We are committed to equal opportunities and to learning how to increase the diversity of our people. We welcome applications from people currently underrepresented in the Polar regions including members of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities and LGBTQI+ people. We also welcome flexible working arrangements.

ABOUT UK ANTARCTIC HERITAGE TRUST

We are the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Our aim is to bring people closer to the wonder of Antarctica and its stories of human endeavour and in doing so, promote a greater understanding of this extraordinary place and the role we all have in protecting it.

We conserve Antarctic heritage by looking after six historic sites on the Antarctic Peninsula; we deliver a range of vibrant and creative public programmes; and work with Antarctic policymakers on issues related to heritage conservation.

By focusing on the layers of human history in Antarctica, we use their remarkable stories, in particular the lesser-known stories, to explore Antarctica and why it matters to us all, helping current and future generations to understand, value and protect this precious wilderness.

Our ambition over the next decade is to: safeguard British heritage in Antarctica; engage a growing and increasingly diverse audience with this heritage and the broader questions concerning Antarctica, and use our expertise and influence to help secure a sustainable future for this most remarkable place on our planet.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a freelance Communications Officer to help us grow our public profile and creatively engage with our audiences to build our global supporter base, and increase engagement and participation with our work.

Reporting to the Head of Communications, this is an opportunity to engage with an extraordinary place and a unique organisation. You'll bring expertise to help us achieve our goals and will deliver a range of engaging and impactful content across our channels. You will collaborate closely with other colleagues in the organisation to identify interesting and relevant stories, media and other content which you will use to grow and diversify our online audiences.

Supporting our team to develop and optimise our digital communications, you will ensure the online experience serves and supports our audiences and meets our programme, fundraising and marketing goals. You'll also support a range of broader communications activity including marketing, PR and creative communications campaigns.

We will ask you to work flexibly to maintain our online platforms with engaging and unique multi-media content and make sure the website and other channels are optimised to build enduring relationships with a growing supporter base so that they are inspired to pursue a lifelong interest in Antarctica, through its unique heritage.

KEY TASKS

• The creation of compelling written and visual content for use across our official online platforms and deliver efficient and effective communication of projects, ideas, and activities.
• Support in developing social media strategies and campaigns for significant initiatives across the Trust for an international audience.
• Day-to-day management of all digital media channels, planning and scheduling impactful content, designed to engage targeted audiences and drive audience growth.
• Take responsibility for maintaining and developing the website to ensure content is compelling, current and accessible.
• Lead on the timely creation and broadcast of the monthly e-bulletin including maintaining the editorial calendar, sourcing content, editing and creating on-brand assets.
• Managing all SEO activities including link building and keyword strategy to increase rankings on all major search networks. You may also develop SEM campaigns on Google, Yahoo, and Bing to maximize ROI.
• Use website, social media and e-communications analytics to help improve reach and engagement and set measurable KPIs for growth.
• Report on performance to help the team develop future ideas for campaigns and contribute to our regular performance monitoring.
• Support PR and marketing initiatives to deliver our communications and marketing strategy.
• Support ad hoc creative communications projects, when required.

You will be a communications professional with experience in social media and digital. Maybe you have worked in media or in the charities or heritage sector, but you will have a track record in growing digital audiences and have a sophisticated understanding of the roles different channels can play and have proven skills in SEO/SEM for driving traffic to our content.

You are highly organised, keen to take ownership of projects, creative and a great communicator and collaborator. You thrive in a small team, can work swiftly to planned deadlines and are willing to grasp unexpected opportunities as they arise.

ABOUT YOU

• Creative and highly organised communications professional
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of people
• Brilliant copywriter with creative storytelling ability
• Significant experience in delivering a similar service
• Demonstrable experience in creating engaging content and on-brand assets
• Experienced in creating successful social media campaigns
• Confident in Photoshop, InDesign or similar
• Excellent IT skills including databases
• High attention to detail
• Ability to self-motivate and is confident working autonomously as well as part of a team
• Strong analytical skills and a keen eye for new developments and trends in digital media
• A passion for Antarctica, its heritage and the environment

HOW TO APPLY

Apply by submitting the following:

1. A summary of your relevant experience (max two sides A4).

and

2. Names and contact details of two professional referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent line manager or client.

and

3. A cover letter (max one side A4)

or

4. a talking head video (mp4 file, max three minutes) telling us:

• why you're interested in this opportunity
• how your skills and experience make you the right fit for this role
• about a time you were tasked with creating something engaging and creative, and how it went

Your application will only be considered as complete if you submit points 1, 2 and 3 or points 1, 2 and 4

Submit points 1, 2 and 3 via BreatheHR.

See below for how to submit point 4.

How we'll view your video

We’ll only access your video through the website that you've chosen to host it. Examples of video hosting sites include Dropbox, Google Drive or YouTube.

Our internal system will only have a copy of the link to the video and not the video itself. We’ll watch the video as part of shortlisting and it’ll only be viewed by staff taking part in the recruiting process for this role.

It’s your responsibility to remove the video from the host site after a final decision is made. Read the host site’s own privacy notice.

If you’re using YouTube, choose an unlisted YouTube video, as this will not be seen publicly.

Important

Include the full website address (URL) for your video as part of your BreatheHR application - note it on your other documents or add it as a note on the online application.

Make sure the website address is correct so we can watch your video. The full website address will include all the letters and symbols at the beginning of the URL. This includes the http:// or https:// at the start.

We are only able to consider complete applications so please check and test the URL you share with us before submitting your application.

Application deadline

The deadline for applications is Sunday 8 January 2023

Interviews will be held Monday 16 January 2023

Any queries about the role may be directed to Sarah Blythe, Head of Communications, sarah.blythe@ukaht.org