Communications Officer

The Institute for Policy Research is looking to appoint a Communications Officer. 

About us

The IPR is a leading institute of public policy research in the UK. It aims to further the public good through research into issues of significant relevance to policy debate and decision-making, building links with the worlds of policy and practice, and increase public understanding of policy research through our events and publications.

The Brunel Centre is a new research and insight hub launched by the University of Bath, University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and Futures West, with £4.5 million in funding from Research England. 

It provides independent, real-time, open-access data and research for and about the West of England economy, helping businesses, investors, and policymakers make better decisions across areas such as productivity, skills, innovation, trade and investment.

About the role

In IPR, you will be responsible for designing content for, analysing, and managing IPR's social media pages on platforms such as LinkedIn and Bluesky as well as commissioning, managing, and editing the IPR blog, which hosts short pieces by academics writing about their area of expertise.

In The Brunel Centre, you will be responsible for social media content, management, and analysis, the production of marketing materials such as leaflets and slide decks, editing and designing publications released by the Centre, and managing the Centre's email communications with different audiences.

Working across the Institute for Policy Research and The Brunel Centre, both based at the University of Bath, as a Communications Assistant, you will help both IPR and The Brunel Centre to promote their research to external audiences via social media, publications, and other channels.

Our ideal candidate

You will have experience of communicating complex information to a variety of audiences in an academic or think tank setting.

You will have an understanding of scholarly research in the social sciences, evidenced by an undergraduate degree in a social science subject, such as Politics, History, or Economics.

You will have a strong understanding of social media and experience of using it to disseminate content to large audiences in a professional context.

You will have experience of producing branded publications for an organisation, such as reports or other promotional materials.

You will have previously worked as part of a team but will also be comfortable working alone on dedicated tasks or projects.

You will have excellent written communication skills.

Additional information

This is a part time (21.9 hours), fixed-term position expected to end December 2029.

During the interview, there will be a short writing and editing task. 

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Ashley Lait, IPR's Head of Policy Programmes and Communications or Dr Lucy Martin, Director of The Brunel Centre.

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