Communications Assistant

Be Applied Ltd; London; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Be Applied Ltd is seeking a Communications Assistant for a fixed-term 12-month contract in London. This role offers a unique opportunity to engage in impactful communications work, supporting both digital platforms and event management while fostering a collaborative environment with a strong focus on skill development.

Benefits

Training opportunities

Positive working environment

Friendly and collaborative team

Active social calendar and team activities

Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with a passion for accuracy.
• Interests in public policy and media landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with digital content creation for social media and newsletters.
• Supporting event planning and management.
• Managing website content and communications tasks.

Skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Digital media understanding

Creativity

Education

Degree or relevant experience in communications

Tools

Mailchimp

Microsoft Office

Adobe production packages

Canva

Job description

Contract: Full time, fixed-term 12 month contract

Location: 2 Marylebone Road, NW1 4DF London.

About IFS

The Institute for Fiscal Studies is the UK’s leading independent economics research institute and an award-winning ‘think-tank’. We are independent of political influence and have a strong reputation for producing high-quality, high-visibility policy-relevant analysis and commentary. We are recognised as a global centre of academic excellence.

Our goal at the IFS is to promote well-designed and effective economic and social policies. We do this by conducting research that helps us better understand how such policies affect individuals, families, businesses and the government's finances. Our research not only has an impact on policymakers, think tanks and practitioners, it has also gained a worldwide reputation for academic rigour.

We communicate our research widely, providing independent advice and evidence to policy makers; collaborating with renowned academics on new economic theories and techniques; and disseminating our findings through the press, media, social media and online. Our remit and expertise are wide, covering important topics such as education, health, public finances, retirement, consumer behaviour, overseas development, tax, inequality and poverty.

Purpose of the role

We are looking for a hardworking and engaged individual to join us for a 12-month fixed term contract as a Communications Assistant. This is a unique opportunity to gain the essential skills and experience needed to kickstart a career in communications.

Reporting to the Head of Digital, the successful candidate will be part of a fast-paced and high impact organisation and will gain valuable skills with on-the-job and formal training where needed.

The role will include assisting in all aspects of communications but with an emphasis on digital. The successful candidate will work across digital platforms including our website, social media, podcasts and e-marketing. Additionally, they will help with online and in-person events and workon a wide range of day-to-day communications and press activities.

Last year, the small but high-performing and professional Communications Team oversaw 35,000 mentions in the UK press, over 1.5 million website visitors, over200 mentions in parliament and ran 45 events. They will share their expertise with the successful candidate.

What we are looking for

The successful candidate will be motivated by the opportunity to be a key player in an organisation that makes a real difference to people’s lives through impartial, rigorous analysis of policy and insight. This is your opportunity to be a part of that story.

We are looking for someone that understands and values the importance of our political independence and the need for clear communication.

You can write and speak to different audiences both inside and outside the IFS

You have an eye for detail and a passion for accuracy

You have an understanding of the digital and social media landscape

You will be able to demonstrate you are keen to learn and develop new skills in communications

You have an interest in the wider political/policy landscape

Alongside the Communications Team and others at the IFS, you will champion a positive and collaborative approach and feel excited to be part of a team that strives to place high-quality evidence and research at the heart of everything we do.

What you can expect from us

A salary of £26,000

Training opportunities and a positive environment in which to develop your skills

The chance to make a real difference, helping us to promote high-quality and truly independent research that has a genuine impact on public debate and government policy

The support of an experienced, fun and professional communications team and a friendly, sociable and collaborative organisation

The role:

Work with the digital team in creating website pages and help to develop new areas of the website and new content approaches

Be a proactive, hands-on, creative, flexible and friendly member of the communications team, ensuring the delivery of effective, efficient materials whilst developing new approaches to social media, video, datavis and more

Prepare digital content including social media posts, newsletters, event invitations and publication alerts

Support the successful planning and management of all IFS communications work including reports, comments, events and social media

Assist with the day-to-day running of the communications function

Understand and consider the external public policy and media environment and use this to feed into all aspects of communications and decision making

Have oversight of the team intranet pages

Assist the events team with on-the-day support and promotion for report launches, press briefings and academic conferences

Providing a high level of professional support to research teams and external stakeholders when needed

Responsibilities will include:

The creation of website pages and the development of distinct website areas

Lead in the migration of historic PDF documents into webpages

Assistance with online and in-person events

Assist with forward planning

Assistance with the scheduling and production of the Microeconomic Insights website and associated collateral

Support the-day-to day running of the comms and press functions including; maintaining press contacts database, media monitoring to measure impact and building knowledge of our key contacts and the media landscape more broadly

Draft and publish newsletters to our thousands of subscribers and stakeholders using Mailchimp

Produce/write social media posts for X, formerly Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn promoting our reports, briefings, announcements, events and recruitment activity

Work with the Communications Officer to learn and make and adapt simple data visualisation including charts and infographics for the website and social media

Assist the events team with in-person events, events pages on the website and producing events collateral

Schedule guests, production timelines and meetings for podcasts

Help with ad hoc diary management for team

Excellent written and oral communication skills

An eye for detail and accuracy

Interest in developing a career in communications

Competency in Microsoft Office

Willingness to get stuck in and eagerness to learn

Highly desirable

An understanding of and interest in the public policy and media landscape

Experience writing for an external audience

Experience working with a range of digital formats

Familiarity with Adobe production packages

Familiarity with production tools such as Canva

Familiarity with website content management systems

Occasional out of hours working may be required.

The postholder will be expected to spend the majority of their contracted hours in the London office with one day a week working from home, if desired.

The IFS has an active social calendar with weekly teatimes, sports groups and after work activities for a variety of interests.

Interviews will be held in person at our London office.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK, as this role is not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa.