Communications Officer

Job Introduction

The Communications Officer is a new role at an exciting time for Westminster School, as we move towards full co-education. This is a significant change to the school’s historic shape, requiring careful communications management.

The Westminster School Marketing and Communications (M&C) department works across both schools within the wider Charity: Westminster School (ages 13-18 senior school) and Westminster Under School (ages 7 - 13 prep school).

The Communications Officer will work across both schools, primarily acting as the member of M&C with oversight for Westminster Under School.

The post holder will work closely with the Director of Marketing and Communications, the Marketing and Communications Coordinator, and the Website Coordinator.

Whilst this position has an element of marketing, it is primarily a communications role. The aim is to run effective communications for the Under School, building internal and external relationships, creating compelling messaging, and delivering that messaging to a range of audiences, most importantly to reach prospective parents and their children.

Previous experience and achievement within communications, marketing, PR or journalism is highly desirable, but personal attributes are equally important. If you feel you would suit this role, but do not have experience in all areas set out in this job description (for example you have no experience using Adobe packages or taking photographs for social media and news stories), we would still welcome your application as training can be arranged.

Main Responsibilities

The role has two principal areas:

• Coordinating communications work for Westminster Under School, supported by the M&C team as necessary

• Contributing to the wider work of the M&C team, handling a shared pool of communications, marketing, and administrative tasks across both schools

1. Westminster Under School

The post holder will lead the delivery of the wide range of school marketing and communications needs, both internal and external, to the highest level, as the School moves to co-education and expands.

It is anticipated the Communications Officer will spend three days each week based at the Under School, on Vincent Square. They will work most closely with the Master, the Head of Development for Co-education and Pre-prep, the Registrar, and the Director of Marketing and Communications.

The goal of this work is for potential Under School parents and pupils to know all about the School and its excellence, are encouraged to apply to the School.

The Communications Officer will:

• Develop and deliver a marketing and communications plan for the Under School (alongside the Director of Marketing and Communications)
• Create a consistent and unique voice for the Under School, which sets it apart from other schools within the sector
• Source information from within the School to write compelling news stories, blogs, or articles
• Run the School’s social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter at present)
• Take photographs/videos to accompany website news stories and social media
• Define audiences and key influencers and work to reach them
• Place positive news stories with local news and education titles
• Identify where to place adverting in local news and education titles
• Work with publications such as Good Schools Guide and Tatler Schools Guide to ensure School information is up to date, and to plan visits for reviews
• Alongside the Registrar, ensure the Under School reaches nursery, primary and prep school pupils across London who would benefit from the education we offer
• Develop feeder school and community engagement programmes
• Provide communications support for the Master, Head of Development for Co-education and Pre-prep, and Registrar as required
• Monitor online and print media for stories relevant to or involving the School
• Update content on the Under School website
• Monitor and interpret analytics for the Under School’s website and social media channels (with the Websites Coordinator)
• Manage the production of printed materials (prospectuses, brochures, leaflets, posters, letters, school-branded stationery, etc.)
• Coordinate professional photography and filming
• Maintain the digital photograph library
• Manage and protect the School’s brand (images, logos, house styles etc.)
• Attend school events (including some out of hours)

2. Marketing and Communications Team

The team of four handles the marketing and communications needs for both schools. Whilst each person has specific individual tasks, a lot of work is shared.

It is anticipated the Communications Officer will spend two days each week based in the M&C office at Westminster School, on Dean’s Yard.

The Communications Officer will:

• Edit and circulate whole-school emails
• Help run the main Westminster School social media accounts, and ensure that other internally run social media accounts adhere to social media policies
• Ensure the School adheres to GDPR guidelines when creating content
• Assist with job advertisements, both on the website and on LinkedIn
• Monitor the Communications inbox, and be a first point of contact for enquiries
• Photograph school events on an ad-hoc basis

The post will suit someone keen to work in a varied role; an effective communicator who can engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including staff, parents, and pupils.

Whilst previous experience working in a school could be an advantage, there is no requirement for this.

This job description is intended to be enabling rather than restrictive, and will be subject to regular review to ensure it is suitable both for the schools and the post holder.

Line Management

The post holder will report to the Director of Marketing and Communications.

Hours

The role is full-time, all year round, Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.00pm.

The role is based on site, but with the potential to do some work from home as agreed with the Director of Marketing and Communications. There is more flexibility for off-site working during school holiday periods.

All members of the Marketing and Communications team understand that media emergencies may occasionally require evening and weekend work at short notice.

Any planned evening or weekend work (to attend events as part of the role) can then be taken back as time in lieu.

All support staff are entitled to 25 days’ paid holiday per year (plus bank holidays).

Remuneration

The salary for this role is £40,000 per annum and is subject to a six-month probation period.

The Ideal Candidate

Please refer to the attached person specification.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Westminster School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

About The School

Working at Westminster

Westminster School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of 750 pupils, 120 teaching staff and 108 support staff.

Westminster School is friendly and welcoming, and all newcomers quickly become part of the rhythm of life here.

There is a real sense of community here as, being a boarding school many members of staff and pupils live on site and the School’s premises are very much treated as a home away from home. School life starts before breakfast and continues way beyond the working day; as a result, there is always a lively atmosphere in and around School and always someone to share a tea and biscuit with in the Common Room. Support staff as much as teaching staff are encouraged to embrace the School’s day-to-day activities, whether that be attending an evening concert or a morning service in the Abbey.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. We do know, however, that we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply.

As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here.

Westminster School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School

Westminster School is a selective day and boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18. There are approximately 360 boys in the Lower School (Years 9 to 11) and 400 boys and girls in the Upper School (Years 12 and 13). One quarter of the pupils board, and the School is structured and run as a boarding school, with an extended day and week and a strong House-based system of pastoral welfare, for boarding and day pupils alike.

Westminster is an ancient school, whose origins can be traced to a charity school established by the Benedictine monks of Westminster Abbey. Its continuous existence is certain from the early 14th century. Henry VIII personally ensured the School’s survival by statute and Elizabeth I, who confirmed royal patronage in 1560, is celebrated as the School’s foundress. Westminster is rare amongst long-established schools in remaining on its original site in the centre of London. Its proximity to Parliament and Westminster Abbey, and the use of the Abbey for its chapel, together with the stimulating diversity of the South Bank and West End, account in part for its special atmosphere and outlook.

The School is one of the foremost centres of academic excellence both in this country and internationally. Central to its academic ethos is the dialogue between teachers and their pupils, whether in the classroom or in tutorials, inspiring enjoyment of intellectual enquiry, debate and search for explanation and the development of skills of rational, independent thought well beyond any standard examination syllabus. The desired environment is happy, busy and purposeful; the pupils are intellectually, socially, ethically and politically engaged, with plenty of opportunities to develop initiatives and to articulate and defend their views, in line with the enduring values of the liberal tradition reflected in the School’s Charter. That tradition is fully committed also to the nurture of each pupil’s spiritual, moral, emotional and physical development and wellbeing – with a particular emphasis on drawing out individual talent wherever it lies - and to the preparation of young people for fulfilled private and public lives beyond School.

Package Description

Required for: as soon as possible

Location: Great School and Under School

Contract: full-time, permanent

Salary: £40,000 per annum

The closing date for applications is midday, Wednesday 17th May 2023. Interviews will be held shortly after the closing date.