far right and building hope, enjoy developing and building relationships with the media, crafting and placing impactful stories, and maintaining the high profile of an organisation like ours, we want to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing in this role:

• Working with your existing network of journalists, opinion writers and influencers, you will be responsible for ensuring HOPE not hate generates a high volume of exceptional media coverage exposing and disrupting the far right and promoting our values and objectives.
• Being the primary source of HOPE not hate’s news coverage. You will get under the hood of every part of the organisation and generate powerful stories about our wide range of activities to counter the far right, our work to build community resilience, and our efforts to counter radicalisation amongst young people through education and training.
• Taking in-depth research and translating it into stories that help explain our work, viewpoint and analysis in accessible and interesting ways.
• Helping to lead our rapid response efforts, proactively monitoring media output that is relevant to our work to keep the rest of the team abreast of developments, and leading interventions, from statements and quotes through to directly engaging with journalists and influencers over Twitter.

What we think you’ll need to be able to do the job:

• At least 3 years’ experience of working in communications or press. This could be working in communications for a non profit or an MP or first-hand experience as a journalist
• The ability to read in-depth reports and research and translate the content into media-friendly briefings, identifying what the media needs and getting it for them.
• A pragmatic attitude, you’ll be able to respond to shifting contexts and make the most of reactive opportunities as they arise

What else do you need to know? 

We are looking for someone with the emotional resilience to work in a field that involves challenging content, good political judgement and awareness and the ability to work under pressure and reduced timescales.

We believe that our work will be at its best if it is created by people with a range of backgrounds and experiences. We are keen to interview people who will add diversity to our team. We are an antifascist organisation, which strives to be an effective ally in the wider fight against racism and inequity.

We believe that our work will be at its best if it is created by people with a range of backgrounds and experiences. We are keen to interview people who will add diversity to our team. We are an antifascist organisation, which strives to be an effective ally in the wider fight against racism and inequity.

How to apply for this role

To apply, you’ll need to answer three questions. Firstly, set out your most recent professional roles, and then answer the other questions to show us how you meet the criteria for this role. Each answer has a character limit of 2,000 characters.

1. Please list the jobs you have done over the last five years, listing the organisation, your title and a brief summary of your responsibilities. You can also include any voluntary work that would be relevant for this role.
2. Please give a few examples of communications projects you have played a vital role in. What did you do? What was the result?
3. Looking at HOPE not hate’s recent media exposure please outline 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses.

Then just send your completed answers to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Press and Communications Lead – Application’.

Application deadline: 5.00pm on Thursday 25th April.