Media Relations Officer

Russell Group of Universities; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

USS pension

25 days annual leave

Discretionary closure days

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

The Russell Group, representing 24 leading UK universities, seeks a Media Relations Officer to support the Head of Media Relations in all media activity. The role requires engaging with journalists, crafting media-ready content and coordinating with member institutions to promote our advocacy positions.

Based in Westminster with hybrid working up to two days from home, you will build a network of media contacts, manage proactive campaigns and respond to urgent requests, delivering high-quality

Qualifications

• Experience in a busy press office environment coordinating with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Ability to engage with journalists and media professionals across traditional and digital channels.
• Excellent written and oral communication, producing briefing material for varied audiences.
• Ability to simplify complex policy work into media-friendly content.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Media Relations in outputs and responses for proactive and reactive media strategies.
• Coordinate with RG members to generate stories and craft reactive lines to protect reputation.
• Coordinate media activities for campaigns supporting Strategic Programmes and planning.
• Liaise with Digital Communications to align social media with media positions.
• Maintain relationships with media colleagues across RG members and stakeholders.
• Develop journalist networks and engage with outlets with national, regional and international reach.
• Participate in an integrated External Relations team including media, public affairs and partnerships.
• Be on an out-of-hours on-call rota to triage urgent media requests with senior leadership.

Skills

Media relations

Journalist outreach

Written comms

Policy communication

Deadline management

Job description

This is a rare opportunity to join a high-performing advocacy team, working with 24 leading UK universities. We’re looking for an outstanding Media Relations Officer to provide direct support to the Head of Media Relations on all aspects of the Russell Group’s media activity.

Through collaboration and advocacy, the Russell Group works to advance and champion the positive economic, societal and cultural contributions of our universities. The Russell Group represents the interests of our 24 university members at the highest level of government, with media as well as with key research and innovation funders, with business, third‑sector partners, regulators, and internationally with like-minded bodies.

The Media Relations Officer will:

• Support the Head of Media Relations in producing outputs and responses as part of our proactive and reactive media strategies.
• Coordinate with colleagues in the organisation and across the RG members to generate proactive news stories that promote our advocacy positions, and produce reactive lines that protect against reputational threats.
• Coordinate media activities relating to campaigns that promote RG positions including to support our Strategic Programmes and help deliver objectives identified as part of our longer-term communications planning.
• Liaise with the Digital Communications & Design Manager to ensure social media engagement is joined up with our wider media strategies and positions.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with media colleagues at RG members and at other stakeholder organisations to inform and optimise our media strategies and responses.
• Cultivate trusted relationships with a network of journalists, broadcasters, and other professionals in traditional and digital media; and engage with media outlets and platforms that have national, regional and international reach to promote RG messages to our target audiences.
• Participate fully in an integrated External Relations team which covers media, public affairs, partnerships and engagement and includes social media.
• This includes being part of an out-of-hours on-call rota, shared with other members of the External Relations team, to triage and respond to urgent media requests, working directly with senior leadership as appropriate.
• Undertake a number of core tasks which apply to all members of the External Relations team and occasionally carry out other assignments in response to workload and capacity requirements within the organisation.
• Finally, they will be responsible for delivering any additional tasks, at the request of the Head of Media Relations and/or Director of External Relations, in accordance with their experience and the broad purpose of this role.

Candidates will be motivated and diligent with high attention to detail to fill this role successfully. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Previous experience in a busy press office environment, and in coordinating with colleagues on media issues and/or other communications functions and working with a range of external stakeholder organisations.
• Experience and confidence in engaging with journalists, broadcasters, and other media professionals in traditional and in digital/emerging channels.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including a proven ability to produce clear, concise briefing material and content for different audiences.
• Ability to communicate complex policy work in a way which is media-friendly.
• Ability to work under pressure and coordinate with colleagues across the organisation to meet deadlines.
• Competent and imaginative in using new and emerging forms of communication. Experience of writing website copy and of working with social media would be helpful, including to support the Digital Communications and Design Manager in managing our social media channels as needed.
• Experience of working in a public affairs environment involving UK politics and the workings of Parliament would be an advantage but is not essential. However, the candidate will be expected to show good political nous, demonstrate an awareness of the nuances of complex policy positions and understand how to manage the reputation of an organisation responsibly through media work.
• Ability to manage and prioritise a challenging and varied portfolio of work, meet tight deadlines as well as managing longer term work and work co-operatively as part of a small team.

Our Candidate Pack, which includes the vacancy description for the role, is available to download from the Russell Group Careers site (https://russellgroup-ac-uk.pinpointhq.com/).

Our offices are based in the heart of Westminster, with proximity to key stakeholders and easy access to public transport links. To maximise effective team-based working, we offer flexibility for staff to work from home up to two days a week, subject to work priorities. Benefits include:

• Membership of the USS pension scheme
• 25 days of Annual Leave at start, increasing by 1 day annually to a maximum of 30 days
• Discretionary closure days at Easter and Christmas holidays (in addition to Public Holidays)
• Employee Assistance Programme

The starting salary will be in the range of £40,000-£45,000. This is dependent on skills and experience. A higher salary may be available for exceptional and highly experienced candidates.

Closing date for all applications: 17:00 on Wednesday, 7 October 2026.

We anticipate that in-person interviews will be held in w/c 26 October 2026.

Further information on the Russell Group can be found at https://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/.