The Senior Campaigns Officer will plan and deliver campaigns, media activity, public affairs work, events, research, and social media content. They will support young campaigners to co-create campaigns, share experiences, and engage with decision-makers. The role also leads press office activity, responds to journalists, develops communications plans, and briefs colleagues. Responsibilities include monitoring political and media developments, producing persuasive written materials, supporting young people with media engagement, and building relationships with politicians, employers, journalists, and other external audiences.
Application deadline: 09:00am on Monday 23rd November 2026
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Salary Band: £29,900 - £31,900 (plus £2,200 London weighting if applicable).
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Salary Band: £29,900 - £31,900 (plus £2,200 London weighting if applicable).
Hours: 5 days per week; 9AM-5.30PM (flexible working hours available).
Start date: As soon as possible.
Location: We operate a hybrid model of work. When in the office you will be based in one of our regional offices (either Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester or Newcastle – depending on preference and accessibility).
Location: We operate a hybrid model of work. When in the office you will be based in one of our regional offices (either Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester or Newcastle – depending on preference and accessibility).
Could you support young campaigners to influence the politicians that make decisions about their futures? Could you persuade a journalist to cover our campaigns and their stories?
We know that technology, new routes into work and changing expectations, are reshaping careers. Without action, these changes could worsen the barriers that already exist for many young people. We’re focused on building a country where potential comes first, by ensuring that access to a changing job market is fair. The Government's focus on youth employment, has created a rare opportunity to influence how employers and policymakers support the next generation.
As Senior Campaigns Officer, you'll help drive our campaigns, media and public affairs work, keeping social mobility on the political agenda and in the headlines. You'll influence politicians, journalists and employers and, most importantly, you’ll support our network of young campaigners to turn their experiences into campaigns that create lasting change.
If you're motivated by working alongside young people, to build a country where opportunity is shaped by potential, not background, we'd love to hear from you.
1. Helping to plan and deliver campaigns activity, both planned and reactive, including:
- Design and deliver campaigns activity including; media, social media and other activity that influences decision makers.
- Organising campaign events e.g. Parliamentary receptions and communicating our campaigns online and on social media.
- Assisting the Campaigns Manager to commission research and polling support our campaigning.
- Monitoring parliamentary activity, and horizon scanning - considering how political developments may affect our campaigning work, providing opportunities and risks.
- Researching campaign issues to develop briefing documents, letters, social media content and other campaign collateral.
2. Develop our network of Young Campaigners and engage them in delivering and designing campaign activity:
- Growing our network of Young Campaigners, ensuring they understand our campaign priorities, while supporting them to build knowledge and confidence in campaigning
- Developing and facilitate spaces for our Young Campaigners to co-create campaign activities and take actions to influence changemakers.
- Working with young people to share their experiences, through speaking at events and other campaigning opportunities.
- Training and supporting young people to speak to the media, ensuring safeguarding processes are embedded and providing follow up pastoral support where needed.
3. Leading our media work to maximise the impact of our campaigning, building awareness of social mobility as an issue amongst influential and informed audiences:
- Developing and executing media and communication plans to support our campaign goals.
- Running the press office.
- Monitoring the media and responding to stories that allow us to land our key messages, share our point of view and platform SMF young people.
- Responding to requests from journalists for comment and advising and briefing members of staff on how to respond.
See attached job description for more detail on the key responsibilities in the role
Person Specification
- Experience of working within a media, campaigning, public affairs or political environment.
- Excellent understanding of the UK political system and political processes and a thorough understanding of public affairs tactics.
- Experience of planning and delivering projects or campaigns in a charity, political or media context.
- Excellent copywriting skills, with experience of writing press releases, quotes, interview briefings, social media posts and opinion pieces.
- Experience of identifying proactive opportunities to influence campaign targets and/or journalists.
- Experience of speaking to journalists, succinctly describing our positions, handling media enquiries and making recommendations to senior colleagues on next steps.
- Strong analytical skills, being able to see news angles in data, and the ability to build persuasive arguments and positions to influence campaign targets.
- A keen interest in working with young people and supporting them to campaign.
- An understanding of how to use social media to advance campaigning goals.
- Excellent attention to detail and a desire to always improve.
- Enjoy multi-tasking and working in a fast-paced changing environment.
- Excellent project management skills.
- Good networking skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with a variety of external audiences.
See attached job description for more detail on the person specification
Benefits
- 36/37 days (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays and three days to be taken between Christmas and New Year) plus up to 3 days additional annual leave increasing with length of service
- 5% Salary sacrifice pension scheme with enhanced matching employer contributions
- Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme available to staff and their family
- Regular staff team building away days
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 9:00AM on Monday 23rd November and submit:
a) A cover letter (no longer than 700 words) outlining your previous experience, your motivation and your suitability for the role. Please base this on the technical knowledge and experience section of the person specification.
b) A 500-word op-ed written for our CEO, Sarah Atkinson, on why the government should take action to make degree apprenticeships more accessible to young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Please base this on our Apprenticeships Without Barriers campaign and link this to a recent news hook, relevant events or political moments happening soon.
c) A short email pitching your op-ed to the comment editor of the Guardian.
If you have any questions about the role, please contact the hiring manager Beccy Forrow: [email protected]
Please note:
- If you use an AI tool such as ChatGPT it, please make sure your application still reflects your individuality and your true skills and experiences.
- Generic or incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis however the job advert will not close before the stated date.
- CVs will not be accepted or considered; please only submit the information we have asked for.
Interviews: First round interviews will take place on Monday 30th November with multiple slots available at different times throughout the working day. If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to an hour-long interview, where you will be assessed on your responses to questions relating to the role. You will also be asked to prepare a short presentation ahead of the interview. More information about the interview will be emailed in advance.
Interview candidates may be asked to complete online tests or attend a second interview; this will be confirmed and arranged after the first interview takes place.
Interview candidates may be asked to complete online tests or attend a second interview; this will be confirmed and arranged after the first interview takes place.
About
The Social Mobility Foundation is an award-winning national charity that aims to make a practical difference in social mobility. It is our mission to unlock potential, broaden horizons and create opportunities with and for ambitious young people who face structural barriers in education and work because of where they grew up, went to school or the occupation of their parents or guardians. We do this by: directly supporting students aged 16+ with university applications; professional mentoring; skills sessions and internships, through our Aspiring Professionals Programmes influencing employers through our Employer Index as well as speaker events and training to ensure people from working class backgrounds can get in and get on in professional life. advocating for social mobility and seeking to influence policy making at both local and national government level through our campaigns.
The Social Mobility Foundation London, England Office
London, United Kingdom
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