Citizens UK
Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people‑powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community‑led solutions to big and small problems.
Living Wage Foundation
The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.
Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting half a million people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most.
Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad‑based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty. As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies. We are a non‑partisan organisation and work with partners across the political spectrum to advance our mission.
Purpose
The Living Wage Foundation is seeking an experienced and driven Senior Media and Communications Manager to join our team for a 12‑month contract. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly organised and proactive communications professional with a strong background in media relations, public messaging, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will be experienced and confident in working to tight deadlines, responding to last‑minute changes, and prioritising competing demands in a high‑profile environment. They will be motivated to amplify the Living Wage Foundation’s mission of tackling low pay and insecure work.
The postholder will lead all media, messaging, and external affairs work, developing and implementing a proactive media strategy that supports our mission and key campaigns, such as Living Wage Week and the annual Rates announcement. As a skilled media professional, you will oversee all communications outputs, ensuring consistency and strategic alignment, while delivering media training and refining key messaging to maximise reach and impact.
In this role, you will be instrumental in advancing our political engagement efforts, building cross‑party support and working with political leaders, mayoral teams, and other key stakeholders to promote our initiatives. You’ll manage two direct reports (Events Manager and Media Manager) who each hold line‑management responsibilities, and you will play a critical role within our Senior Management Team, collaborating closely with the Head of Communications to shape the overall direction of our communications work. This role will work closely with Citizens UK colleagues, including the Citizens UK communications team on cross‑organisational priorities. You will report to the Head of Communications.
As a senior leader, you will be responsible for managing and allocating part of the communications team budget, expanding team capacity, and driving the team’s effectiveness. In collaboration with other senior managers, you will help foster a culture that values creativity, innovation, and strategic impact.
Main Responsibilities
Contribute to CUK mission and its strategic objectives
- Provide strategic oversight of the organisation’s media strategy, ensuring it aligns with broader organisational, communications, and campaign goals, and establish clear processes for evaluating its success.
- Work alongside other Senior Managers across Citizens UK on cross‑organisational activity including through the Senior Management Group
- Support the Living Wage Foundation’s Political Engagement Strategy by building and sustaining cross‑party support for the organisation’s mission and objectives.
Situational awareness and research
- Lead regular updates on key audiences, tracking positions on issues of interest and ensuring the team is fully informed.
- Guide the team in proactive media monitoring, enabling timely responses to significant developments.
- Collaborate with the Senior Research Manager to conduct and commission impactful research, driving media campaigns that effectively reach and engage target audiences.
Strategy development
- Work alongside other Senior Managers in the Communications Team to shape and guide the overall communications strategy.
- Lead on all media and messaging outputs, including developing high‑quality materials, coordinating media events, and delivering media training.
Reputational & risk management
- Develop and manage the organisation’s risk register, offering strategic oversight and serving as a primary contact for crisis communications.
- Manage and respond to reactive media enquiries promptly, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s values and objectives.
- Draft key messages and FAQs for media interviews and public responses, and advise senior leadership on sensitive media or reputational issues.
- Represent the Living Wage Foundation effectively in senior stakeholder interactions and participate in out‑of‑hours press duties when needed.
Materials development and dissemination
- Oversee the Media Team in producing engaging press releases, blogs, opinion pieces, and media briefings to elevate the Living Wage Foundation’s profile and the voices of workers and employers within the Living Wage movement.
- Ensure media outputs and communications reflect the organisation’s values and uphold a consistent voice.
- Create and refine key messaging for public communications, including FAQs and response guides.
Social media and website
- Ensure consistency in messaging and alignment across all media and digital platforms in collaboration with the wider communications team.
External relationships (including media and press)
- Lead employer case study development, identifying and preparing Living Wage employers to speak to media and champion a real Living Wage.
- Drive stakeholder engagement efforts, cultivating valuable relationships with Living Wage employers, campaign partners, and media contacts.
- Build and maintain relationships with journalists across print, digital, and broadcast media to secure quality coverage.
- Collaborate with the Public Engagement Team to draft emails, speeches, speaker notes, briefings, and press notices for political engagements.
- Strengthen and maintain broad cross‑party support for the Living Wage agenda.
Campaign & events management
- Provide a link between Events team and Senior Leadership Team to ensure efficient decision‑making around key events.
- Lead on media and messaging elements of agreed comms‑led campaigns.
Internal comms & knowledge management
- Oversee the development and maintenance of a comprehensive press database, mapping key media contacts and publications in line with the Living Wage Foundation’s objectives.
Internal relationships
- Work closely with the Senior Digital and Communications Manager to guide and oversee team initiatives.
- Provide line management and development support to the Media Manager and Events Manager.
Learning, expertise & DEI
- Lead media training sessions for LWF staff and Living Wage employers, enhancing their confidence and effectiveness in media engagements.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the LWF and Citizens UK, including communications and DEI teams, to develop and implement ethical storytelling practices, ensuring lived experience is represented responsibly, inclusively, and in line with organisational guidance.
- Contribute to a positive and inclusive team culture.
- Ensure accessibility is embedded across communications and events, working with relevant teams to implement best practice and organisational guidance.
Person Specification
(D) Desirable, (E) Essential
Experience
- Proven experience and a strong understanding of the UK media landscape, with experience building relationships with journalists and securing high‑quality media coverage. (E)
- Experience in line managing and leading a team. (E)
- Demonstrated experience in managing sensitive reputational issues, including risk assessment and crisis communications. (E)
- Skilled in leveraging real‑life stories and case studies to drive engagement, including experience in leading media training for spokespeople. (E)Strong track record in designing and executing high‑impact communications strategies that achieve measurable results. (E)
- Experience of working collaboratively across teams and influencing senior stakeholders to achieve shared objectives. (E)
- Experience of working with a range of voices and perspectives, including community, worker or lived experience storytelling. (D)
Key skills and knowledge
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce and edit clear, engaging content suitable for media, digital and public audiences. (E)
- Competence in using social media platforms to engage audiences effectively, understanding their role in broader media strategies. (D)
- Proficiency in evaluating campaigns and media outputs, with the ability to derive insights that inform future strategies. (E)
- Strong interpersonal skills for building effective relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders, including political audiences. (E)
- Solid understanding of the political landscape and public affairs, with experience engaging cross‑party stakeholders. (E)
Personal qualities & values
- An enthusiasm for media and communications, coupled with a strong commitment to the mission of the Living Wage Foundation. (E)
- Ability to lead, support and develop high‑performing teams, fostering a collaborative and inclusive working environment. (E)
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with an understanding of how to communicate responsibly and ethically about lived experience. (E)
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