JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Senior Media Officer
Reports to:
Head of Communications
Position status:
Full time 09.00 – 17.30 Monday to Thursday and 09.00-16.00 Friday
Plus additional work out-of-hours as part of an on-call rota
Location:
Teddington, with occasional travel required
Bowel cancer is one of the biggest health challenges today. As a small charity seeking to address a
huge issue, Beating Bowel Cancer aims to be the leader in its field and the charity partner of choice.
We are a small, dedicated team of highly talented individuals who contribute creatively, proactively
and enthusiastically to help move forward the issue of bowel cancer at all levels of society.
Beating Bowel Cancer is dedicated to saving lives by working in partnership with individuals, local
communities, clinical communities and government to improve public awareness of bowel cancer
and to increase the rate of early diagnosis. We help patients access the treatment they need and
provide emotional and practical support to improve the lives of everyone affected by bowel cancer.
Strategic delivery
The Communications Team takes the lead in delivering our core communications strategy to raise
awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, to increase early diagnosis and save lives.
Purpose
As a member of the Communications team, the Senior Media Officer will be responsible for the
charity’s media relations activities. They will take a proactive stance to ensure that every
opportunity is taken to advance our public profile and reputation and deliver a first-class,
trustworthy media relations service which positions Beating Bowel Cancer as the go-to media voice
on relevant issues.
They will take an active role in the development and communication of media campaigns, which
deliver high impact media coverage to raise awareness of bowel cancer, help achieve the charity’s
key strategic goals, and position Beating Bowel Cancer as the authoritative ‘bowel cancer’ voice in
national and specialist media and across digital and social media platforms.
Senior Media Officer Job Description, April 2014
Primary Responsibilities:

To deliver a first class media relations service to editors and journalists through a wide range of
print, broadcast, consumer and online media.

Respond to enquiries from journalists with speed and accuracy ensuring that every opportunity
is fully maximised.

Write and issue media releases and statements, briefing materials and features; providing high
quality copy for a range of audiences.

Proactively identify, initiate and manage ideas for media activity and approach and brief
broadcasters, journalists and feature writers on a variety of issues.

Work closely with colleagues across the organisation to identify opportunities for media
coverage, support their work and produce plans to promote the charity’s work and enhance our
reputation and credibility as a leader in the field of bowel cancer.

Be responsible for ensuring effective environment scanning and maintain a watching brief to
identify issues that Beating Bowel Cancer should be commenting on in the media. Champion a
proactive response to media opportunities.

Assisting the Head of Communications with forward planning, ensuring the charity is wellprepared for stories.

Input creatively and play a key role in the charity’s campaigns including ‘Decembeard’ and
‘Bowel Cancer Awareness Month’.

Advise and brief key charity staff and wider stakeholders who are undertaking media interviews
as a Beating Bowel Cancer spokesperson.

Build, maintain and develop a strong beneficial network of journalist contacts across all relevant
media channels and sell in stories.

Build and maintain relationships with our group of patient case studies and actively place their
‘human interest’ stories for the purpose of media awareness.

With the Head of Communications, develop celebrity engagement, identifying appropriate
celebrities with whom Beating Bowel Cancer can work with and be ambassadors for the charity.
Building long-term, beneficial relationships with existing and potential celebrity supporters, their
agents and managers.

Take a proactive stance in building good working relationships and partnerships with PR staff in
partner organisations, government and the voluntary sector and to capitalise on opportunities
for joint initiatives.

When necessary, organise and manage media conferences, photo calls and launch activities.

Embed social media into plans to maximise opportunities to increase media coverage.
Senior Media Officer Job Description, April 2014

Participate in out of hours press office rota to provide cover in case of media enquiries.

Manage the press cuttings service and inform the charity of relevant press activity and coverage.

Manage the media database.
Knowledge, skills and experience required:

Strong media relations/PR experience working in a busy not-for profit press office, PR agency/ or
as a journalist.

Track record of delivering high volume and quality of media coverage.

Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering strong creative media relations plans and
achieving results.

Excellent working knowledge of the UK national, consumer, social and trade media.

Experience of working with case studies and dealing with sensitive stories.

Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write press releases and
high quality copy for a range of audiences.

Ability to contribute creative ideas, digest information and translate into stories.

Strong proven record in nurturing and building relationships with journalists and media contacts.

Good organisational and planning skills, ability to prioritise workloads, manage competing
demands and work under pressure and to tight deadlines.

Ability to work as part of a team and independently.

Experience of working with media databases.

Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a wide range of people both internally
and externally including senior managers, external agencies, patients, families, supporters and
funders.

Experience of working on social media campaigns as part of wider PR initiatives.

The ability of grasp issues quickly. Proactive in anticipating problems and identifying solutions
with minimal supervision.
A genuine interest in the work of Beating Bowel Cancer. An ability and willingness to speak
openly and honestly to people with bowel cancer.
Senior Media Officer Job Description, April 2014