Head of Media and PR

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Job Title: Head of PR and Media
Location: London
Job Type: Permanent

Please note: this is being re-advertised with a job title to reflect the seniority, and the role in industry. If you have applied previously, there is no need to re-apply.

Applications accepted until July 31st 2025.

Agencies: We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

Are you passionate about making life science life changing and delivering impact for patients? We want to hear from you.

About the role:

This is a great opportunity to join the Communications, Marketing and Policy team at LifeArc in an exciting role leading the PR and media function. You will be vital in raising the profile of LifeArc with key target audiences and stakeholders by engaging with national, international and trade media. Some of the key activities will involve developing and implementing a media strategy, drafting press releases, building relationships with key journalists across different sectors, media training for spokespeople and leading on crisis comms.

The Head of PR and Media (known as Senior Manager internally) will be responsible for handling all PR and media activities for LifeArc with the aim of building our reputation and profile-raising with key external audiences in the UK and international life-sciences ecosystem. The post-holder will work with the wider Communications and Marketing Directorate, LifeArc\’s Board and Executive team and colleagues across LifeArc to build an external understanding of the organisation, generating and identifying opportunities to tell our story.

You will be responsible for:

• Developing and delivering our media strategy to support LifeArc\’s corporate objectives.
• Leading on proactive media outreach and relationship-building with key journalists, publications and broadcast and online outlets.
• Managing LifeArc\’s media function and being the key contact for journalists.
• Identifying media opportunities, drafting strategic responses, drafting press releases, comments and opinion pieces.
• Preparing key messaging and media briefings to ensure the organisation is supported to talk confidently about LifeArc\’s work.
• Building strong internal relationships and identifying compelling narratives and content that tell the story of LifeArc and its work.
• Playing a key role in the development of the organisation\’s wider Communications and Marketing Strategy.
• Overseeing interviews or media events involving LifeArc spokespeople.
• Delivering media training to senior leaders.
• Working closely with partner institutions on shared announcements.
• Drafting original content including web articles and blogs for the website.
• Working with the Director of Communications, managing external agencies to deliver in line with strategy.
• Reputation management and crisis comms planning and support.
• Leading on development of all external comms-related communications including templates, policies and processes to ensure a consistent approach

Education & experience required:

• Considerable experience of working in a press office in a senior position with a demonstrable track record of building strong relationships with key media stakeholders and delivering high-impact proactive media coverage.
• Demonstrable experience of using varied communications approaches and a proven track record of engaging audiences through multiple communications channels.
• Experience of working with high profile stakeholders.
• Experience of developing and evaluating media and messaging strategies.
• Experience of managing external agencies to deliver projects and experience managing budgets
• Experience of delivering media training or managing an agency to deliver this.
• Experience of working in science, healthcare or innovation-focused organisations and good understanding of the life-sciences sector.
• Experience of handling crisis communications and reputation management.
• Strong relationships with key journalists across print, broadcast and online platforms.
• Experience of working as part of a creative team with competing priorities.

Desirable:

• Degree (or equivalent) in science, communications, journalism or media is desirable.
• Experience as a journalist is strongly desirable

Skills & abilities:

• An excellent writer who can take complex information and make it accessible to different audiences.
• Experience of developing effective and eye-catching PR campaigns
• Generating ideas and turning them into stories. Creative approach with a news sense, features development, innovation and use of multiple channels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, persuade, negotiate and establish credibility when giving advice and guidance at all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to build positive working relationships internally and externally at all levels.
• Knowledge of running a busy media operation, including understanding of the media and how journalists operate
• Advanced ability to distil complex information into clear, nuanced and accessible language.
• Presenting skills and high attention to details.

About us:

LifeArc is a not-for-profit life science organisation, leading the way for change in rare diseases in the UK and supporting promising initiatives in global health. We seek out research in areas of unmet need that has great potential, providing support to help it become breakthroughs that change lives.

What we can offer you:

Focused on finding life changing solutions for underserved patients, our people thrive in an inclusive, and supportive environment that prioritises their health and wellbeing. Our multidisciplinary approach guarantees our people growth opportunities, while our culture of innovation and collaboration drives the impact we make delivering on our purpose of \’putting patients at the centre of everything we do\’.

We are dedicated to creating a diverse, flexible, equitable and happy work environment so our colleagues can thrive as their truest selves. We act with courage, curiosity, care & commitment to deliver quality & excellence for our patients and each other Join us, and you\’ll be given the scope to develop your professional skills and experience in a safe, supportive and challenging environment

Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.

Don\’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you\’re excited about this role but your experience doesn\’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just right for this or other roles.

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you\’ll discover what you can really do with it.

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