Main purpose: To implement the agreed Museum press strategy

Key Responsibilities:

• To implement media projects and campaigns from start to finish, involving and communicating with Museum staff and external contacts as appropriate
• To research, prepare and distribute media releases and other media communications
• Write accurate copy to a high standard
• To contact media proactively via telephone and email, following up press releases and negotiating news and feature stories across a wide range of media
• To provide a fast, helpful and efficient response to external media enquiries with an awareness of media deadlines and knowledge of the Museum’s best interests
• To arrange, organise and supervise filming, radio recording and photography in Museum grounds and galleries and interviews with staff (often involving working outside standard Museum hours).
• To brief media spokespeople from the Museum sites before being interviewed.
• To liaise closely with journalists, on the telephone, by email and in person, giving tours of Museum galleries and cultivating contacts
• To strengthen contacts with journalists and make sure that regular communications are made between Press Office and contacts
• To organise and supervise media activity on-site (e.g. photocalls) professionally, making sure that relevant parties are involved
• To work with other members of the Press Office on media campaigns and all aspects are completed to deadline
• To network and build relationships internally within the Museum, to work closely with Museum staff to identify any newsworthy activities. That newsworthy stories on the Museum sites are supported by the Press Office
• To keep abreast of issues in the museum/arts/heritage and science/astronomy industry, being prepared to brief colleagues within the Museum on relevant media talking points
• To update the media database and process orders as necessary

Skills and Experience:

Essential:

• Proven experience of developing and implementing press campaigns within the museum/heritage sector
• Educated to degree level – in a relevant subject
• A thorough understanding of press office principle and sound judgement
• Demonstrable experience of planning, developing and contributing creatively to a press campaign
• Experience of setting the necessary plans and framework in place to implementing and seeing media projects and campaigns through to completion
• An effective writing style, with a proven ability to write press releases and related material
• An excellent knowledge of UK and international media, awareness of media trends and demonstrable personal contacts from a wide range of media outlets including print, broadcast and blogs – relevant to the museum/heritage/arts sector
• Proven experience of ‘selling’ stories to a variety of media and negotiating media coverage, with the ability to think creatively, identifying news angles and feature hooks
• Exceptional time management skills and ability to work under pressure, able to prioritise, multi-task and successfully juggle a variety of projects, campaigns and reactive press simultaneously
• Fully IT and social media literate
• Strong interpersonal skills and the proven ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to communicate across all levels of the Museum and with external contacts
• A positive approach whilst being sensitive to the Museum environment and the priorities of colleagues

Desirable:

• A knowledge of the museum/heritage sector

Terms and Conditions

Net working hours (i.e. excluding 1 hour per day in rest breaks) will be 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm with an additional hour to be worked in agreement with line management.

Salary:  £25,800 per annum