Stories lead - Permanent - Full Time

About the role

Sense has a fantastic opportunity for someone to join our team as our Stories Lead. This is a full time, hybrid role, working 37.5 hours per week at either our office in Kings Cross, London or Selly Oak, Birmingham. This role sits within Sense’s newly established social change directorate, supporting the directorate’s wider purpose of breaking down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs. The role is closely connected to the organisation’s co-production area of work and supports organisational wide research and insight gathering from people with lived experience. It also works closely with the fundraising and marketing directorate to deliver storyteller needs and requirements to support their strategic objectives.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining and growing Sense’s storyteller portfolio, made up of disabled people with complex needs and their families, volunteers, supporters and staff. You will play a leading role in ensuring that the most compelling stories feature across the charity’s integrated influencing, and fundraising and marketing activity to drive engagement, lasting change, and sustainable income. You will also champion, steward and promote storytelling internally and externally, working with teams across Sense to identify new storytellers and support colleagues to facilitate story collection, and will be responsible for building trusted relationships with contributors, ensuring they have a positive experience throughout.

Key responsibilities

• Manage Sense’s stories database and play a leading role in ensuring the most compelling stories feature across our media, campaigns, fundraising and wider communications and content.
• Oversee the management of storyteller relationships at Sense, making sure that their needs are met and that they understand the role of the charity, how their story can support it and the impact of doing so - ensuring they have a positive experience throughout.
• Lead on conducting sensitive interviews with contributors, writing up their stories and updating the stories database.
• When required, translate storyteller experiences into meaningful and engaging written content across core formats, including blogs, social media posts and emails.
• Capture additional content from storytellers that aligns with Sense’s content plan, for example photography or short video pieces to camera.
• Collaborate with teams and build strong working relationships with colleagues in the social change department and across Sense to agree priorities, develop briefs and deliver story leads to deadline.
• Co-ordinate story development across the social change department and be the first point of contact for storytellers when multi-media assets are being collected.

Key skills and experience:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification in media or communications related subjects.
• Strong understanding of what makes a good story to drive external engagement.
• Understanding of the core role of storytelling within the charity sector and how storytelling content enhances brand engagement.
• Understanding of ethical approach to gathering stories, informed consent, and data protection.
• Experience working in a marketing, communications, media, insights or content team.
• Demonstrable experience of sourcing, gathering and writing story content for both internal use and external communications.
• Experience conducting interviews with storytellers.
• Experience working with real-life stories in communications.
• Experience of working in a fast-moving, deadline-driven environment, and managing competing priorities effectively.
• Ability to gather, adapt and edit stories to engage and motivate different audiences.
• Strong writing skills for digital channels.
• Strong proofreading skills and a great eye for detail.
• Interviewing skills and the ability to get to the heart of a story.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including negotiating stakeholder needs.

For a full Job Description and Person Specification please see the link on the left hand side.

About Sense

Sense is a leading disability charity, here to break down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs. We use our knowledge and expertise to deliver personalised, creative and flexible support at every stage of life. Together, we drive change, building a future where everyone has the power, choice and control to live the lives we choose. We’re proud to be a Disability confident leader and a charity where people can grow their skills and careers in a supportive, flexible environment. As part of our new three-year strategy, we’re delivering a transformational plan focused on strengthening support for disabled people with complex needs, driving social change and creating a fairer, more equal future.

Our Values

Our values shape the way we behave and work alongside disabled people with complex needs to break down barriers: We’re creating change, We’re always learning, We’re better together.

To apply, please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly. We would recommend that you read the candidate guidelines, job description and person specification before applying. Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role. For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.