Media Literacy Policy Manager

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Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 12 January, and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Sunday 11 January.

About the team

This role is part of our Media Literacy Policy team which forms part of Ofcom’s Strategy and Policy Team. The Strategy and Policy team sets the orgnaisation’s overall direction, providing strategic insight, market analysis, and thought leadership for the rapidly changing communications sector.  The successful candidate will be a member of Ofcom’s Making Sense of Media (MSOM) team, leading strategic initiatives that improve the ability of adults and children in the UK to engage safely and effectively with online services and other media. 

Media literacy ensures that people can navigate content safely and flourish online. Ofcom defines media literacy as “the ability to use, understand and create media and communications across multiple formats and services”. Media literacy therefore has a foundational role to play in Ofcom’s overall mission to “make communications work for everyone”.

Purpose of the Role

Our ambitious 3-year Media Literacy strategy is reliant on making media literacy everyone’s priority.  This role is central to shaping the engaging platforms pillar of the three-year strategy and our approach to media literacy by design. You will be responsible for managing relationships with online platforms, driving, and monitoring action on media literacy. You will commission and interpret research to inform policy decisions, identify trends, and develop innovative media literacy policy solutions.  You will build and maintain relationships across diverse stakeholder groups including trade bodies, civil society, industry, experts, internal teams and seniors with a view to embedding media literacy principles into online services and emerging technologies. 

You will achieve success not only by what you do, but also by how you do it. We work collegiately and you will need to build strong working relationships across Ofcom to deliver well in this role.  This is a key role in an ambitious team.  We’re looking for a hands-on, tenacious all-rounder, who comes to work to make a difference and can see different ways of doing that. The current post-holder has been promoted within the team.  Ofcom’s mission is to make communications work for everyone, and we’re keen to build a team that helps us do that, so applications from under-represented communities are welcome.

Precise duties will be agreed once the candidate has been appointed and will depend on business need and the skills of the successful candidate. As a member of the wider Strategy and Policy team, it is also possible that over time this post-holder works across the media literacy and strategy and policy portfolios.

What you are expected to deliver in this role

• Media Literacy by Design Leadership: Lead Ofcom’s work on embedding media literacy principles into platform design, driving action and monitoring progress. 

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with teams across Online Safety, Research and Intelligence, Technology, Legal and International to ensure integrated policy development and implementation. 

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with platforms, industry bodies, civil society and international regulators to share best practices and influence global standards. 

• Evidence-Based Approach: Commission and interpret research to inform policy decisions, evaluate interventions, and identify emerging risks and opportunities. 

• Evaluation and Impact Measurement: Develop options for assessing and guiding progress on platform design changes that support media literacy. 

• Horizon Scanning: Monitor and anticipate emerging trends related to media literacy and digital engagement to inform proactive policy development. 

• Project Management: Lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects, ensuring timely delivery and effective governance. 

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

• Understanding of media literacy: Experience or knowledge of the media literacy sector in the UK 

• Understanding of corporate priorities: Experience of working in or with online platforms 

• Consensus building experience: Ability and tenacity to set out a vision and secure buy-in from senior people and leading organisations to deliver innovative solutions, through outstanding communication skills

• Analytical and Strategic Thinking: Ability to interpret research, identify trends and develop innovative policy solutions. 

• Forming Relationships: Skilled at building and maintaining relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, including government, industry, academia, and civil society. 

• Owning Accountabilities: Being proactive, take responsibility for your actions, decisions, and their outcomes. Show up reliably and commit to getting the job done.  

• Executing Plans: Strong organisational skills, accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to effectively prioritise workload and react to changing priorities. Work as a team player.

Inclusivity Statement

Ofcom has a clear mission: to make communications work for everyone.  To be able to deliver on this, we want our organisation to reflect the diversity of background, experience, upbringing and thought that exists across the UK.  We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. We also warmly welcome applicants who are returning to the workforce after a break – for whatever reason. If you have taken time away and are ready to rejoin, we look forward to reviewing your application.

Where positions are listed as full-time, we remain open to reduced hours, part-time arrangements, job shares, and other flexible working options. From day one, we champion flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual needs. You can read more about our Rewards, Benefits and Well-being on our careers page.

Our recruitment processes prioritise accessibility and inclusivity. If you need adjustments, information in an alternative format, or prefer to apply in a different way, please contact us at [email protected] or call 0330 912 1378.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria for advertised roles. Learn more about this scheme here.  https://careers.ofcom.org.uk/careers/how-we-hire/