Media Relations Manager x2 Posts

UCL; Greater London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established university seeks a dynamic Media Relations Manager to enhance its public profile. This role involves crafting strategic media relations strategies, engaging with various media outlets, and ensuring effective communication of UCL's key messages. The successful candidate will work closely with academic staff and external journalists, providing strategic advice and media training. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, this innovative institution offers a supportive environment where creativity thrives. Join a team dedicated to excellence and make a significant impact in the world of education and research.

Benefits

41 Days Annual Leave

Defined benefit pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

On-Site nursery

On-site gym

Enhanced maternity/paternity pay

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a press office or communications team.
• Excellent understanding of external media operations.

Responsibilities

• Plan and implement media relations strategies for UCL.
• Build strong internal and external networks with stakeholders.

Skills

Media Relations

Strategic Communications

Editorial Experience

Networking

Press Office Experience

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Communications or related field

Job description

About us

UCL is a radically different university. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, we were the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women to university education. Today UCL has over 40,000 students and 13,000 staff and is one of the world's top 10 universities. The Vice-President External Engagement (VPEE) team delivers communications and marketing activity for UCL, working to ensure UCL's public prominence, reputation and influence reflects the university's excellence in knowledge creation, education, and innovation.

The department of the Vice-President External Engagement coordinates UCL's engagement with a range of audiences, raising the university's profile and influence, and managing its reputation. It promotes the public value of UCL's research and partnerships to the future of Britain and globally. It is a service-driven function made up of communications and marketing professionals who deliver sector-leading media relations, public affairs, institutional communications, brand and integrated marketing, student recruitment, and events.

About the role

UCL Media Relations Managers are responsible for planning and implementing media relations strategies on a diverse range of issues, working to deliver positive coverage of the university.

To achieve this the post holders will work with the appropriate national, international, regional and local media to ensure that UCL's key messages are delivered to its range of audiences. They respond to a variety of calls on a daily basis, write and edit news releases and press statements, update web pages, organise media briefings and develop and maintain excellent relationships with the media and the UCL community, using expertise and creativity to advise on appropriate media handling whenever necessary. They are also responsible for all media activity for an appropriate number of UCL Faculties, to be determined in discussion with the Executive Director of Media and Public Affairs and Head of Media Relations.

Holders of the role are required to build strong internal networks with academic and professional staff - mainly focused around their areas of responsibility - as well as external networks with journalists and external stakeholders such as partner institution media teams.

They will also be required to provide strategic advice to academics on media engagement and profile raising - including delivering developmental media training within their faculties and areas of responsibility.

We have one full-time permanent post that is available to start from the end of June 2025 and we have one full-time fixed term post which is available from 23 June 2025 to 21 June 2026.

About you

The successful candidate will have significant experience of working within a busy news environment, for instance a press office, or as part of a communications team.

Excellent understanding of the workings of the external media (print, broadcast, online, social), demonstrable evidence of having taken a strategic approach to communications activity as part of wider strategy to secure high-profile coverage and deliver organisational objectives and editorial experience of conveying subject matter concisely and compellingly to audiences with wide-ranging degrees of interest and expertise are all essential.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days Annual Leave (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to EDI

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce.

These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.